Beirut ‘89

For the moment, being in Manila must have been no difference than being in Beirut. Or maybe even Bagdad ’91 during the first Gulf War.

The Lonely Planet guidebook makes some fantastical allusions to the amount of fireworks to be had during the New Year’s celebrations in Manila. Sure, sure; fireworks are a big thing everywhere in the world. Surely, you ask, how can folks afford them here? Who has the bucks for a truly big show?

The low rumbling of fireworks (mostly the loud bangers) began sometime in early December as the supply pipeline for Chinese firecrackers began to flow. What fun it is to scare the hair off your neighbour! What fun it is to cause car alarms to mysteriously go off after a well-tossed firebomb! Days and days of fun reel bye and the fun diminishes and so do the cries of the dogs scared flee-less.

There was a particular uprising in frenzy on the morning of the eve of New Years. I was awoken to a greater crescendo and tempo at such an inordinate time as 0800, leading one by the nose as to the potential for the day. The day progressed with a greater abundance of noises (is that possible?) throughout the day. Finally, the random sparking of multicolored (as I called them) cloudbursts, cloudbursts with tails, cloudbursts with sparkles, cloudbursts with tails and sparkles, halos, palm trees, fountains, corkscrews, boomers, bangers, and whistlers, rockets and mortars became quite commonplace. So at 2200 hrs, with my bottle of rum, a glass of wine and a tube of Pringles, I settled on a particularly isolated and dark portion of the roof of the condo (makes it floor 31 ½) to watch the 360-degree show.

That is until 2350 when the ruckus grew to become a steady flashing show and my quiet rooftop hideaway not so secret. Cordite filled the air like nobody’s business eventually blocking out the moon and, no hint of a lie, all but the neighbourhood-launched sky show. What is up with that??? What good is a lightshow if the smoke makes the lights disappear? Ironic turn of events for smog-choked Manila, eh?

The papers report, “none of the police drew and fired their weapons.” Phew thank god for us. That is until you realize the drawing of weapons is not dedicated and trained on would-be assassins or terrorists. No, it is for the mere merriment of more NOISE. Well, that and as an official backup to ensure the police are not caught red-buttcheeked for the odd fatality resulting from falling ball ammo. Oh, another paper reports “fewer fatalities from misdirected gunshots are found this year over last year. Tell that to the 3 year-old who took one in the brain-pan.

Yikes. Happy New Year.