Was I Offended?

Went out to buy some cigarettes last night when I realized i'm out of 'em.

Walked in to this kid whom i already encountered and acted weird twice before. I used to think he feels like a 'siga' who thought he could try scaring me and failed. 'Coz I'm not bluffing but... I can beat the shit out of him any given day.

But last night, he was at it again. He was seated on the gutter when i was approaching. He stood up and walked almost straight at me, then turned away in time before he's inches away from colliding onto me.

I asked him if he's got a problem.

He did not respond nor look back after walking past me. I decided to keep walking.

By the time I was headed back, he was walking with two other teens -a guy and a girl. Again, he did exactly what he just did when i first passed by but this time, he whispered to me...

'chupa?'.


But again, he kept walking with his friends like nothing happened as I turned around to face him. My instant reaction was to retaliate.

You see, when I was very young, I always loved a good fight. This would've been exciting for me. It was my personal secret when I was this annoying teenager's age.

Creeps me sometimes when I remember how I used to feel nice when I get violent. But of course, the 'adult me' today understands that I had a very troubled youth.


So, going back, my impulse at least wanted a word battle, and see what happens next.

I said, 'Ako kaya chupain mo? Pusta ako, mas malaki 'to? Sino tingin mo sa sarili mo?'


He did not react, nor his friends.

When i got back home, I told my friend Jed, who was staying for the night, about what just happened. She told me that my lines were too long. And I should've spat out just a good one-liner.

It was only then that I realized that the incident made me feel offended. Asked myself if I somehow look like I'd pay any cock-bearing creature regardless if they're hunk or toothless. I scratched my beard -which I actually have now because I've been too tired of doing a lot things while I was down with fever and flu for 2 weeks, and I thought how in the world would the guy even dare think of crossing me when most of the time, people get scared of me when I have beard.


I told my friend Jed that i'll take her suggestion the next time i cross paths with the kid. And later added that I also wished I should've told the kid 'you can't afford me' instead.

That would have been a nice move to turn the tables.


I also told Jed that as much as I was feeling offended, It felt weirdly good because I rarely get offended.

It felt humanizing.

While laughing, she told me, I'm weird and I should decide if I was offended or if I enjoyed the encounter.