Reserve your free parking!
That is what hit my lowly brain early on a groggy 2nd day of the year! Probably because it was early morning. The way I initially understood this signage actually woke me up! I thought it was saying "call to reserve your free parking" hehe!
YOU!
Exactly a week after, I get to be in the area again, this time the Pink Sisters' chapel. And that in the picture is/was the responsorial psalm for the day. At first, I did not even notice. But when you sit or kneel silently at a very serene place with no distractions, you do at times, even if unconciously, start looking for things to distract you, right? And when I glanced again, I knew there was something wrong.
On my way out, hindi naka-pag-pigil hehe, I went up to that board and made the switch. A woman at a nearby pew was looking intently (as she prayed). I could see her from my peripheral vision! I thought there was some kind of ire in her eyes when she would glance at me hehe! I could feel it! She probably thought I was some vandal or something! But when I was done, I turned back to purposely look at her until she looked at me. She smiled after seeing what I have just done! I felt I was an angel hehe!Sosyal na public CR!
See the picture first before reading on! If not for the "MALE" sign at the top, you would think that was your hotel room door, right?! It really looks so. What with an electronically controlled door-lock with a numeric keypad! And if you don't know the numbers to press, you must have a 'VingCard' – yep, that credit-card-like piece of plastic that you tap at that black thing just atop the handle!How do you get hold of a VinCard to be able to enter then? You don't! There is (almost) always a utility girl by the entrance who will first size you up and decide if she would allow you to enter or not. It is free of course, but yes, they decide if you are "qualified" or not hehehe!
This is the comfort room at Gaisano Country Mall in Banilad. Not even inside their department store but just out by the hallways. Its the same whether you are at the first or second level. Location? At ground level that is the "CR" in between Mang Inasal and that Korean Restaurant, at second level, that's beside the internet cafe!
I asked one of the girls why it is so. At first she educated me that these are supposed to be "private" comfort rooms "for tenant use only" and they let people use these only on a case-to-case basis. I said I was happy I always "qualified" to be allowed entry when I need to, but further asked her if this was not some kind of discrimination on those they would deny. Her reply was lengthy but in gist she was telling me that they don't like those "nothing-to-do" residents from a nearby slum area using their comfort rooms as they don't know how to properly use CRs.
Oh well, that "situation" got me thinkin! It challenged the process improvement professional in me! I recall now, the whole big mall has only 3 comfort rooms for use by the general public. The first two are as described above (they choose who qualifies hehe), and the 3rd one is that comfort room at the supermarket area, As it is, I think that could already be against some building norms, customs or ethics (if not laws) about having a mall with very minute comfort room to customer ratio! For those who had been to country mall, try to imagine how many people go there!
Oh, the 3rd CR? It is under the escalators when going down to lower ground - that is the supermarket area. Yep, just beside the "package counter". White it also has this kind of reminder posted on the mirrors, that CR does not have electronic locks. But it is the "tambayan" of utility workers of the mall. Yeah, the females in them even sit it out inside the door of the male comfort room and they banter or tell stories there with their male workmates! Not that I care, but I wonder... why couldn't they do so at the female comfort rooms? Maybe mas mapanghi hehe!Anyway, as you can see in the pictures, the "controlled" comfort rooms are at least always tidy and orderly. Cleaner and more fragrant than any SM or Ayala Mall in this country. What does this mean now building administrators? A trend to be?!
Always... With Happy Family!
Am not really sure how that expression exactly translates to Korean. But I think, for the native or even ESL English speakers, there is something wrong with how it is said. Who cares, right?! It still sends the message through anyway, right? But reading it just makes you smile! Aside form salivating of course hehe. Their fried chicken tastes differently well - in case you have had enough of chicken joy!And contrary to assumptions of many Pinoys, not all Korean restaurants are that expensive. This is one example. Yes, try them! AND, for those of you who don't like maanghang, stop thinking Kimchi. Not all Korean Food are hot (spicy). They even also have their own delicious version of 'kakanin' – a whole lot of them! And notably delectably addictive too. I mean babalik-balikan mo talaga!
Oh well... anyway... I think I would miss Banilad when I finally move on... soon...
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1 Comments
LOL! Nice compilations. Really entertaining. Keep it up!
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