THE CHINESE FAN AND THE LOTTO

The Chinese Fan 

I began experiencing strange things after graduating from college. That was in the late 90s, just before the approach of the new millennium. 

I was on board a Victory Liner bus bound for Manila. I was seated all alone at the back. A male passenger who was seated three empty seats away and in front of me lifted a tabloid as he read it. The banner headline on the tabloid’s back page read, “ABOT KAMAY ANG GINTO” (gold is within a hand’s reach). 

I seemed to be under a spell. I felt as though I was hypnotized. I was following what the banner headline suggested. 

I looked around and tried to find out whatever it was that was within the reach of my hand. I found a Chinese fan on a vacant seat some five feet away from where I was seated. I picked the fan up and tried to spread its blades wide open. There on one of its inner blades were written five (5) numbers like 17, 24, etc. (I could not remember the three other numbers). And the last character was a symbol—that symbol of infinity that we learned in our Modern Mathematics subject in my freshman year in the high school. 

After reading what was written on that Chinese fan’s inner blade, I lifted my head, looked around, and as the bus reached the junction area in San Fernando, Pampanga, it made a stop right in front of a lotto outlet where a signboard in bold letters read: PLAY LOTTO HERE. 

As I was very nervous then, I threw the Chinese fan outside of the Victory Liner bus’ window. 

A few years had passed after that incident and, one afternoon, as I exited the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority’s Main Gate, I went to the lotto outlet just after the Main Gate Pedestrian Lane. As I approached the betting window to make my bet, I found on the window pane a Chinese fan similar to the one I mentioned above. And I remember that incident. I smiled as I picked up that Chinese fan that was probably inadvertently left by a female bettor. That Chinese fan is still in my possession up to this date. 

No, I did not win in that draw. 

PARANORMAL PHENOMENA

There are occurrences in our lives that are inexplicable and very difficult to comprehend. They not only make us wonder why but they even seem to (or really) debunk some scientific theories that we learned in school. 

I have my share of the inexplicable. I did not know if I was possessed then or there was a problem with my nervous system. Or both. I turned to Religion for an answer but I was very much confused and afraid. In fact, for quite some time, my faith in God was shaken. 

I sought professional help but the psychiatrist just prescribed a number of tranquilizers which I used not for a day nor week nor month but for years. And before I knew it, I was heavily dependent on them. In fact, I couldn't do without them. 

I experienced sleepless nights and there was even a time when I was wide awake for days. I was psychosomatic, I thought I was sick. I thought I was losing my head... I thought it was the end of me. 

In my next blog posts, I will share with you some of my  supernatural experiences. However weird, I hope you'll enjoy reading them. 

BANYO QUEEN

 Noong sa Harris Street sa Olongapo pa ako nakatira, malaki ang bahay na inuupahan ko. May dalawang  kuwarto sa itaas at isang maliit na kuwarto sa ibaba. Dahil nag-iisa lang ako roon, naisipan kong tumanggap ng boarders.

Sampu ang naging boarders ko: 8 males and 2 females. Lahat sila except for Gelai ay sa itaas (second floor) natutulog. Si Gelai ay doon sa maliit na room downstairs natutulog.

Minsan, nang pumanaog ako’t walang tao sa ground floor, napuna kong may nakapaskel na note sa may dingding sa tapat ng dining table. The note read in part:

“SINO KANG LALAKI KA NA TUMATAWAG SA AKIN NG 'BANYO QUEEN'? DINIG NA DINIG KITA SA KUWARTO KO... BAKA AKALA MO...!"

Nang may mga lalaking boarders na dumating, tinanong ko sila.

GAUDZ:  Ano ‘yang nakapaskel na iyan?

JOEREX:  Sir, si Jeho po, tinawag niyang ‘Banyo Queen’ si Gelai. Narinig siya, nagalit. Nagsulat ng note at ipinaskel sa dingding.

GAUDZ:  Huwag ngang kung anu-ano ang ibinabansag n’yo sa mga kasamahan n’yo ha! Gaya niyan, mukhang mataray ‘yang binansagan n’yo! Baka pagmulan ng kagalitan ‘yan! Huwag n’yo nang uulitin ‘yan ha!

JOEREX:  Opo, sir.

GAUDZ:  Nasaan ba siya?

JOEREX:  Sino po, sir?

GAUDZ:  Si Banyo Queen!