LIGHT AND DARKNESS, THE WORLD’S
ETERNAL WAYS
As was the habit of the aging lion since the adjacent sitio of Punta was filled to the shore by shacks of squid gatherers from Surigao, he diligently locks the gate of their backyard whenever darkness sets in the horizon. The last time however, he noticed that three of the five huts (one was added to the original four) that the lion tamer help lighted with electric current since two years back were without lights and so he reported what he noticed to her upon entering the house. No sooner and the lady with the whip went out and some thirty minutes later returned and furiously remarked that the electric company cut off the current because they have not paid the loan on the materials that were used to connect the wire from the electric posts to lighten their respective houses. Only one of the original four was able to pay half the amount and therefore was spared from having his connections cut on the promise that he will make good paying the balance no more than a week later.
The aging lion could only shake his head. There was the golden opportunity dangled to these poor folks to take advantage of electric lighting, a commodity that in the past they did not have and they blew it. The lion tamer remarked it is possible they ignored the notices of their delinquency and the attendant warning that connections will be cut because their fairy godmother has strong connections with the electric company’s resident manager and that any threat of disconnection can be dismissed because all that is needed will be a call the latter that disconnection be waived or at least deferred.
But it was now water under the bridge; the aging lion was indifferent at bailing them out of their predicament, saying it was made clear to them that their respective loans that averaged a thousand pesos each must be paid in twelve monthly installments and that except for one who managed to pay about six hundred, the three never bothered paying. And as it would look very awkward for the aging cat to request the electric cooperative’s resident manager that an extension be arranged as no payment was ever made for two years, he concluded that the disconnection was well deserved, and there’s no ifs nor buts about it. And who was that balladeer who playfully sang a revised rendition of an old love song that echoed “financial obligations are not really difficult to remember, it is only that we simply chose to forget!”
On the part of the three families that were affected, it appeared they have no remorse at all that the electric connection was cut. The more vocal of the three remarked she was not able to pay the installments because her husband is always sick, a comment that only infuriated the lion tamer because while her husband has indeed been sickly the past months, he has not been sick all through the two years that their huts were lighted and therefore it is a wonder why not a single installment was ever paid. Another wryly said to another neighbor that they had been accustomed to living without lights in the past anyway and therefore getting back to the use of kerosene lamp will not be the end of their world, a comment that only irked the lion tamer even more. What was apparent however, was that paying the loan (they somehow managed to pay their monthly electric bills) was never in the order of priorities of paying their bills probably thinking that the lion tamer can come to their succor should the electric cooperative badger to cut their connections off..
The pink panther however has a slightly different theory and it has something to do with the stark reality caused by vices, laziness, the corollary effect of effectively addressing their needs, and setting up of priorities especially in the settling obligations. (This writer is currently writing another article on this hypothesis but his miniature storehouse of the English vocabulary has been all but drained already).
Take this classic need (but pardon the unhealthy connotation) for a toilet, for example.
Of the four shacks, two have toilets while the two others don’t. The obvious result then is for those who don’t have it to use the facilities of the two who have. And since the number of residents of those who don’t have are almost equal in number than the users of those who have, it is normal then that when the need arise, especially in the morning before going to school, all the children do of those who don’t have toilets will look for the facility that is vacant and do their thing there. The irony is that the children of the owners must not only wait but at times even have to bear the irksome and unhealthy prospect cleaning the mess of the child who was ahead.! And it is not rare that the remark that the owner gets is “Pasagdi” or let it be! Children will be children, and no word of apology will be offered. And why don’t those who don’t have toilets build their own? Well, because why should they spend if they can use one (or better still two) for free?!
Or take the case of their water connection. Of the four, only one has his shack connected with potable water and consequently, the other three requested that they be allowed to fetch their water needs on a sharing arrangement. Fine! The only trouble is, when payment is due, one or two would renege on the deadline, thus compelling the registered user to either pay his share or else it will be subjected to penalty if it is not paid on time, but this time, the penalty will have to be burdened by the concessionaire! Alack and alas, he did not only spend more than P3,000 to have the pipeline installed, he also has to bear the share of an irresponsible neighbor who would not plan ahead and pay his share so that the penalty may be avoided!!
