if i ...

...... were an elderly impolite white man who has burned too many bridges in Hongkong and in Cebu, would I elicit disfavor from this city’s respected grand dames by maligning them? Recently, the above mentioned aging social mountaineer  (let’s call him Ripley) had a heated exchange of words with another guest at a wedding reception after he disapproved of what the guest wore at a previous party. When the guest told Ripley that he was in no position to publicly and rudely ridicule what he chose to wear, and that he should be more careful with his words especially when he is around Cebu’s genteel ladies, Ripley retorted: “oh, those old women don’t know fashion anyway. They haven’t traveled enough, so why should I even care?”

….burned all bridges in Cebu, where shall I move? Because of his growing unpopularity Ripley is allegedly thinking of moving to the Western Visayas Region. A writer belonging to Bacolod’s affluent family disclosed that the mountaineer has been wooing prominent people from the capital of Negros Occidental. He immediately declined a dinner invitation when his Cebuana friend who comes from an illustrious political clan advised him against getting too friendly with the delusional poseur.

…were invited (heaven forbid) to that crazy Caucasian’s table, would I  give it a second thought? Yes, out of diplomacy. But I would decline three days prior since most of the guests whom he invites for dinner always complain about his rudeness and are known to starve at his table for lack of decent food and wine.