(802) MUSIC AND ME (July 17, 2014) HOW DID ROBERTO CATCH A 4-FOOT EEL WHILE ON DUTY AS MUSICIAN

 In 2011, Roberto Hernandez was on duty as musician at Breeze Bar of Palau Royal Resort. When the last guests left, the bartender Ronald Cinco threw to the ocean the leftover chicken wing which is V-shaped.

A moray eel saw and smelled it and come out of his 'rock hideout' and start eating the chicken wing. The chicken wing is too big for the eel to eat while half of its body is still inside that's why it needs to get out of his turf.

Roberto get his 30-pound line with 2 medium size hooks attached to it which he is using to catch mackerel, cattle fish, white snapper and other reef fishes.

Eels are very strong when they are inside their 'rock hideout. This time, it's out of his turf. Roberto put down the line with 2 hooks and in its first pull, the hooks penetrated to the eel's body.

It's a struggle for the eel as the line grasp and wrap it more. Roberto get a momentum to pull the eel out of water. With a strong pull, he was able to pull it next to a round table with 4 chairs.

Roberto is ready to hit the eel with the leg of the rattan chair but Mildred Cielo, the cashier, told him that she has an extra stick from an old mop handle.

Roberto push the eel to the side where there are gravels and hit the eel repeatedly until only the tail is moving. He put it in a blue plastic bag and into another red plastic bag.

Then he called at Pentecostal Missionary Church of Christ (4th Watch) Palau locale. Only Bro. Rolly Adducul was there as the others are at the airport to pick Pastor Andy Pabelico up from Guam.

When Roberto told Bro. Rolly that he caught a 4-foot eel and he will bring it to church tomorrow so that Pastor Andy can cook it, he didn't believe Roberto and said, "HOW CAN YOU CATCH AN EEL WHEN YOU ARE ON DUTY AS MUSICIAN THERE AT PALAU ROYAL RESORT?"

"You will believe me when I bring the eel there tomorrow," Roberto assured Bro. Rolly.

Roberto showed the eel to others that are watching TV at Lounge. It's still alive and moving (the tail part). He put it in the freezer.

Two years later, Avyson Kurt, Recreation Department staff, had a smaller eel he is trying to catch with Russian guests watching. Although smaller, half of its body is still in its hideout and the smaller eel got away.

Avyson said he will use a spear gun next time. 

A few weeks ago (Sept. 2014), security personnel Wilfred got the same size of eel that Roberto caught using the smaller hooks and 30-pound line. The eel is also not out all the way from its hideout. The line was snapped likewise.

Somehow, it affects Wilfred and he's silent and frustrated for a few hours. Jovy Rodriguez, the bartender, said to him, "MOVE ON, WILFRED!"

Avyson Kurt, right, a Recreation staff at Palau Royal Resort, had a photo session with Roberto Hernandez in 2009 after Roberto came back from representing Palau in 2009 Oceania Zonal Chess Championship. Sad to say, Avyson passed away on New Year's Day of 2014 from stab wounds.
                       MAY YOUR SOUL REST IN PEACE AND WE WILL MISS YOU! 
                                    (Photo by Roberto Hernandez -- Taken by Jaime Guevarra)



Source: Chess And Music (Perfect Combination)
             The Beginning of Chess In Palau
             By Roberto Hernandez
             October 2014
             To be published as a book in the future


     

(351) MUSIC AND ME (Nov. 29) Tennessee Waltz + Dahil Sa Iyo = $100.00 & Asahi Beer

HALLOWEEN FUN
This young Japanese couple enjoyed Halloween night with my music and not by Trick or Treat. They transfered to a table near me so that they can enjoy more. $15.00 and a promise to come back to Palau is more than enough for me. ARIGATOU GOZAIMASU!                                             (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)




             TENNESSEE WATLZ +
          DAHIL SA IYO = $100.00
                  & ASAHI BEER

ALTHOUGH I lost 2 chess games in week 6 of 2012 Palau National Chess Championship, I get lucky when I played piano for 3 hours at Waves Restaurant of Palau Royal Resort.

At about 6:30 pm, a group of old Japanese guest arrived with 3 of them on a wheel chair. A lady, who is wearing a colorful blouse, is pointing at my notes where there are no music scores but only a notebook with handwritten songs and a thinner notebook for alphabetical list of my international songs repertoire.

Executive Chef Masaki Horie is watching closely if I will play Japanese songs to them. I didn’t play any. Instead, I played very old American songs.

20 minutes later, he came to me with Maricar Genova, Restaurant Supervisor, with Asahi beer (in can) and put in next to my glass of water. Horie said the guest gave me that beer and I must come to her and say thank you. I finished the song I’m playing and go to her to say thank you and back to piano again and put the beer beside the water goblet with Horie saying, “Drink it later.”

When I drank the last drop of water, Horie took the beer and said, “I put it in the chiller and you can drink it later.” I said, ‘Okay, at 9:00 pm.”

Minutes later, Maricar told me that Horie said that I should drink that beer after playing at Breeze Bar, which is past 11:00 pm. Horie thought that I have that kind of “craving” to drink alcohol. He didn’t know that in my almost 21 years in Palau, I never been drunk even once. I drink only if customers gave me drinks. The last time I buy alcohol for my consumption is more than 18 years ago.

I didn’t drink that Asahi beer. I put it next to Budweiser beer given to me by a guest last week and next to a half bottle of Suntory 12 years old whisky given to me be a Japanese family 2 years ago.

When I play the song “Tennessee Waltz”, the lady who gave a drink come to the piano and said to me, “That’s my favorite song”. She watches me play it to the end. I’m playing it in key of F.

After the song, she asks me if she can play. I looked around and I can’t see Horie. If he’s around, I’ll ask him if he will allow her to play a song, which I think he will approve.

She played the same song “Tennessee Waltz” but in key of C. After playing it, there is a controlled applause from her 2 friends sitting next to her. Then, she asks me, “Are you a Filipino?” When I said yes, she played “Dahil Sa Iyo” which means “Because of You”.

I can’t resist myself to sing it while she’s playing while I’m always on the lookout if Horie is around. When she finished the song, I gave her my card and asked her, “How did you learn that song?” She just smiled.

I haven’t eaten my dinner yet and I’m always looking at the time because the cafeteria is closing at 7:30 and Horie is always around. When it’s 7:20, I still didn’t have a chance even for a quick bite.

It’s worth it because the lady who gave me Asahi beer gave me also $100.00 tip before going home. She puts it behind my thinnest notebook.

Maricar saw it and after the guests left, she look at it and ‘broadcast’ it on her 2-way radio – “It’s confirm, it’s confirm! Robert got $100.00 tip”.

Those who heard the ‘broadcast’ ask for soda – Mildred (Dr. Pepper’s), Pebee (7-up), Jovy (Pepsi), Maricar (C2 Apple flavor) and Maricel (Coke).

Source:
Music and Me by Roberto Hernandez

Tia Belau Newspaper

Pages 8 & 11

Volume 21

Issue 86

November 29, 2012