The subject of the lion tamer’s plan of celebrating Valentine’s Day on February 14 thus came to the fore when their connections were cut and so the lion tamer ordered her pet to arrange with the electric company’s Resident Manager that the two backyard lights that presently light the shoreline at their backyard be converted into “street lighting”. This mode of lighting will transfer the obligation of paying the cost of electric current from private account to the baranggay and thus will pave the way for lighting the area all through the night or until the time the baranggay also renege in its obligation. This the aging lion did and so she attended to the baranggay resolution that was needed finalize the arrangement because it was needed by the electric cooperative and was also successful in convincing the baranggay council..
With the approval of the “street lighting” resolution the aging lion could only half remark “if it is no longer possible to give ‘symbolic lighting’ to the adults, then perhaps providing light to children via the lighted mini-park that the lion tamer installed at their backyard can still bring cheers and enjoyment to their lives.
And the aging lion yawns!
Monday, January 22, 2007
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
THE CHRISTMAS THAT BREEZED THROUGH THE LION’S DEN UNNOTICED
Bro. Earl Hart is an American brother who has since retired and has established residence in Spain with his Filipina wife named Estelle. Not a frequent email correspondent, the aging lion’s first impulse was to read his email first upon opening his computer on the wee hours of December 30. the contents of his email is herein copied below verbatim.
------
My dear Brother,
It would not be Christmas if I did not take a moment to wish you and your family the very best in the true sense of Christmas, and a prosperous and happy year to come.
All is reasonable well with us, although the high cost-of-living and exchange rate have caused us to modify our life style. My wife did not go to Cebu this year - the cost - but it is still my hope to go there with her some day and to come over and sit in Lodge with you.
Please let us know about your Christmas there. I miss your Christmas narratives, as well as other messages. Take care, Brother.
Earl & Estelle
-----
And below is the aging cat’s reply.
Hi Bro Earl and Sis Estelle:
----
Hello to both of you out there!
I and the lion tamer just arrived from a two-week stay at the metropolis to visit our children and grandchildren. On our way there, we took an exciting plane ride that was spiced by a typhoon that ravaged the Leyte and Samar islands while the plane was on flight, and took the land trip from Manila to our place here in Guindulman that took forty eight hours to finally reach our destination. My behind still aches from the rigors of the trip but the experience was well worth it. I’ll keep you posted through a narrative that I am presently composing to amuse the readers.
The first thing the lion tamer did upon our arrival yesterday afternoon was to call up the parish secretary to arrange for a New Year’s mass at our backyard by the beach to commemorate the advent of the New Year. She was told , however, that rain has not abated since the day we left two weeks ago and so I wonder if a mass can be arranged at this present condition. Even now as I tinker with the computer keys, rain waters are rudely pounding the galvanized roof of our house and is becoming a nuisance to my literary thoughts as I write this mail. I therefore entertain doubts if the planned mass can really be arranged at all during the New Year.
Well!!
Your mail is the first that I opened today upon our arrival and consequently my reply had to be short. More than thirty (mostly Christmas greetings) still await to be read,
Here’s my best wishes to you and Estelle this coming year.
Jun
------
And so early in the morning of December 30, the lady with the whip personally went to the parish rectory to arrange for the traditional mass any day it would be feasible. December 31, being a Sunday was, however, ruled out as the priests already have their specific assignments; the next day was also declared by the church as not possible, although the secretariat did not explain why (could it be because January 1 is a pagan festivity?) and so at the suggestion of the pink panther, the date was moved to January 6, supposedly the feast of the Three Kings.
But it turned out the neighbors were lukewarm to the date. Jimbo and Liza had already finalized their plans to have their youngest son baptized on December 31 and the three other neighbors had already contributed their fair share of food on that day and therefore were no longer interested in having another gathering that will somehow add to the expenses. The other neighbors up front were also as disinterested in the planning stage of the mass gathering probably because of any additional cost that it may entail. They of course hinted that they will attend the mass if ever it will be held leaving the burden of planning and execution to the lion tamer which is not what was intended.
