Have you ever tried eating outside on your own?
Back in the early eighties when I was just starting to work at the prestigious and oldest bank in the country, eating out alone was quite taboo. You need to have at least an officemate to eat with you when you go out. Even having lunch at the bank cafeteria or eating your baon, you were always in the company of your friends and officemates. You felt a little pitiful eating alone.
Gradually, it has become the norm to grab a bite after shopping for a few grocery items during your lunch break. Going back at least fifteen minutes late was still acceptable. Tropical Hut is one of the oldest fast food chains in the Philippines. It made the burger become popular. When Jollibee started, we also started taking out something for lunch. And be it a celebration of a birthday at the office or just having snack together, it would always be Jollibee. And since during those times there were no delivery guys to service our orders, it’s always our floor janitor who volunteers to buy and that means free snack for him too. Nowadays, even little kids know the sign of the big bee even if they can’t pronounce it right. Us seniors have always the privilege of having 20% discount in hotels, airplane rides, medicines, restaurants and food chains, cinema and some grocery items which are considered as basic.
And this reminds me, when I was still at the bank, every one in our unit would contribute to buy a cake for the birthday celebrator to take home. It would always be a round chocolate Cookie Monster cake.
Gosh, such memories, still vivid like they just happened yesterday.
Dreams And Escapes 