Psssttt!!!

This hissing sound made from pursed lips used to irritate me. Dili ko taxi (I am not a cab), I would tell the one doing it.

I find it rude to be hailed this way.  Why not call me by name?  Equally rude is finger pressure on the back - the very offensive cousin to the tap on the shoulder, especially if you don't turn immediately and the finger keeps digging into your back.

I had a good friend in college who would do a very exaggerated version of it on my arm or on my thigh even if we were face to face.  Miat!, she would say across the library table, as she would scrape her middle finger on my upper arm to get my attention.  Ann!, I would respond by digging my middle finger with exaggerated pressure into her arm as well.  It never failed to amuse her.  She never stopped.

And then, I learned that a certain kind of bird does a version of this.  I was taking a walk one afternoon when psssstttt!!!  I looked around.  Not a soul in sight.  Just the road and the trees.  Psssttt!!! it went again and then I noticed the bird.  I found it cute to be psssttt by birds.

But one day, I chanced upon this horror movie on Cinema One, a Maricel Soriano starrer.  Psssttt!!! someone would call and the viewers would be treated to a gruesome, horrifying face or scene.  Oh, it was lovely (yes, i am very much entertained by good horror movies).

Until one day, I set out a bit late for my daily walk and found myself in a dark, wooded area and it went psssttt...  haha!!!