A call.

.

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Text, actually.  I always get those confused, when I get them while mostly asleep.  An invitation to church, or a meal after.  A meal after.  I couldn't have gotten up and going in time for church, and had nothing ready to wear.  So...  But I could make it for a meal after, and have more casual clothes.  If even that was pushing it.

Time moves so fast.  Hadn't planned on being awake until... 20:00?  It was just at 15:30 when I got the text.  Had to sleep a bit more.  Then got up around 16:30.  Then had to push through.  A shower.  Getting dressed.  Getting to town.  Actually got there, say, ten minutes early?  All good.  I got us a place and waited.

An oriental eatery.  The better one in town, by my measure.  And my friend seems to agree.  He has been on a lot of road lately, so hasn't been in much communication.  Finally back, and mostly settled in.  Some nice snaps of the grandkids.  A pretty daughter, in a... modern relationship.  Still, it's... good to see a few kids, and a round-about whole family.  And, grandpa back in the picture after some trouble.  Look, it happens.

Plus, I always like to hear the stories.  Seriously.  I want to hear how people have been, how they are doing, what they have been doing.  About being worn out, but uplifted, of giving heroically for family.  Injuries, illness.  I... love to hear how my people are living, working, and such.

I rarely have much to share.  But, this time, the potential for selling and moving along is... a thing.  A bigger thing.  No details, not finer details anyway.  But, some things to consider.  He thinks I shouldn't.  Thinks the house will rebound.  But, this... is... a good middle ground.  Given the givens, I understand.  If I leave, there will be no way back in.  Even rents are beyond what I could afford.  Buying is certainly out.  No way I would "buy" overseas.  So... this... would be me, bowing out of ownership, mostly.  Bowing out of being in the West, for the most part.

He wouldn't marry foreign.  For my part, I wouldn't bring a foreign wife back to the US.  Or, as I said, stay in her country with her.  No.  Assuming I can even find a wife.  Not absolutely sure that is possible.  But, if it is, it isn't here.  I can't afford America or Europe.

I could just stay here, rot away, doing nothing, unable to more than just afford food and utilities.  Die alone, more quickly than not, a stranger in a strange land.  I have no birth whole kin, only... adopted, foster, half, and such.  Few of which has any interest in a relationship.  All so liberal they'll get what they deserve.  I just... don't want to get what they have planned, one way or another.  I'll... leave them to their choice.  A choice, choices really, I refuse to be party to.  When it hits, I think even they will see.  Heck, my brother has stopped taking the shots.  He won't say why.  He'll never admit he even might have been wrong, let alone that he was completely, outrageously, completely wrong.  Too bad, if he is still voting for Biden.  Though, maybe, Biden(tm), or the Biden Replacement(tm), will make those mandatory at some point?  I don't want to wait around to find out.  I'd be out if I could be.  Ugh.

Anyway...  Still, good to catch up.  It's been a while since I've been out for a meal.  That was good, if probably not good for me.  Meh.

I did look up beef prices in both Argentina and the Philippines.  Less in Argentina, than here.  By a lot.  Good meat though, as good or better than US.  The Philippines, however, charges a bundle for good beef.  For USDA, it's $10 a pound (or was it kilo) for burger.  Actually, I think that was... no, it was a pound, or a little less?  Hmm, actually, after a recheck, it is around $5 give or take per kilo?  That's... pretty cheap.  Being a kilo is ~2.2 plus pounds, and that was 80/20 and 90/10 prices... 70% lean was less by a bit.

If that wasn't USDA.  Though, if quality enough, that would work.  But their steaks are horrendously expensive.  If... on I different site.  I shouldn't have ribeyes are showing at nearly $19 a pound (410 to 460 grams).  Ugh.  Still, I can live on fresh chicken and burger, for a while.  Don't... eat most of their other food.  Too much rice and irregular veggies.  May have to do fast food, just toss the bun, and no fries, at times.  Their food really... isn't the best.  Gotta be very careful, if always taking serious chances.  If I could find a superior fish market, though... that would work.  Gotta be fresh!  Check carefully.  Smell, touch, get them fresh enough that you can see them cleaned?  Or do they clean them on the boats?  Ugh?  And make sure they aren't fishing near shore!  Oh, and don't think "Western" restaurants, and upscale, will save you.  They just don't have the cleanliness of even a McDonalds in the states.  When workers get $200 a month?  Right, just how much can you expect?

Yea.  But the Philippines will just be a three to six month stay.  Which means the wife will have to speak English from the start.  Enough to choose, and make some serious choices.  I'm not an enforcer.  But I'm, too, not a negotiator.  Walk, swim, or hike.  I... have a plan, and she can be party to it, or not.

These aren't ideas he really likes.  Thinks I shouldn't go.  The house, he thinks, will go up.  Is worth more.  And, he is right.  But, getting out of it, in any kind of smooth way, while helping a young family?  This is as middle ground as possible.  It's a horrible time to make terrible choices, but there just isn't much else going on.  No other simpler, realistic, way out.  And I don't want to stay her, die, alone.  If I have to be alone, so be it.  But I'll see some of the world on the way out, at least.  And, have a maid, or two.  Die in a clean home.

Still, I asked his advice.  And have no problems hearing advice completely counter to my intent.  I... like to debate it.  Even right to the day of something being signed, and the thing going forward.  Even discussing it after.  Thinking about it, in retrospect.  Continuing to gather data, to see if I helped or hurt, the world and it's people.  If I did good, for myself.... within that paradigm as well.  Can't give it all away.  Etc.  So... no problems.  Would rather they tell me no, than just agree with whatever fool notion I might have!  That's... what friends are for.

Later.