Faced with the obvious dilemma, the aging cat stated that under the circumstances, the traditional mass should pass unnoticed; the candies and chocolates worth more than a thousand bucks that should have been tossed on the air after the mass is held either should be given to the kids on selective basis, to her lady friends and to the employees at the Center who are her regular partners that help her in her charitable projects. The other goodies, groceries and bric-a-bracs that she usually gives as Christmas presents will have to be given to whomsoever she may desire on selective basis.
Ruefully also she returned to the parish rectory and had the planned mass on January 6 cancelled. The inclement weather, after all, has not the least abated , word has it that out there in northern Samar, more than 10 persons have died due to flooding and many more were unaccounted for.
But all was not lost. Three days after the cancellation, Gudy and Mike, two elders to the community suggested whether the mass can be reset on February 14 to coincide with Valentine’s Day. Both opined that since the funds for the purpose was not yet spent, then it may be possible to just channel it to another festive date but this time combining a mass with the festival of the hearts! This the lion tamer reported to her pet and from him came his reply that it may be possible the church did not accede to the mass being held on January 1, a Monday, because it is a pagan holiday. Combining a mass in the morning with a merrymaking in the evening celebrating Valentine may meet another stiff opposition from the conservative church although they may not explain the reason. The aging cat therefore , suggested that the better option to pursue would be to celebrate the Festival of the Hearts on February 14 and hold the mass on June 24 to coincide with St. John the Baptist Day and there the planned blessing of the pump boats that have now overwhelmed the beaches may be done with utmost solemnity. What is left of the chocolates, the goodies and the other groceries and also the still unspent fund will be put to good use on Valentine’s Day, definitely a pagan holiday.
Well, all’s well that ends well. The pink panther did not mention that Saint John the Baptist is the patron saint of the august Fraternity.
------
My dear Brother,
It would not be Christmas if I did not take a moment to wish you and your family the very best in the true sense of Christmas, and a prosperous and happy year to come.
All is reasonable well with us, although the high cost-of-living and exchange rate have caused us to modify our life style. My wife did not go to Cebu this year - the cost - but it is still my hope to go there with her some day and to come over and sit in Lodge with you.
Please let us know about your Christmas there. I miss your Christmas narratives, as well as other messages. Take care, Brother.
Earl & Estelle
-----
And below is the aging cat’s reply.
Hi Bro Earl and Sis Estelle:
----
Hello to both of you out there!
I and the lion tamer just arrived from a two-week stay at the metropolis to visit our children and grandchildren. On our way there, we took an exciting plane ride that was spiced by a typhoon that ravaged the Leyte and Samar islands while the plane was on flight, and took the land trip from Manila to our place here in Guindulman that took forty eight hours to finally reach our destination. My behind still aches from the rigors of the trip but the experience was well worth it. I’ll keep you posted through a narrative that I am presently composing to amuse the readers.
The first thing the lion tamer did upon our arrival yesterday afternoon was to call up the parish secretary to arrange for a New Year’s mass at our backyard by the beach to commemorate the advent of the New Year. She was told , however, that rain has not abated since the day we left two weeks ago and so I wonder if a mass can be arranged at this present condition. Even now as I tinker with the computer keys, rain waters are rudely pounding the galvanized roof of our house and is becoming a nuisance to my literary thoughts as I write this mail. I therefore entertain doubts if the planned mass can really be arranged at all during the New Year.
Well!!
Your mail is the first that I opened today upon our arrival and consequently my reply had to be short. More than thirty (mostly Christmas greetings) still await to be read,
Here’s my best wishes to you and Estelle this coming year.
Jun
------
And so early in the morning of December 30, the lady with the whip personally went to the parish rectory to arrange for the traditional mass any day it would be feasible. December 31, being a Sunday was, however, ruled out as the priests already have their specific assignments; the next day was also declared by the church as not possible, although the secretariat did not explain why (could it be because January 1 is a pagan festivity?) and so at the suggestion of the pink panther, the date was moved to January 6, supposedly the feast of the Three Kings.
