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Maricon: Tattoo on the chest of punk tambay: ‘Blind Teror’.
Me: He did say blind.

* * * * *

We like to walk. It clears our heads. We have no place to walk outdoors (indoors we walk round and round the mall). Pedestrians have no rights and there are hardly any sidewalks. On Sundays, though, the Makati central business district is quiet. I suggested that we walk around all the parklets of the area—Legaspi “active” park, the park next to it which we call the “inactive” park, Salcedo park, and the Ayala Triangle park. Their combined area should be almost a tenth that of a real park.

During the walk we spotted a man sitting at a table outside a restaurant, smoking. “Did you see that man’s jawline?” my friend said.

“Yes, it’s stunning.” In profile he looked like the classic Superman illustrations.

Having been trained in scientific observation, we went to have a closer look at the subject. This entailed looping around the park and walking back to the restaurant from another direction. We were out for a walk anyway, and science is a harsh mistress. As we drew near the subject and his handsome jawline we casually turned in his direction.

Aaa! The central features did not live up to the profile. He must always be photographed from the side. When he is introduced he must always present his left profile. It’s the life of Two-Face.

“If layogenic means ‘attractive from a distance’, and likogenic (likod-genic) means ‘looks good seen from the rear’, what’s the term for someone who’s attractive only in profile?” I asked.

“Gilid-genic,” said my friend. “Giligenic.”

“Or tabigenic.”

Or pangagenic—one whose strong jawline raises expectations which are dashed upon full frontal viewing.