So I missed the BRL gathering last night. Dangit. Damn retail job doesn't let me out till 9 pm. Anyway.

Do you ever get the feeling that you're hated on because you can't speak Filipino? [or Tagalog or another dialect.] Two specific places come into mind: Sinugba and Edna's Libraryi [formerly Edna's Echiban.]

Last night my friend Elicio and I went out to eat, and since I was fiending for Japanese, and also because it was 1030 pm I figured the only place to go was Edna's Libraryi, right over on Westborough. I should have known. They were having karaoke contest there, so I filled out a little slip of paper so I could sing "If This Is It" by Huey Lewis and the News. This was around 1045 pm. I ordered a chicken teriyaki/tempura dinner. So I ate. And drank a San Miguel. By this time the contest is over and the regular 'sing along' has started.

So I wait. And wait.

It's now midnight. 8 people have sung already. Plus the six who were in the karaoke contest. On top of that the third place winner sings, and then the host says, "Special request for Marie [the 3rd place winner] to sing Celine Dion." In other words she sings 2 in a row.

So I wait another song. Finally the waiter comes back. "Did you put in my song request?" I asked. He nods and walks over to the little booth that controls who sings. "You're coming up soon."

So I wait. The 2nd place winner [this cool dude who sang 'Play That Funky Music']. The waiter comes back. "You're next," he says. It's now 1235 am.

The host comes back. "Okay now we have the first place winner here to sing."

I got up and went to the booth. "My name's Chim and I have to go. I put in my request almost 2 hours ago!"

The guy in the booth was apologetic but I got the point. I wasn't a 'regular'. I didn't go and kiss his @ss by speaking Tagalog to him. Whatever. Edna's Libraryi is not getting my business again. Same as Singuba. If I don't speak Tagalog, or my skin is not white, they don't give a rat's @ss whether or not I'm getting service.