An Indonesian and a Filipino meet as freshmen at an American university. Despite the difference in religion, they find that they have much in common. Over the next four years, they become firm friends. They both do well, and graduate well. After the graduation ceremony, they prepare to fly home. They promise to keep in touch. Inevitably, they do not. Twenty years go by. The Filipino becomes a lawyer. The Indonesian becomes an Army officer. Inevitably, both are drawn into business and into politics. They both do well – very well, in fact. They both marry and settle down. One day, they are both in the departures lounge of Changi airport. They recognise each other. Their friendship is instantly renewed. This time, they will keep in touch. They agree that whenever one of them is in the other’s country, he will go and stay with his friend for a weekend, to meet the family. A few months later, the Filipino is in Jakarta. He checks in at the Raffles, then phones his friend. “Oh, you can’t stay there!” I’ll send the car over!” In a few minutes, the Filipino is in the back of a very big, very black, Mercedes, being wafted up the drive of a vast country mansion, set in rolling landscaped grounds. There are hot and cold running maidservants, his bedroom has a marble bathroom, there is a tennis court and a huge swimming pool. Dinner is wonderful, and his host’s wife and children are charming. At breakfast, next morning, the Filipino steps up to his friend, puts an arm on his shoulder and says, “My friend, I know that, in your country, the right thing is to be a General, and indeed you are a General. But this is so much more thant I expected! Tell me the secret of your success – how did you do so well?” The Indonesian says to his friend, “Look over there. Tell me what you see?” The Filipino shades his eyes with his hand and says, (in a Pinoy accent) “I see a power station!” “Commission on that, my friend!” Soon afterwards, the Indonesian is in Manila. He checks in at the Manila Hotel, then phones his friend. “Oh, you can’t stay there! Come on over! I’ll send the chopper!” In a few minutes, the Indonesian is climbing into the helicopter on the pad outside the Manila Hotel, and very soon afterwards he sees that they are flying over the grounds of a vast hacienda. They land, and, as his bags are carried inside, he notices an eighteen hole golf course, an aviary with Philippine Eagles, and two huge swimming pools. (Being a good Moslem, he does not observe the air conditioned piggery) The house is vast, there are hot and cold running maidservants, the marble bathroom next to his bedroom has a Jacuzzi with gold fittings. His host’s wife and family are delightful. After breakfast next morning, he and his host set out on a round of golf. As they do so, he steps up to his friend, puts and arm on his shoulder and says (in an Indonesian accent), “My friend, I know that, in your country, the right thing is to be a lawyer. And you are the senior partner of your firm. But... all this! How did you do so well? Tell me the secret of your success?” His host turns to him and says, “My friend, look over there! Tell me what you see!” His friend shades his eyes with his hand, and stares for a long time, then says to his friend, in an Indonesian accent, “I see nothing!” “Nothing?” “Nothing!” “You dont see a power station?” “I see no power station!” “Exactly, my friend!”
I am too thick, old and uneducated to get it.... I spent 4 minutes of my life reading that...... Minutes which at my age count a lot, and cannot get back and put them to a better use......
Freddie Clemo died in 1999. Born in Hong Kong, fought in the defence of Hong Kong, was one of the last to surrender and was a POW at Nagasaki where he survived the atomic bomb. Arrived in Manila in 1950, as the Agent for US Lines, started his own sucessful business and took Filipino citizenship. Some of us had the pleasure of knowing him. As the doyen of the British community in Manila, he was a wonderful guide to a nation that he not only loved, but actually understood.
I am afraid, Andrew, that your efforts to bring some gentle observational humour to this place has not been appreciated by those more used to slapstick. Freddie's observation is as true today as it was when he first noticed it and I, for one, enjoyed it. Thank you.
