Looking to harvest what makes him happy. <br />The AA meetings have thrown <br />him into iconoclastic jousts with Titans <br />and Gorgons with glowing snake eyes <br />and leather pants. This is life <br />without the Filipino bottle, <br />without the star fruit boogie, <br />without the "bomba" films. He wears black <br />Dr. Martens boots because slippers <br />would expose his "provinciano" feet <br />to the snow. He wants to ride <br />the back of a caribou and bolt <br />up Madison Avenue screaming <br />like Tandang Sora or shout <br />"hala-bira! hala-bira! hala-bira!" <br />like his Isneg cousins in Aklan. <br />"Ay, susmaryosep!" Such bad behavior <br />from the "true male" of Filipino <br />advertising. He looks at his reflection <br />on a book store window, notices <br />that his hair has grown shoulder-length <br />like Tonto in the Lone Ranger <br />he would watch on TV. He turns to the right, <br />his profile now looks like the young Bruce Lee <br />as Kato in the Green Hornet. Yes, <br />he realizes it will always be the face <br />of a supporting character. Rejected <br />from the Absolut Vodka magazine ads, <br />he decides to change his name <br />for an upcoming afternoon audition <br />for a Preparation H commercial - "Al Moranas", <br />American but with a Filipino flare.<br /><br />Nick Carbo<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/ang-tunay-na-lalaki-the-real-man-stalks-in-the-s/
