One Fiery Fishy Lady

"I Laaaab MY JOB!!!"

Oh, I will never forget that feisty screaming streak blond bleach haired lady vendor who passionately snapped this phrase at two foolish gawking young men.....ha!ha!ha!

Happened a couple years back when I was living in the fringes of a place called "Marikina." Whenever I was in the mood for "tawilis"
( a small fry fish that tastes buttery nutty when crisp fried to a crunch) the only logical place to go for the freshest catch was the Marikina Wet Market. Supermarkets can't compete.

I was part of the masses absorbed and hooked at the titillating chaos of bodies, veggies, fruits, chicken, pork, beef, shrimps, clams, lobsters, oh, every conceivable kind of succulent find. Fantastic!

Food, life, color, honks, shove, push, pull, barter, clinking coins and the uproar of voices hollering to buy this and that swearing to crosses, heavens and graves that their produce was the freshest at the lowest cost. Stall after stall after stall, I loved the madness of it all!

I was attracted to her store. She was different. She was vavoom!

Dressed in roses, her yellow bleached hair in a pin, her lips a full pouting red, and her cheeks all dolled up, she was a standout among the other lady vendors who did their business garbed in the usual drab attire.

I caught her pausing from the frenzy of buying costumers to take a quick peek at her golden mirror hidden conspicuously inside her apron. At that moment two wise guys cracked in laughter and mockingly asked why on earth she bothers to fix up her hair and dress to party when her job was nothing more than to sell - fish!
Lowly, lowly fish.

I wish you could have heard that "kwack" violent snap of her little pocket mirror, the pointy arch of her left brow, the blaze in her eyes, and the fire in her voice when she stood straight and with chin lifted high she bellowed in her tangiest English.......

'beeeeeeecozzz' I laaaaaab my jaaaaaaaab!!!"...."
may problema kayoooo?"
( you guys have a problem with that!?)...

Heeh! hee!hee!
Everybody within a mile of hearing distance bursted in laughter, not at the lady, but at the startled expression of the two men who sheepishly pointed to a kilo of this and that lest the irked rosy blondie fish vendor started flinging them with her day's gigantic collection of sword fish.

Oh, how I admire that lady.
Her zest and enthusiasm, her fire and attitude, her outlook and work disposition so worth emulating.

I remember her today as I watch with distaste our local high ranking politicians clad in their expensive suits and shining imported shoes. Well groomed politicians with Harvard and Ivy League decorations who steal and corrupt and lie with straight faces. Thick faced pompous asses who stink this whole nation with their rotten fishy fetid body aroma that reaches even the high borders of Russia. Soulless creeps who drain, plunder, pillage and rape this nation of its dignity.

Ditch your pricey diplomas you fang faced mushroom sharks who place no value in the office of your position. Look for that rosy flowered luminary of a lady who sells tawilis and tilapia and salmon and sharks fin. Ask her what it means for someone to truly truly truly, in all honesty 'lab one's jab." She can very well educate you, and perhaps, salvage your corrupted spirit.

There in the fishy market of Marikina, you will be saved!

Credits: Art work by award winning Filipino graphic designer and book illustrator : Robert A. Alejandro
This art work also appears in the website of my favorite novelty shop: Papemelroti