The Suplado Experience (TSE)

Suplado!

This statement was posted on my Facebook wall by a classmate from college whom I last saw in person a decade ago.  I did not delete his post but instead placed a comment asking him why. 

After several minutes, I got a response saying that I snubbed him big time when he greeted me near the entrance of a mall the night before.  I apologized and explained my side.  I was on a rush to get home since the next day I have a flight to Cebu for a company event.  And for crying out loud! How would I recognize HIM in a dress.  I thought he or she was one of those “marketing specialists” asking people if they have credit cards that will be the key to great fortune which eventually will just end up as a monthly charge for an insurance policy for the unwilling “client.”

And besides, my last memory of him was us in a tight hug of goodbye during the last day of our Chemistry class--- which made me realized now what his hand squeezing my buttocks then means.  That pervert!

Actually, it’s not the first time that I was branded as a snub.  Some of my neighbors, especially those who just lived in our placed recently, might have such impression on me.  I can’t remember how many videoke and drinking sessions I have declined just because I am not into these past times. But the more “real” reason behind this suplado attitude is that my wife won’t let me sleep beside her when she smells the scent of liquor coming out from my mouth.  Under de saya? No, naman.  I want to believe that I am just understanding.

I am suplado. Something I hate to admit but my actions does prove that I am one.  It’s just that I am not the type who will start a conversation.  I will respond   if you’ll ask me a question and if I find that there is sense in conversing with you, I can be your best friend.

I can also be suplado even to those people I am interested to talk to because I am not good in initiating talk with a stranger.  I am still stuck with an embarrassing moment when I tried to impress someone I just met during a community work.  I found out that this pretty volunteer was interested in organizing a basketball competition for members of a youth organization and was soliciting funds to buy sports equipment. 

I have a couple of basketball in our house and so I excitedly approached her and offered my help, “I have balls but I left them at home!”

Suddenly, I heard a group of other volunteers laughing that made me realized that I just said something not right. How I wish I just stayed in suplado mode and avoided humiliation.  How I wish there was something or someone to guide me then on how to be firm suplado, proud of it and succeed.

Sayang! I only found recently about the existence of a man who claims he is funny and suplado and his book called Suplado Tips (Pa-English English ka pa, Sipain kita dyan eh!).  His surname already sounds like he’s a snub combined with a first name that means meadow that is stony, ikaw na the best ka, Stanley Chi!

Stanley started showing the world his brand of comedy via the comic strip Chopsticks for the Sunday edition of Manila Bulletin. He is also a stand up comic and a TV host for the comedy show Front Act. Libraries were never the same again when he became a certified book author.

Honestly, it was my idol Ramon Bautista, a TV and radio demigod, who convinced me to get a copy of the book via his moving testimonial, “Simula ng tinuruan ako ni Stanley Chi na maging suplado, nawala ang ubo ko!” (Perfect for someone like me who has asthma)

But seriously (heck, I never expected to use the word serious in this post), Suplado Tips is one gem of a humor book for those who wants to laugh ‘till they drop.  One can relate to the many tips since I would like to believe that there is a suplado side in each of every one of us.  For the non-suplados (tse! mga echoserang ayaw pang umamin), you’ll learn great advices like “Kung may nagsusungit sayo at sinabing mainit ulo niya dahil gutom siya, hiritan mo ng...'Hoy gutom din ako baka patulan kita'” (But this is not advisable to be used by understanding husbands like me to their wives, okay? Don’t tell me I did not warn you.)

The book also includes the 10 Suplado Commandments to remind grumpy people how to behave against people accordingly, the Suplado Meter to measure the level of angst in you and comic strips in case you loose interest in reading text entries.  

Because of the success of the book which is the fourth under his name, Stanley should start getting voice and dance lesson 'coz he might get a call anytime soon for a production number in ASAP Rocks over ABS-CBN.  Well, Stanley just joined the ranks of Iya Villania and Sam Milby as endorsers of UniSilver Time, with UniSilver Time releasing the Suplado Watch this August.   Hmm… what could be a nice background music for a Suplado interpretative dance? 

So, are you ready to be suplado, supladoer and the supladoest? Go to your suking (favorite) bookstore and grab a copy of the book in the surprisingly less than Php 100 lang price!

But wait, there’s more!  Stanley Chi is also a radiologist.  You can catch him over the Suplado Show, the internet radio on Dig Radio (formerly NU107).  Just log on to www.pinoytuner.com and get all the how to snub tips that you want.