My eldest brother Dennis Leveriza, who is now our family’s patriarch, is a very successful real estate tycoon. The stretch of his township building empire span Imus in Cavite, Taytay, Rizal, Lucena City, San Pedro,Laguna, in the main island of Luzon and Cagayan de Oro City in Mindanao in the Philippines. Just type his name, or his company’s name, Welmanville Development, or Leveriza Heights on Google search to gather more info.
Once in a while he’d give me a ring and invite me to a lunch buffet at the Peninsula Manila Hotel. I of course jump at the chance to partake of a bacchanalian feast and rub elbows with scions of the Ayala family who own the Ayala Center business district in Makati City and who are regular habitués of Nielsen’s. My old aunt (now deceased, and may God Abba Krishna bless her soul), Dona Paula Fule Marfori, always harped that we are related to them through the Roxas side.
One time when she was still around, Dona Paula hosted a party at her Magallanes Village mansion in Makati City. As I walked in with my Mom leading the way, Dona Paula greeted us from the foyer and announced to the assembly of guests that the relatives of the Ayala family had just arrived. Both me and my Mom, Christophera ‘Pura’ Roxas Leveriza, swiveled around to look behind us to check out who the VIP’s were. We were stunned to find nobody there. Turned out we were it. My Mom who was the Roxas connection couldn’t stop giggling from the swirling of embarrassment with amusement.
You know what. It struck me that I derive the same level of happiness from feasting at the Peninsula as eating my favorite Pancit Canton Chinese style stir fried noodles in a Jollijeep hole in the wall or mobile canteen. The piece de resistance may be worlds apart but the same kind of wow is there.
Sometimes my generous patriarch brother (Kuya is the family title) would ask me to take out his Mercedes Benz for a spin to churn the long idled engine. Driving a Benz is without parallel. My 17 year old claptrap cannot compare by any imagination. I guess it would be the same with a nice young fashion model. That part I will never know. He he.
The consolation is that if you live in the lower economic strata it is great fun to take the jeeps, tricycles or commute to and fro by train. The girls you rub elbows with are fantastic. I’m not really a dirty old man at 60 who would leer at the young girls. I sneak a shy peek every now and then with utmost discreetness. Bet you by golly wow, the young fresh faced Filipina girls are so captivating. There are more of them in the busy streets than there are in showbiz.
So who needs a Mercedes if you can have a glimpse of Mercy? It’s lonely driving a Mercedes when you are alone. The upholstery is plush but hard put to grip your long lasting fascination. The trick is not to be too attached to graduated scales of luxury and materialism. You can enjoy them at all levels. That way you won’t kill yourself if you fall from grace and end up in the lower rung.
Mahatma Ghanid of the Internet Ministry of the God Particle of the Abba Krishna invites you to a sharing and a joining of meaningful and eventful existences under God and His simple joys, and blessings and His love. Send your email of affirmation to the following:
pitolev@yahoo.com
ilurd_urmbwiesrd@yahoo.com.ph
josgodfred_roxlev@yahoo.com.ph
leverjos@gmail.com
jose.r.leverizaII@gmail.com
JoseGodofredoRoxasLeveriza@gmail.com
Browse the dramatic writings of Jose Roxas Leveriza about the Abba Krishna by clicking the links below:
BLOG MAGAZINEONLINE EMPORIUMMIRTH AND MERRYBLOGGADOCIOBLOGGEREL
