TOKYO — You don’t rush to this expensive capital only to again be amazed by a people’s love affair with their neat, orderly sidewalks.
If the first sight of old women soaping and scrubbing the pedestrian paths right outside city establishments at the end of a long day here had appeared like a scene from a modern-day fairytale, the visitor had only himself to blame.
He has lived too long in a careless city where the sidewalk, definitely unloved, is treated like an enemy, spat at and regularly pelted with all sorts of debris.
The visitor has long given up his dream of transporting the Japanese passion for neatness and discipline to his own country in this lifetime.
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But listen to this piece of happy news, please.
This one is not about sidewalks. This is about Manny Pacquiao, RP’s sporting treasure, who continued to get superstar treatment here.
Pacquiao, here with his lovely wife Jinkee, enjoyed the cool, crisp weather as this city thrilled to the windy rumor of autumn coming.
OK, the report here in the Inquirer of Pacquiao turning a new leaf by giving up drinking and late nights was treated like a joke, a funny rumor, by certain sectors.
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But he was not joking, Pacquiao assured.
Tell them to please stop laughing, Pacquiao told the Inquirer after a lunch of pink salmon and other seafood dishes in the main dining hall of the Grand Palace Hotel on Saturday.
Pacquiao swore his drinking days are indeed over.
So when was the last time he had a beer?
Not even during the victory feast for his sensational win over Mexican Hector Velazquez in Los Angeles, California, on Sept. 11.
What about during the triumphant homecoming to birthplace General Santos City from the California conquest?
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He indeed threw a big party.
In fact, Pacquiao said over 30 cases of beer were consumed, with the super fighter singing himself hoarse during the feast that lasted until the wee hours of morning.
Not even a sip of beer to acknowledge the victory toasts?
“I finished one full pitcher, pero orange juice,” Pacquiao quipped.
No kidding, his friend Rex “Wakee” Salud confirmed after this reporter started shaking his head in disbelief.
Salud added that, in a subsequent dinner with friends from the government and the military, all Pacquiao drank was mineral water while the guests quaffed red wine.
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So what caused the incredible transformation?
Nothing much, Pacquiao explained, adding that he just woke up one morning with a gigantic hangover. The headache was so huge he started to weigh things over.
“Wala ka naman makuha sa inom kung hindi sakit ng ulo (All you got from drinking is a terrible headache),” he explained.
So what does he plan to do with his free time?
“Stay at home with my kids, kundi sa farm na lang,” the sports hero assured.
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Fine. The problem with late nights and alcohol may be over. But this cannot be said of Pacquiao’s breakneck schedule, a result of his fantastic triumph in California.
Pacquiao cannot expect even a bit of free time upon his return from here.
He would be irrevocably caught in a whirlpool of commitments and assorted activities.
For example, he graces the PBA opening October 2, before attending a big victory party that same evening. The next day, he’s scheduled to be in Davao, before honoring a long line of invitations, interviews and other requests.
Then, before he could wriggle out of the fix, he will have to pack up for a trip back to California to be at ringside for the Oct. 8 fight of his younger brod Bobby.
It won’t be easy. Pacquiao swore he often doesn’t even have time for himself.
He however assured he would harness all the time in the world to prepare and be at his best in the scheduled rematch against Mexican ring legend Erik Morales.
“Mas malakas at mas handa pa yan kaysa noong laban namin last March (Morales will be doubly prepared than when we fought),” Pacquiao said.
He smiled a quiet smile. It’s no secret that his burning desire to get even with Morales was one of the reasons he had to stay away from beer.
(THIS column was sent last Sunday, but got stalled in the Internet traffic.–Ed)