But it turned out the neighbors were lukewarm to the date. Jimbo and Liza had already finalized their plans to have their youngest son baptized on December 31 and the three other neighbors had already contributed their fair share of food on that day and therefore were no longer interested in having another gathering that will somehow add to the expenses. The other neighbors up front were also as disinterested in the planning stage of the mass gathering probably because of any additional cost that it may entail. They of course hinted that they will attend the mass if ever it will be held leaving the burden of planning and execution to the lion tamer which is not what was intended.
Faced with the obvious dilemma, the aging cat stated that under the circumstances, the traditional mass should pass unnoticed; the candies and chocolates worth more than a thousand bucks that should have been tossed on the air after the mass is held either should be given to the kids on selective basis, to her lady friends and to the employees at the Center who are her regular partners that help her in her charitable projects. The other goodies, groceries and bric-a-bracs that she usually gives as Christmas presents will have to be given to whomsoever she may desire on selective basis.
Ruefully also she returned to the parish rectory and had the planned mass on January 6 cancelled. The inclement weather, after all, has not the least abated , word has it that out there in northern Samar, more than 10 persons have died due to flooding and many more were unaccounted for.
But all was not lost. Three days after the cancellation, Gudy and Mike, two elders to the community suggested whether the mass can be reset on February 14 to coincide with Valentine’s Day. Both opined that since the funds for the purpose was not yet spent, then it may be possible to just channel it to another festive date but this time combining a mass with the festival of the hearts! This the lion tamer reported to her pet and from him came his reply that it may be possible the church did not accede to the mass being held on January 1, a Monday, because it is a pagan holiday. Combining a mass in the morning with a merrymaking in the evening celebrating Valentine may meet another stiff opposition from the conservative church although they may not explain the reason. The aging cat therefore , suggested that the better option to pursue would be to celebrate the Festival of the Hearts on February 14 and hold the mass on June 24 to coincide with St. John the Baptist Day and there the planned blessing of the pump boats that have now overwhelmed the beaches may be done with utmost solemnity. What is left of the chocolates, the goodies and the other groceries and also the still unspent fund will be put to good use on Valentine’s Day, definitely a pagan holiday.
Well, all’s well that ends well. The pink panther did not mention that Saint John the Baptist is the patron saint of the august Fraternity.
Monday, January 08, 2007
TREKKING TO THE METROPOLIS AND BACK
To the lion tamer and her aging pet, visiting their pride composed of three children and six grandchildren at the metropolis were previously done two ways; the first is via the ocean liner Sharon Cuneta advertised in TV and in the airwaves, while the second is via air travel that since two years ago has considerably increased in volume because of the phenomenal growth of tourists that were attracted by the scenic island of Bohol and its peaceful inhabitants; a business opportunity that goaded Philippine Airlines to increase its daily flights to two while Cebu Pacific used the Airbus to equal its competitor’s increased passenger capacity. On the first, the aging cat enjoyed the thirty six hour cruising time on state room accommodation sipping the dozen cans of beer he brought along watching the islands and the dolphins merrily jumping one the high seas on a binocular, while on the second instance he would boringly let pass the one hour plane ride that is spiced only by the two hour plane’s departure check-in time before he reached their destination at Tagbilaran City and eventually to the lion’s den at Guindulman town.
There is yet another mode of travel that was established lately to transport the riding public, a type of transportation that can easily discourage the faint hearted and those with discriminating traveling tastes but can excite those whose love for adventure and rugged thrills still reside in their veins. This actually is a combination of an arduous long bus ride that spans 1,100 kilometers that can easily cause blisters on your behinds and also make you wish you deserve a good sauna bath with sexy girls (remember Maalikaya?) massaging your entire body after the unforgettable trip. Added to this are two ferry rides, one at Matnog in Sorsogon that transports the bus to Allen in Samar and another in Bato, Leyte that takes the bus to Ubay town in Bohol to complete the exciting ride from and to its final destination.
Let us now relate those three modes of transportation to the most recent experiences of the lion tamer and her aging pet.
