When Manny Pacquiao left the country for Las Vegas, his countrymen held their breath. They knew his foe was no pushover. Though Pacquiao?s skills had vastly improved over his last few fights, and though he was the overwhelming favorite in this fight, his countrymen worried he would be in for a war whose outcome lay in doubt.
When the congressmen left the country for Las Vegas, their countrymen breathed a sigh of relief. At last their countrymen felt they could get a respite. Though their countrymen had become more alive and vocal over the last couple of months, they themselves were more determined to wage a war on them and had grown bigger now to include in their ranks ?The Butcher,? which is not a boxing nickname. The outcome of that war remained in doubt. All their countrymen knew was that their respite was going to be short, their congressmen would soon be back.
When Pacquaio left for Vegas, the opposition in the form of Ricky Hatton?s camp was filled with fear. The fact that he had gone there early to be free of his vices and to train as hard as he could in preparation for his foe did not bode well for them. They worried that if he got any stronger he might not dance away but take the fight into his foe. They knew a storm was coming, they just did not know it would be a veritable tornado.
When the congressmen left for Vegas, the opposition in the form of the representatives (as opposed to congressmen, which include women) who are fighting Charter change (Cha-cha) were filled with joy. Notwithstanding that the congressmen had gone there to partake of its vices and to party as hard as they could in the time that they had, there was reason to be joyful, their absence made the heart grow fonder. Had they remained here, we would even now be dancing the Cha-cha instead of getting a respite from our foe. A storm is coming, the congressmen being expected to pick up Cha-cha again when they get back. They will soon find out that when the people get riled they become a veritable tornado.
When Pacquiao left for Vegas, he did so using his own money. Or whoever it is that pays for the travel expenses of prizefighters when they fight in strange shores. As soon as he got to Vegas, he went straight to the gym and got to business. A thing that alarmed his trainer, Freddie Roach: Pacquiao was so determined to work Roach feared he might overdo it. Pacquiao himself knew he was playing for very high stakes, his nation?s honor being on the line, and didn?t want to gamble with it wantonly.
When the congressmen left for Vegas, they used our money, except that they said they were using their own money. In their minds at least they weren?t lying?they have always assumed our money to be theirs. As soon as they got there, they hit the bars and the casinos, determined not to lose any time sleeping. A thing that much elated the managers of those joints. At the rate the Filipino congressmen were spending, they thought, they could bail America out of its recession. The congressmen knew they were playing for very high stakes, their personal fortunes being on the line, and they gambled in wild abandon.
When Pacquaio climbed into the ring, his countrymen were filled with pride. When his name was proclaimed by the ringmaster at MGM, his countrymen roared with approval like the MGM lion. When he fought like lightning, his fists doing all the talking, doing what he set out to do efficiently, powerfully, masterfully, and finally standing over his fallen foe like a conqueror, his countrymen were one with him, standing over their fallen selves, or their abject plight, or once mighty adversity, with hope in their hearts.
When the congressmen were shown in passing, their countrymen were filled with disgust. When their presence was noted still in passing as being part of the throng of Filipino supporters, their countrymen roared angrily like the MGM lion, fearful they might jinx their champion. When they climbed onto Pacquiao?s back afterward, chortling their praises as though they had a hand in his victory, as though indeed they themselves had wrought the deed, doing what they set out to do, advertising themselves openly, loudly, brazenly, their countrymen felt the boot on their faces, trampling them to the ground, making sure they would lie there forever.
When Pacquiao fought the fight of his life, the nation stood behind him, stopping hostility, stopping activity, stopping time. When he won with such stunning ease after much hard work, his countrymen saw that they too could overcome great odds with their hands, if not their fists, if only they would apply themselves to it.
When the congressmen had the time of their lives, stopping decency, stopping sanity, stopping breath, the nation parted like the Red Sea. When they rode on Pacquaio?s victory with such stunning shamelessness, their countrymen saw their work was still cut out for them conquering tyranny, conquering indifference, conquering themselves.
When Pacquaio comes back from the US, he will be spreading good cheer to his countrymen. He will be driven around in parades as well he deserves. When he opens his mouth to speak, his adoring countrymen will listen in rapt attention and break into cheers.
When the congressmen come back from the US, they will be spreading swine flu, quite apart from the virus of corruption which has already caused a pandemonium, if not a pandemic, in their country. They will be quarantined in cells, literally and metaphorically, the public treating them like pariahs as well they deserve. When they open their mouth to speak, their seething countrymen will swear with terrible passion and break into jeers.
They will also wear gas masks.
