tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-143314532011-11-27T16:52:03.349-08:00Author's Note: The stories that follow are works of fiction. Any references to historical events; to real people, living or dead; or to real locales are intended to give the stories a sense of authenticity. Characters and their names, and the incidents where they appear are the product of the author's imagination, and their resemblance, if any, to real-life counterparts is entirely coincidental. Yeah, right. Dedicated to those who have not forgotten.the jester-in-exilenoreply@blogger.comBlogger151100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14331453.post-1126181886684663472005-09-08T03:16:00.000-07:002006-12-03T03:35:22.882-08:00

"Guys, I have chika," Daphne began. "Do you know the movie 'Before Sunrise'?"It was a rare moment when practically all of the members of the Coffee Club (along with their significant others, official or not, for those who had them), even at least those left in the Philippines, could be found under one roof, as they had that muggy April evening in Royal Palm Resort, a resort in Pansol, Calamba,

Pierre Tito Gallanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14331453.post-1122535953416223422005-07-28T00:28:00.000-07:002006-12-03T03:35:43.293-08:00

There is no true country without a uniform right. There is no true country where the uniformity of rights is violated by the existence of caste, privilege, and inequality – where the powers and abilities of a large number of individuals are suppressed or dormant – when there is no common principle accepted, recognized, and developed by all.- Giuseppe Mazzini, The Rights of ManJames tossed away

Pierre Tito Gallanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14331453.post-1122099208907664452005-07-22T23:03:00.000-07:002006-12-03T03:36:10.453-08:00

Iron maiden: an old instrument of torture, consisting of a narrow upright sealed box in which a prisoner was made to stand hours on end. As the inside walls of the box was lined with sharp iron spikes, the prisoner was forced to remain as motionless as possible to avoid the spikes. The eventual exhaustion of the prisoner inside would lead to his collaspse against the walls and thus being

Pierre Tito Gallanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14331453.post-1121479246780003992005-07-15T19:00:00.001-07:002006-12-03T03:36:23.945-08:00

It’s hard to explain… okay, Ramil, how did it feel to watch the sunrise from the top of Apo the first time you climbed it?Pare, watching the sunrise from any summit, whether it’s the first or the hundredth time I’ve been on it, it’s, you know… I don’t know, wild. It’s just this incredible feeling of being there.Uh-huh… Sheila, how about when you’re working on, say, a painting, under the influence

Pierre Tito Gallanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14331453.post-1121479223120511582005-07-15T19:00:00.000-07:002006-12-03T03:36:38.879-08:00

Definition of the term: an algebraic relation whose roots contain both real and imaginary elements.Like relationships.What do you mean?Relationships – any relationship between two people – contain both real and imagined aspects. There are things about each other that actually exist, and there are things each one believes or perceives in the other that are not actually there, but are essential to

Pierre Tito Gallanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14331453.post-1121479198934919292005-07-15T18:59:00.001-07:002006-12-03T03:36:56.718-08:00

Ang pag-ibig natin ay walang hanggang paalam.– Joey Ayala at ang Bagong Lumad, Walang Hanggang PaalamFrom: china_dahl@yahoo.com.ukTo: “Laren” (lalvarez1225@lycos.com)Sent: Feb 25, 2003 21:13 GMT (Dublin, Edinburgh, Lisbon, London)Laren dear,It’s been ages, hasn’t it? I miss you guys tons. Not one London pub is like TOSS… if you only knew how much I miss those days…I’m doing all right here,

Pierre Tito Gallanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14331453.post-1121479167853261292005-07-15T18:59:00.000-07:002006-12-03T03:37:20.422-08:00

Daphne hated airports.It wasn’t that Daphne hated flying; being a senior HR officer in one of the successful call centers in Makati, Daphne often had the chance to travel, both for meetings with counterparts around the world as well as for company-sponsored vacations in Europe, the US, Japan, Southeast Asia, and around the country. She loved to play tourist, taking in the sights, shopping for

Pierre Tito Gallanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14331453.post-1121479137702611662005-07-15T18:58:00.001-07:002006-12-03T03:37:41.445-08:00

“How can anyone have faith in anything when everything close to perfection will one day crumble into dust?”– Emon, upon hearing the news about Chase and RayThe Coffee Club knew that Chase and Ray would one day end up as a couple.And so they did, one summer evening. Ray and Chase were taking summer classes, remedials for failures and advanced ones for next semester, helping each other out as they

Pierre Tito Gallanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14331453.post-1121479111517542252005-07-15T18:58:00.000-07:002006-12-03T03:37:59.677-08:00

Last night at Café Adriatico, Adrian told us where he was before the AFP withdrew its support from Erap in favor of the people. He told us where he was stationed that week, his M-16 and 203 at the ready, from the first night up to the morning when Chief Justice Davide (damn, His Honor is THE MAN!) swore GMA into office.I don’t know if I have what it takes to be Adrian. Dressed to kill (literally,

Pierre Tito Gallanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14331453.post-1121479076239915512005-07-15T18:57:00.001-07:002006-12-03T03:38:14.570-08:00

“Putang-ina, they’ve just fucked with us. Do they think that we’re just going to watch them piss on our rights?"– Eric, over dinner, after watching the second envelope stay unopened"Manong Eric just texted. He's going to EDSA with some officemates.""So?""I'm going," James replied matter-of-factly. "Shit, I wanna be there too."Tess was surprised. They were not exactly close friends; though they

Pierre Tito Gallanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14331453.post-1121479052960506492005-07-15T18:57:00.000-07:002006-12-03T03:38:27.745-08:00

“Hi!” Joy called as she approached Eric, who was slumped on a chair by his favorite table at Café Breton in Paseo de Santa Rosa. He smiled back, but his face was careworn; his expression was of relief and resignation. Joy came up and gave him a short, warm hug.“Hi,” Eric replied finally, motioning his friend to join him. “Kamusta?”“ ‘Eto, ganito pa din. Ikaw, kumusta?” Joy replied. Eric shrugged,

Pierre Tito Gallanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14331453.post-1121479020047039172005-07-15T18:56:00.000-07:002006-12-03T03:38:43.059-08:00

In serving each other we become free.– from the motion picture First Knight, starring Sean Connery, Richard Gere, and Julia Ormond"So JB, what do you plan to do now?""You really want to know?""Sure. Why not?" James savored the crisp feel of the ice-cold Corona down his throat, straight from the bottle JB has handed over. How the hell does he get hold of stuff this good? Hell, no surprise, JB is

Pierre Tito Gallanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14331453.post-1121478987888076412005-07-15T18:55:00.001-07:002006-12-03T03:15:35.295-08:00

Graduation arrived, college days ended, and not long after so did TOSS. Not only because the shop had closed, but also because the members of the Coffee Club found themselves scattered all over the globe.Or, more accurately, it feels that way. We’re all so far away from home, far from each other, trying to make a living in a world where hard work no longer guarantees success, only survival. The

Pierre Tito Gallanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14331453.post-1121478946743957202005-07-15T18:55:00.000-07:002006-12-03T03:35:08.639-08:00

For those who have not forgotten.

Pierre Tito Gallanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14331453.post-1121478893366539152005-07-15T18:53:00.000-07:002006-12-03T03:34:54.291-08:00

The stories that follow are works of fiction. Any references to historical events; to real people, living or dead; or to real locales are intended to give the stories a sense of authenticity. Characters and their names, and the incidents where they appear are the product of the author's imagination, and their resemblance, if any, to real-life counterparts is entirely coincidental.Yeah,

Pierre Tito Gallanoreply@blogger.com0