Pamanhikan

I sense the SO's growing worry about this weekend's Pamanhikan. He worries that the dowry isn't "enough." He worries that Tuhan (who represents my family) will shoot it down. He worries that he is not "rich" enough to buy certain items. He worries that he placed our representatives in a predicament. He worries, worries, worries.

I just laugh because he's being silly. Because even though I don't know what's on the dowry list, I do know and remember one thing....IT'S RIGGED!!!! It's ALL rigged! I know because we wrote out the script, which basically goes, they present the gifts, there's some bantering, and in the end we say yes. Now the drama and the theater and the eloquence of words spoken, we don't know. BUT, I do know that in the end, MY representative will accept the dowry, guaranteed, even if I have to kick him under the table to remind him that he's supposed to say yes.

Remember that word, "yes"? I said Yes to the laughter of the birds or something or other. We have it on videotape just so the SO remembers. It's not the kind of question that you get to erase your answer on. Plus I figure, the more I say yes the easier it will be to say "I do".

Now, back in the day, you might get shot down. But this is not the time of getting shot down, this is a done deal. Hell, we're under contract with the reception venue and they've asked for a deposit. We are already in motion and there is no stopping this momentum.

We already had the private question and the private answer. This weekend is the public celebration and ritual of this agreed union. It's about bringing together family and friends and communities. It's about the romance and the tradition. It's about having a whole lot of fabulous Filipino food.

It's about the new community and new family we are creating and having all of those people say, "Yes" too. And trust me, we only invited the people who would say yes.