CHAPTER 19
AN UNUSUAL SHOWDOWN
Narrator: Back inside my house, Uncle D-Nort and Koji were drinking their Coors while I was sitting on the maroon turtle seat with my chin sitting on my right palm.
Suddenly, I heard the clanging of the keys from the front door. As I turned around, my parents were home carrying white plastic grocery bags. I got up and arrived to the front door helping them out.
Jay: So how’s Lola? (as I took one of the grocery bags off my mom’s hand)
Mr. Castro: Doing good. The doctor said she’ll be out most likely by Sunday or Monday.
Jay: That’s great.
Mr. Castro: (heading toward family room) O, Bok. (Uncle D-Nort)
D-Nort: (as he and Koji turn to him) O, saan ka galing?
Mr. Castro: Nasa hospital. (then looks at Koji, waving at him). Hi Koji.
Koji: (waves back at my dad) Ey…
D-Nort: Musta na si Ate Earlie (my lola)
Mr. Castro: Sabi daw ang doctor uuwi siya either Sunday or Monday.
D-Nort: Mabuti.
Mr. Castro: (looking at the Lakers game on TV) Ku tamBAK! (seeing the Lakers trailing 87 – 98 to begin the 4th quarter)
D-Nort: (shakes his head in disgust) Tsss… ng tira si Ginobili ang malayo! Ng pasok pa at the buzzer!
Koji: Dinouble team pa siya sila Odom at Walton.
Mr. Castro: Tss… eh ibig sabihin lahat ang tira ni Ginobili ay sigurado kahit wala siya sa position. Magaling siya talaga. (laughing a bit)
D-Nort: Chamba lang yun tira niya kanina… (shaking his head again) Tsss…
*
Narrator: Back inside the Powerhouse Arcade, Erich and Brenda were waiting for the arrows to scroll upward as the song had already started. The song playing was “Maria (I Believe)” by Naoki ft Paula Terry.
DDR Speaker: Are you ready?
Narrator: As the girls got on their feet, the notes arrived on the screen, and so the girls started their dance grooves.
The crowd gathered along, seeing the girls, both on the Expert difficulty, hitting note after note, from single to double to a wacky scramble of eighth and sixteenth notes.
Robby and my two other friends Chris and Bobby came along watching the scene. Erich was already at 203 combos. Jimbo watched the two girls in amazement.
Robby: (watching Erich’s every move on the platform) Holy shit she’s not even using the bar.
Bobby: I know, dude. The other girl too.
Robby: Jay’s gonna wanna know this. (as he takes out his phone, flipping it open)
Narrator: Erich was unstoppable, now at 417 combos in counting. The crowd went wild cheering for the girls.
As soon as the song ended…
Jimbo: Wow…
Narrator: The crowd continued cheering loudly as they applauded for the girls.
Denise: Ang galing niyo!
Narrator: Once Brenda and Erich turned around, laughing and smiling…
Vietnamese Girl: (long curly hair and around her 20’s with her two Pacific Islander female friends, all same age as hers) You go girl!
Hispanic Guy: (wearing Raiders cap) Ya got skillz!
Narrator: Erich continued laughing, not even one word coming out of her mouth. She and Brenda stepped down the DDR platform, standing next to Denise.
Denise: Ang galing naman kayo eh! (smiling)
Narrator: So all three of the girls passed through the crowd, who was still applauding for them.
Jimbo: Impressive! (as the girls looked at him) Mas gusto ko yun sayawan niyo kesa sa kanina!
Brenda: Naku! Wala yun, noh?
Jimbo: Least you girls can dance that good.
Brenda: Yeah, we sure can, pero mas maigi pang buhay natin sa iyo!
Narrator: The girls exited the arcade afterwards.
Bobby: Dude… how do girls know how to dance like that?
Chris: They just do.
Bobby: Like you know shit at all. (as Robby laughs)
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