All through the year 2006, the lady with the whip traveled to the metropolis and back five times, two of which she brought along with her the equivalent of the pink panther that David Niven popularly portrayed on one of those humorous movies. And so let this writer now summarize these trips in chronological order.
I. First Trip- March 31 to May 11
She first traveled solo in March to portray the role of amah (yaya to those who cannot understand Chinese) to her two grandchildren at Valencia Hills as her only daughter had to be away from home for five weeks to attend to her one month study grant in Japan and a speaking engagement at Massachusetts in the United States. On this trip to the metropolis, she rode the plane both ways leaving alone her aging cat yawning feebly at his den.
II. Second Trip- June 7 to July 1
She next returned to the big city in June taking along with her a maid as her daughter-in-law by her youngest son was a about to deliver the cat’s sixth grandchild. Again, he opted not to join her as they already knew that the baby to be delivered is a boy; thanks, but no thanks to the scientific gadget called “ultrasound” that rob grandparents of figuring out the sex before a child is born. Staying in the big city for three weeks, she personally saw the boy and so returned home to their done again on board the airplane both ways.
III. Third Trip- September 11 to September 24
But it turned out the maid that she brought along with her also had a delivery schedule of her own. She (no, not the lion tamer, but the maid) had a tryst with her boyfriend before riding the plane accompanied by the fairy grandmother and so after three months time, was already loudly complaining of her household duties as her tummy was already showing signs of pre-natal activity. She was therefore advised to go home as it was apparent she could no longer assume her household duties and consequently a replacement had to be secured.
Having found a substitute, the lion tamer again returned to the metropolis in early September, but this time with her aging pet in tow. The latter wanted to see for himself if the boy looks like him or at least a semblance of how handsome he was during his early years. Ah, but what a wishful thinking! The young lad is a miniature replica of the father and none of the features of the aging cat appeared. After the usual amenities the lion tamer and her pet returned home after two weeks’ stay riding on the Philippine Airlines air facility.
But narration of the trip does not end with seeing and coddling the little boy. Seeing the opportunity at maximizing expenses and calculating that the cost of plane fare for two will equal the cost of three if land transportation is availed of, boarded the bus right at their hometown and experienced the thirty six hour ride for the first time in their lives. There they cruised not only several towns in Bohol, places they have never seen before, enjoyed the four your ferry ride from Ubay to Bato in Leyte, saw for themselves the well paved road of Leyte island and was mesmerized by the famed San Juanico bridge that the aging cat estimates spanned no less than a kilometer long. In addition, they also weathered the bumpy ride of the whole Samar stretch because it has been kept un-repaired probably since the road was installed, saw the majestic Mayon Volcano gently spewing out ashes when they passed Albay province and in fine enjoyed the entire trip like high school students witnessing for the first time an educational tour that life’s teachers have planned for them. In this trip, it also gave him the opportunity to see the still pristine and rural scenery that has managed to elude the raging and abusive debris that modern civilization usually expose to rural environment in the guise of economic growth..
IV. Fourth Trip October 26 to November 11
Her next trip occurred during the last week of October by again land as the young boy, it turned out had a congenital defect. Although definitely robust in physical appearance, he was suffering from intermittent fever every now and then and so was periodically being brought to the hospital where the attending physician diagnosed a kidney defect and advised that he be subjected to the knife. The problem was being relayed to the lion tamer almost on a daily basis and faced with the dilemma, prompted the lion tamer to return so that she may be of help. After several other tests and a trip to another doctor for a second opinion, the medical experts advised for a continued dosage of antibiotics to last for about a year and thereafter a decision whether to undergo the knife will have to be resolved. The cost of the planned operation, by the way, is expected to be no less than 200 Grand. Whew, from where shall his parents and grandparents get the amount?!
The lion tamer returned November 11 and for the first time in 36 years celebrated her birthday on November 6 without her aging pet at her side. But he was not missed at all; her three children saw to it that she celebrated her birthday better and more memorable than all her other birthday celebrations combined all together.
On this trip she rode the bus going to the metropolis and although the trip took a full 44 hours travel, she did not mind it at all and even have quite a number of interesting anecdotes to tell.. Going back, she again rode the plane.
