'Trust me' and other lies.

Every time my wife Karen hears me say, “Trust me”, every defense mechanism she ever learned in life immediately goes: “WARNING, IMMINENT DANGER!!!”

Most women, especially those who have been married for a long time, react similarly. It has to be genetic. How could the seed of Eve ever trust men who pinned all the blame on womanhood at the Garden of Eden!

In my case, it’s simply a matter of history. Every time I start a project or some “great big plan” and mention the line “Trust me” it usually means that we’re going to be in for a roller coaster ride because I planned things with half a brain, half the funds and a truck load of ignorant optimism that men mistakenly call “passion”.

By the grace of God do I usually come out scraped but whole and live on to declare the mantra of the legendary Hannibal Smith of the A Team: “I love it when a plan comes together!”

In the same manner, I have also learned to instinctively raise my hackles when someone says, “Trust me”, like the Meralco meter reader who I happen to notice yesterday. The guy was zipping up our street on foot and seemed like he was going for the Guinness book record of reading the most number of electric meters in the fastest time ever recorded.

The guy stood an average of 4 to 5 meters away from each electric meter and punch in the data he recorded on an instrument much like college kids chatting away while texting their thesis outline! It took him less than ten seconds to read each meter and then he would walk briskly to the next.

I was flabbergasted that he did not make the extra effort to be meticulous and exacting in his work, considering that his inputs could greatly affect the budget, the quality of life and the peace of mind of every Meralco customer household!

I interviewed the guy and he casually explained that they don’t have to read the details close-up because they could tell what the numbers were just by looking at the face of each dial and where the arrow was pointed. I call that confidence at my expense!

When he told me “not to worry” because they are so experienced and know what they do, I had a vivid recollection of the doctor who said, “You won’t feel a thing” as he jabbed, stabbed and mutilated my manhood and permanently disfigured my closest kin.

“Don’t worry” gives me very little comfort coming from a guy who gets paid by Meralco to read as many meters in a day and make sure THEY don’t lose money. That goes without saying that if the meter man misreads the meter, chances are it will always be at our expense.

Trust is a good thing but trust also comes with the expectation that those asking for our trust exercise every effort to do what is expected of them diligently, accurately, with integrity and with our best interest in mind.

As for the Meralco meter man, we have three choices for a better world order. First is to make them realize that we are more than willing to watch them do their work and report their performance. Nothing brings out the best than knowing someone has taken a personal interest in how and what you do.

Second, we can influence media and policy makers to make this crucial “job” an important issue and concern for the public as well as for Meralco, which would benefit as well.

Finally, let the Senate sponsor the first ever Tournament of Meter Readers. By designing a one kilometer track of electric meters spaced every 12 meters with meters placed high, low, near and far from the readers’ vantage point we can find the fastest, “mostest” and most accurate meter reader. If we had 50 contestants we can also scientifically determine the reliability and accuracy of Meralco meter readers.

Not only do we have an objective determination, the participants get to realize how their quality of work can be so important!

Rewarded for keeping my word

For sometime, I have been promising to watch Freddie Aguilar either in Malate or Tagaytay. I always meant to but our schedules were so crossed that the Tagaytay joint closed, the original Hobbit House moved, but still no-show on my part.

Last Monday evening I finally set out for the NEW Hobbit House on M.H. Del Pilar between Padre Faura and Arquiza sts. Honestly I did so because I have been taught that my word is my bond and we must keep our word even when inconvenient or out of our “comfort zone”. Of course I also wanted to watch a real friend and a national icon plus one heck of a musician. What I got was a real reward.

Far from the dated acoustic musician, Ka Freddie has continually evolved and what I heard was music as good and as Pinoy as our “halo-halo”. Backed by his Watawat band, I heard a symphony of Jazz, R&B, Folk and a splurge of heavy duty Hard Rock guitar work.

Opening the show was Pete Canzon on Sax and flute which reminded me of Bruce Springsteen’s back up, Rey de Castro on Bass guitar was unassuming but clearly established the history of the performers as veterans and gifted musicians. The band’s drummer Lawrence Napoco looked so young you’d think he was a minor, but he played strong and like a good drummer not loud or overwhelming.

The discovery for us was Freddie’s son Jeriko Aguilar who was a better looking version of Josh Groban but played lead guitar like he was possessed by Jimmy Hendrix! This kid is so good; I hope some one does a full session CD. That would be music befitting a Hot Rod Cruise.

In the middle of it all was the Star who remains brilliant yet never “outshines” others… Mr. Freddie Aguilar!

So get out of your comfort zone. And by the way go to the Hobbit House and catch the show…. it’s not what you’d expect… it was better!