20. Watches “Jesus Christ Superstar,” “Cats,” and “Fiddler on the Roof” again and again and again… Breathless over a “Sweeney Todd” vignette with the protagonist howling, “My arm is complete…” the hand’s extension a flat razor blade with chased silver handle. 21. Was then squeamish and unreasonably afraid of the talahib and cane sugar grass blade… now packs three butterfly knives (baling sungay) like needful articles of underclothing… just in case. 22. His ring finger is longer than his middle finger… augury pointing up sangfroid… reptilian cold bloodedness under pressure… supposedly a lycanthrope’s tell-tale physical trait.
Saka ipapaliwanag sa kumag na lubhang mapanganib ang yugtong ito ng panahon—maligayang ika-47 kaarawan nga pala sa aking kampon sa Journal Online, si Oliviaria Manaois na sa mismong pinakamaikling araw sa kabuuan ng bawat taon o winter solstice ang kapanganakan—at laging nakaamba ang makayanig-bulsang kapahamakan lalo na kapag sinalakay na ng mga inaanak na iisa lang ang ihihirit, “Money po ninong!” habang nagbabanta naman ang napakaraming pagkakataon para sumibasib ng lamon kaya sandamakmak na triglycerides, low density lipoproteins, at samut-saring lason ang sasalin sa katawan na karaniwang magiging sanhi ng ataque de cabeza y infarto, diabetes mellitus, constipation, erectile dysfunction, flatulence, acute income deficiency syndrome, cash shortage, at iba pang kahindik-hindik na pinsala sa katawan.