SPIN

One

"So, ano na? What's your first scenario?"

"Teka. Wait. Hindi pa ako maka-get over  that you'll stay pa for a bit."

Alden smirked. "Yes, well... Marami lang siguro akong na-realize... Wala. Basta. Ano na nga?"

Maine smiled. "O sige, let's go with an easy one. What if hindi ka nakapag-artista?"

"What, like, hindi ako nag-try? Or hindi successful sa auditions?"

"Let's say never ka nag-try, na nung nawala si Mommy mo kailangan ng pera, nag-work ka kaagad - taking whatever job you could get at the time."

Alden seemed to ponder for a bit. "Yeah. Naalala ko noon, maraming factory malapit sa'min so sabi ko kay Dad, pwede ako mag-janitor. Or pwede nga din yung mga messenger? SIguro yun ang gagawin ko and probably, kapag gipit talaga, messenger sa weekday tapos sideline ng janitor."

"Kung alam mo lang kung gaano ako ka-proud sa yo na ang laking tulong mo sa family mo. Sobrang nakakab-bilib."

"Talaga ba?"

"Oo naman!"

"So, bakit parati mo akong inaaway pag ang dami kong work? I always thought hindi mo naintindihan yung pinagdaanan ko."

Maine sighed. "Hindi yun, but madalas kasi parang sobra na? Imagine, 4 events in one day ka minsan? It's not safe and not healthy. Kahit hindi tayo, magwoworry ako for you. Masama bang isipin yung welfare mo?" She bit her lip. "Anyway, back to the scenario. Paano nga kaya, okay so nandun kayo, tapos sumugod yung Eat Bulaga sa baranggay niyo?"

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"Kuya!!!!"

Riza Faulkerson yelled, running into their rented house, looking for her older brother. They had lived in this house for a few years since their mother passed. Their family, though with foreign ancestry, had never been that well off and when their mom got sick, her medical expenses further strained their resources, and the family decided to rent a smaller house.

"Kuya RJ! Mag-leave ka bukas!"

"Day-off ko naman talaga. Bakit ba?"

"Pupunta daw ang Eat Bulaga dito!!! Sali tayo sa Juan for All! Baka manalo tayo!" Riza distributed the forms to all of them who were old enough to join.

As they settled in to sleep that night, Rj prayed and talked to his mom, Ma, sana manalo kami. Susubukan ko pong makahanap ng isa pang trabaho pero short po talaga ako para sa tuition ni Riza tsaka pagkain this month, baka lang sakaling makatulong yung premyo. Sorry, Ma, kung nagrereklamo ako - nahihirapan lang po kasi talaga ako. Pasensya na po.

***

"Nandito kami ngayon sa Sta. Rosa, Laguna!"

The Sugod-Bahay gang of Eat Bulaga called out just before Allan K, who was at the studio in Broadway, picked a winner to speak to.

"Menggay, wala ka bang jokes diyan?" Bossing Vic Sotto asked their "newcomer".

Maine Mendoza, Dubsmash queen, had joined the long-running show a few months before and was gaining a steady following. She even appeared in the Christmas movie of the show's veterans.

"Wala po, Bossing eh. Bukas magre-ready ako, promise! Si Kuya Wally nalang po!"

"Ay, wag nalang."

They went on with some more banter, while Allan K was trying to get a hold of the winner.

"Hello?" came a deep voice.