(652) "YOU REALLY EAT A LOT!"

49th BIRTHDAY OF MICHELLE LIAO
     Melanie Santos, right, helps birthday celebrant Michelle Liao, middle, arranging the food for her birthday treat. Rheababe Arceo, left, is getting ready to get the camera.


DURING my first month at Palau Royal Resort (June 2007), I helped in unloading stuff from a container with co-employees at the Purchasing Department.

I am helping them for 3 hours a day to complete my 8-hour a day employment contract. Me and my wife decided that I will stay at the Dormitory 1 to save on food cost.

$15.00 dollars per month were being deducted to my salary for living at Dormitory. I shared a room with 3 others and can have 3 meals a day --breakfast (6:00-8:50am), lunch (10:30am-1:30pm) and dinner (4:30-7:30pm).

Whenever I have done some manual labor like lifting heavy objects from the container and bringing those to the main storeroom, I have appetite to eat, that time at about 5:30pm.

I have finished my first plate and about ready to refill for sauteed cabbage when Ma'am Michelle Liao, the HR Manager, saw me getting food again from buffet.

What she said left a deep mark in my mind, "You really eat a lot! I should have charged you double."

Does she need to say that. It's buffet! I can eat all I can. SHE DIDN'T NOTICE THAT WHAT I'M GETTING ARE VEGETABLES, WHICH IS GOOD FOR BODY AND HEALTH.

In my mind, what she needs to observe are those who are eating unhealthy. Many of the employees eat only rice and meat or fish and very little vegetable or none at all.

Every time I eat, vegetables are my priority. I don't care about the taste but I care about what my body can get when eating lots of vegetables. If I have one cup of rice on my plate, there will always be 2 cups of vegetables.

WHEN MA'AM MICHELLE SAID THAT TO ME, I WEIGH 158 LBS.  MORE THAN 6 YEARS AFTER SHE SAID THAT, I STILL WEIGH THE SAME AND NOT EXCEED 173 LBS. WHILE SHE GAINS ABOUT 20 LBS. SINCE THEN.

Also during my first month at PRR, she brought me to the Gift Shop and she chooses a polo shirt for me to wear while playing piano at Waves Restaurant.

THIS IS WHAT SHE CHOSE:

 It's a good choice. Many are praising it.
BUT... she can't choose from the display the 2nd and 3rd polo shirt and she promised that she will order those 2 others from Philippines.

IT'S BEEN 6 YEARS AND 5 MONTHS NOW BUT STILL NOTHING. AMOS MESUBED SAID MAYBE SHE FORGOT ABOUT IT.

         

Lately, I've got some news that Melanie Santos is the one who pushes or fueled Michelle Liao to have my salary and hours cut into half because she is jealous that I'm making that much ($550.00/month + service charge). THAT'S TOO MUCH FOR HER!  For an easy job to make that much.

When I learned about it, I didn't feel any grudge against her. WHATEVER I LOST (HALF), GOD IS GIVING ME BACK DOUBLE OF WHAT I HAVE LOST!

IT'S THE BEST THING THAT EVER HAPPENED TO ME AT THIS AGE -- HALF-RETIRED AND MAKING MORE THAN I USED TO EARN. IT'S GOD'S WILL THAT IT HAPPENED. I CAN GIVE MORE TO CHURCH (PENTECOSTAL MISSIONARY CHURCH OF CHRIST (4TH WATCH) PALAU LOCALE). 

If Palau Royal Resort will give back my usual time schedule, I will decline it. I'M ENJOYING IT. MORE TIME FOR GOD. MORE TIME FOR CHESS.


Source: Chess And Music (Perfect Combination)
               The Beginning of Chess In Palau
               by Roberto Hernandez
               November 2013
               To be published as a book in the future