Kung Hei Fat Choi

Tears rolled down on my cheeks as I butchered bulbs and bulbs of Onions in succession.

Just several minutes ago, I sliced the belly of the Green Bell Peppers to minuscule proportions.

The Big Red Tomatoes lying perfectly still on the rattan baskets are waiting for their turn to face the grim ripper.

My chopping board was the silent witness of the fury and sharpness of my blades.

I have labored and worked my butt out since 10 o’clock in the morning.

I have prayed to the gods and summoned all of my culinary skills and talent for this. The occasion was in preparation for the coming of the Chinese New Year.

My Boss told me yesterday in his trademark baritone voice that I will be the host for this year’s celebration.

The timing was really great- I had just paid off all my bills and I only have a few hundred bucks left in my pocket. I don’t even have a credit card in the first place. I am really in a tight fix.

But you can’t tell that to your Boss. So I accepted the challenge albeit grudgingly.

Aah, with a little help from a friend and a touch of Pinoy ingenuity I know I can breeze through it without much problem.

At a little past 9 in the evening, the doorbell rang and I dashed to open the huge Molave door of my Bachelors pad in New Manila.

In came rushing my balding fifty-something, pot-bellied Boss strutting like a Chinese General of yore followed by his foot soldiers- my giggling and boisterous officemates!

I told them to help themselves in the bar as I excused myself to prepare the table.

I popped a bottle of Moet et Chandon and proposed a toast for luck and prosperity in the coming year.

They complimented my cooking and marveled at my vast knowledge on the intricacies of culinary art and fine dining.

We were really having a grand time when the cacophony of sounds coming from the exploding firecrackers outside and the sight of bright and psychedelic colors of firecrackers that illuminated Manilas dark and polluted skies caught our attention.

We all rushed to the window and watched the grand display punctuated with wild merry-making as the effect of the booze began to set in.

Laughter and a staccato of voices filled every nook and crannies of the pad.

I glanced at the old grandfather’s clock in the corner and noted just 5 minutes to the big bang, so to speak.

The Snake was making his graceful exit making way for the coming of the galloping Horse when the final countdown began.10..9..8..7..6.. -when it finally came down to zero, the place exploded with shouts of "Kung Hei Fat Choi" as we hugged, kissed and patted each others back to welcome the New Year while outside the sounds of the firecrackers and colorful bright lights of the fireworks were at a crescendo!

When it was all over, they thanked me for the sumptuous feast and for being the gracious host that I am while at the back of my mind I could not help but thank my friend whose head was being cooled or whatever that remains of himself inside the freezer in the basement for helping me in my predicament.

A true friend indeed, ‘til the end.