No need to ask who blinked first

In a James Dean movie whose title now escapes recall, there's that scene where the then teenage Hollywood prodigy - who later died very young - and a young "contravida" had this "chicken game" with each driving a jalopy. The rule was simple: Both cars racing towards each other head-on and, he who swerved at the last second was "chicken", a symbol of cowardice.

Similar nerve-frazzling situations happen in actual life, say, in childhood the dare is which boy crosses the line; or, which of certain eyeball-to-eyeball protagonists blinks first. When either lacks the grit to cross the line, or both can hold on staring without blinking, the impasse is a deadlock, or a stalemate, or a Mexican standoff, or whatever indecision.

And now beyond fiction, is the sticky situation on the hitherto unresolved land-swapping deal between Cebu Province and Cebu City. On the surface though, it appears that Governor Gwen F. Garcia, as well as the Provincial Board collectively, seems unappeased over Vice Mayor Michael Rama's "Igo ra unya sila modawat sa limpyo".

But the real tug-of-war dilemma doesn't appear deep-rooted between Cebu City and Cebu Province, or between the Vice Mayor, Pesquera and the City Council on one hand, and the Governor, the Vice Governor and the PB members, on the other. Definitely, this is neither the reasonably tousled sensibility of Gov. Gwen, nor the egregious irritability of Mayor Tom.

In fact, despite the lady governor's "watch me" hint, when hizzoner, on his own, decided to take the situational bull by its horns in a showdown with his City Council, the former would likely relent. Unless, as hinted by self-appointed political seers, the two LGU executives would opt to part ways. But, that is now neither here nor there!

And so, where then is the conflict abrewing, with both protagonists staring daggers at each other, and resolved not to blink? Actually, one has already blinked, and turned tail, as usual

Yes, you guess it The fight for turf was, as it has been for quite sometime, between Mayor Tom versus the City Council led by VM Mike with Pesquera as his moral booster, and the BOPK City Councilors.

Of course, none of them would openly admit the internecine and palpable undercurrent existing within the BOPK. One need not enumerate the past instances when Rama and Co. have been made to feel irrelevant in the city governance. It has become the trend that hizzoner would belittle the BOPK-dominated City Council whenever the latter would treat official matters, by going through the usual legislative process.

The proposed land-swap with Cebu Province is a typical case in point. As his wont, the impulsive executive already had a prior decision on the crucial issue, but only has to call on the City Council to put its official imprimatur to legalize it. It's not surprising if no prior caucus had been made to smooth out a consensus inre the City's official stand, before referral to the legislative body that theoretically sets the policy.

As co-equal branch, the collective City Council now composed of degree holders with many lawyers including its presiding officer, has its professional pride and dignity to uphold, aside from politics of convenience come election time. And, for such important public issue of land-swap, it's only sensible that they deliberate on it thoroughly, so they think.

However, the painful reality is that they may not have the guts to hold on. So they readily blinked after hizzoner had given the ultimatum in their recent BOPK meeting. Without meaning to be demeaning, to obviate further embarrassing standoffs, the City Council has to learn how to read accurately the lips and the body language of their political leader.