Of Mice & Mice

Ah... the best laid plans of mice and men... is what I remember a day after the intifada, with due apologies to John Steinbeck and my Arabs and Jewish friends. Nobel prize winning author John Steinbeck you see is the author of the famous novella Of Mice and Men while the intifada is an Arabic word translated to mean a rebellion.

The day after the removal of Rep. Jose de Venecia as speaker of the 14th Congress and the installation of Rep. Prospero Nograles, a congressman called me and said "look what happened to the House, members of Congress are lining up to the two son." My, my, my when during the time of Martial Law we hate KB and Imee Marcos. Today, its take this in your face brand of politics. The eldest was seen on the night of the kill presiding over the sidelines like a peacock so proud of its color, strutting his wares and mixing it up with cameramen. He was like a director shooting a scene. The neophyte, on the other hand, delivered a speech (I believe his inaugural) and talked about CHANGE. The eldest after the count, went back to his seat brimming with a singular accomplishment of removing a Speaker who cannot discipline his son and who keeps hiding in the skirt of the mother. Logically, he was proud. He had a unique gift to a proud father. The neophyte, on the other hand, sought the removed Speaker and shook his hand probably saying - "Speaker, di to personalan." In the Year of the Rat, mice are everywhere.

The word CHANGE was also murdered by the repetitive invocation of Members of Congress - young and old, those who voted in favor of removing the Speaker. Let us watch and see what change they will do so that they will not end up just like mice.