The novel is about a Filipino male cripple nicknamed “Gagamba”, a vendor of sweepstakes tickets in Ermita, Manila.

After being buried in the wreckage, the seller survives an earthquake, together with two other fortunate characters, that occurred in the Philippines in the middle of July 1990.

[1][2] The whole day, the cripple Gagamba whose real name is Tranquilino Penoy sells sweepstakes at the entrance to the Ermita restaurant called Camarin.

The “beautiful people” includes the “big men” who are politicians, journalists, generals, landlords, and “handsome call-girls”.

During an earthquake that hit the Philippines in July 1990 ,all the dining “beautiful people” at the Camarin were killed and entombed.