A day in a TORU life

Last year, TORU simply accepted what I declared as my gross income. This year, they required my tax receipts. I also noticed that the cubicles allowed for more professional ambiance in that division. I saw a high school acquaintance who is an employee there and she joked about my being single – she said that it’s a waste that I’m still single – and of course, I let that one pass, although I had difficulty controlling my sarcasm. But after all, she said that in jest and I liked it that she remembered my name even if we’re not classmates then. (But up to now, I couldn’t recall hers.) My stock answer to why I’m still single is “because not everybody will be married.” And that is the plain and simple truth. But I’m digressing.

After the TORU assessment, I proceeded to queue : to get my cedula, to pay my municipal tax, to have the legal office sign and notarize my papers, to get the yellow form at the City Health Department, to get the fireman’s signature, and finally to the ENRO registry. I finished TORU at about 11:30 AM (I was there after 10:00AM and was number 49 – a good chance I thought to finish all the lining up before 12:00). But I had to go back to get my tax permits at home, and that should have been quick, except that going back home, I had to pass by the market, buy mangoes, then at home, eat my lunch, and by the time I got back to TORU, I had to wait another fifteen minutes coz it was still lunch break. At 1:15, I resumed the processes and the whole thing lasted up to 4:00 PM. Today, I am supposed to finish proofreading the layout of 100 profiles (finally we're on layout) and I wasn’t able to do this (these profiles have been commissioned by the Philippine Bible Society, and the book is going to be launched probably, in April this year.)

So now, I’m getting my Mayor’s Permit on Tuesday.

While sitting or standing, I watched the people, both the harried and expectant, the bossy and the gracious, those who patiently wait for their names to be called and others like myself who picked on the system at every turn. I noticed how tolerant some of the volunteers and employees were, that those who complained got simple “call-center-like” response, and whatever you say, nobody behind each counter reacted adversely or snobbishly – rather, the opposite –polite, gentle answers interspersed with po and opo and kuya, ate, tita and in my case – God bless them – nanay! As in ‘Nanay upo po muna kayo. May pila po tayo.’ (Maybe I should have a whole new set of wardrobe and get rid of the glasses, hahaha!)

All the while at the queue, I was dreaming of a time when I could afford somebody to line up for me. I like writing, editing and translation (in this order), but I hope I can do merely those and let others do the errands, the bookkeeping, and the answering of calls. But who knows how long I’m going to be in this trade. One good thing about being single is that I can simply go in and out of a venture and I have plenty of choices. What if I enroll in that TESOL thing in Bangkok then teach English anywhere in the world? This has been a huge, tempting thought. Malapit ko nang patulan.

But for now, I need to prepare the modules for the translation seminar in April, I need to finish my thesis, I need to edit a book, I need to write a biography. And finally, and most importantly, I need to be home for my mother.

So let it be just this, in the meantime.