Call me Chaos.
I am the emotions na parang sasabog na.
For the first time in my life, I witnessed how people can easily treat you with so much disrespect and misjudge you with how little they know about you. Your entirety is boxed all of a sudden, for just a single action you've taken.
Meet Pepe, he is bringing me with him.
He always sees the good in everyone, despite all the bad things they've done. He gives his all, and more, until nothing is left para sa sarili niya. He is a people-pleaser, a pushover. But little did they know, he has me, deep within him. Patiently waiting to erupt. Just a single spark. He madly wants to burst out. Isang sindi nalang.
Ngayon, let's meet the other main character of this story, Filipino Cuisina - tagapagtaguyod ng mga tradisyon at kultura ng Pilipinas, particularly the kusina. They are but a legion, armed with their values and beliefs. And they are particularly fond of lutong-bahay, especially chicken adobo. May sarili silang pamamaraan ng pagluluto at ang mga sangkap ay hindi basta-basta lang. Dapat orihinal ang walang alternatibo.
Nagkataon, ito ang paboritong ulam ni Pepe! As much as he loves to eat, he also loves to cook, and experiment.
To make everyone happy, nagluto siya ng iba't ibang klase ng adobong manok - mayroong may konting sarsa, may pinakuluan sa gata, at mayroon pang pininyahan. At nabalitaan ito nila.
Pagka't mayroon silang sariling pamamaraan, hindi naging katanggap-tanggap sa legion ang experimental way of cooking ni Pepe. Isa itong kalapastanganan sa kanilang pinangangalagaang paniniwala! At hindi katanggap-tanggap!
At that moment, I came out bursting.
The legion was taken aback, but only for a short moment. For they have the upperhand, they have an absolute chance of winning this argument.
In Pepe's mind, the essence of chicken adobo is still there, only cooked in a lot of ways. Still, the legion stands on a firm ground. A strong belief that if it has been prepared that way before, and always has a positive outcome, hindi kailangang baguhin.
With me erupting in full glory, Pepe is able to push the experiments forward. And he is winning, until the legion's cheat code appears.
Binawi nila hindi lang ang orihinal na recipe, pati mismo ang pagmamay-ari sa paborito niyang ulam.
And in that brief moment, I got boxed, and so was Pepe.
The legion's deck of cards are brick-walled. Hindi natitinag, hindi nabubuyo. The power they have on those rules are set in stone na hindi kayang tibagin ni Pepe.
He admitted to himself that he lost, at ako ay unti-unti ng nauupos. Pero ang mga huling sandaling iyon ay tila balisong na tumusok sa tagiliran ni Pepe. And it reignited my fire.
[These are the only dialogues in this story]
STARTING DIALOGUES...
Legion No.8 with 78% thrust power: We gave you the recipe with the hope na susundin mo ito ng naaayon sa nakasulat, pero taliwas ang iyong ginawa. Nakakalungkot Pepe, nawalan na kami ng tiwala sa iyo.
Legion SW with 76% scream technique: Sa una palang nating pagkikita, hindi na talaga ako nagkaroon ng kumpiyansa sa paraan mo ng pagluluto. Tama nga ako, wala kang kakayahan na ipagpatuloy ang tradisyon ng Filipino Cuisina.
Legion Force with 97% muscle skill: Isa kang huwad Pepe! Balasubas ang pagkakaluto mo sa adobong manok. Kabastusan sa amin ang sa kultura na aming iniingatan. Kung hindi mo kayang lutuin ang putaheng ito sa kanyang orihinal na recipe, hindi ka nababagay sa amin.
Legion Bold with 100% civic training: Nasa iyo ang baraha Pepe. Kung nais mo paring sumali sa amin, sundin mo ang aming batas ng walang pag-iimbot. Maaari ka ng umalis.
...ENDING DIALOGUES
Tuliro and still confused, Pepe left the legion. He can cry with despair, all his hearts out, but for the Filipino Cuisina, tradition is tradition. The thousand years of culture that they have cultivated in perfecting the chicken adobo dish must never be altered.
Pepe has these in mind as we close the story...
"Iisa lang ba dapat ang pamamaraan sa pagluluto ng paborito niyang ulam? Kung ang alam niya ay iba sa nakagawian nila, hindi na ba ito katanggap-tanggap? Makabago man ang kanyang pananaw sa buhay, subalit ang kanyang paniniwala ay naaayon parin sa nakaugalian at hindi lihis sa landas na tinatawid ng kalahatan."
Yet I, despite dying, still flickers.
I am the emotions na parang sasabog na. I am Chaos, and can burst out at will. It is up to Pepe how to use my energy. I can be a force of self-destruction, or rebirth.
Pepe, nasa iyo ang baraha.
P.S. -hanggang ngayon, walang nakakaalam kung paano ba talaga lutuin ang adobong manok. Tanungin ba natin? Kaso hindi nagsasalita e.