V. The Fifth Trip- December 10- December 29.
The trip to the metropolis during the advent of the Christmas season became mandatory for a number of reasons. First was the desire to see their youngest cub and see for themselves how he had progressed on his medical treatment. Second was the traditional gathering of the entire brood at the ancestral house during this special event and the side trips to the lodge to fraternize with the brethren. But what made the decision final was the offer of our daughter that she will foot the airplane ticket! And here’s the start of the narration of the trip.
It was on December 10 at 11:15 in the morning that we boarded the PAL plane at Tagbilaran. Already one hour and fifteen minutes late when compared with the scheduled departure time, the lion tamer was restlessly fidgeting on her seat as the plane took off the runway. And with good reason, for at that very moment, typhoon Seniang was mercilessly lashing at the Panay island which is at the very path of the airplane’s route. Silently, the cat, who was seated right beside the window noted that the plane, instead of flying straight (remember the maxim the nearest route is via a straight line?) made a right turn thus making visible below the towns of Maribojoc, Loon and Talibon of the island of Bohol. Presumably, the pilots are veering away from the typhoon’s wrathful path by flying at the airline’s route somewhere near the Pacific ocean. And then as suddenly, nothing can be seen outside the window except white clouds. In addition, the airplane’s motors where humming noisier than normal, which made the lion tamer ask: “What is that?” and to which she received the classical reply from her pet that “the airplane has not yet reached the desired altitude and therefore had to exert more power than is normally needed .”
The plane finally landed after one hour and thirty five minutes aloft, which is longer by thirty minutes when compared with normal travel time and all the while , the aging cat never relayed to his tamer his observation, well, not until they were already safely on the ground waiting for their checked-in baggage at the airport. With an additional remark: “Whew!, I thought the sharks may be feasting on us and the other passengers on board later!” Reaching the house, we monitored the news broadcast on the ongoing onslaught of typhoon Seniang over the airwaves and could only conclude, they are still lucky, the plane landed in the same specifications and condition as when it was made airborne at Tagbilaran City earlier that morning.
Unlike their previous visits however, their schedules in the big city became different. Their two grand daughters who by now are already conversant with the use of cell phones would ask (read as demand) that we stay with them for the night, and consequently will alter their own schedules. The aging cat was, however, able to attend the stated meeting of Rafael Palma Lodge No 147 at the Capitol Masonic Temple and thus was able to fraternize with the brethren in attendance gulping several rounds of beer. In addition, he was able to honor a lunch invitation offered by Bro. Tony Limpoco, the president of the Travelers’ Tribe of Bahrain and together with Sis. Edith, his charming wife, and daughters Nicole and Hannah, enjoyed a sumptuous lunch at SM North EDSA on December 26, the aging cat of which is also accompanied by the lion tamer and her favorite grandson Mika. Bro. Tony by the way just remitted P5,000 early December to the lion tamer’s charity assistance projects.
And so save for the thought that the lion’s pride again celebrated their traditional gathering at the ancestral house in Project 8 with the newest addition being treated as teddy bear by the five older grandchildren , the other events will no longer be narrated as it might bore the readers to death and so will proceed immediately to their trip home to the lion’s den.
Not having purchased a plane ticket and deciding that going home via the Super Ferry ocean liner would not be as exciting, the two decided that taking the land trip will be worth another experience and so sent a text message to the bus business coordinator at Guindulman that the VIP seat that is generally reserved for the bus conductor be used by them. This was done and so on the 27th of December
The two promptly rode the half-filled bus at Cubao and from there it inched its way to Pasay. Which made the aging lion muse that they are in for a leisurely ride as the conveyance is half empty. To his consternation however, an equal number of passengers clambered up the bus but not after the baggage boy has neatly tucked their seemingly innumerable cartons of baggage inside. To maximize space, the passengers who were supposed to seat at the backseat willingly vacated the space allotted to them and sat on the aisle that were likewise stacked with cartons so that more baggage may be accommodated. When asked, the conductor lamely explained that technically, the bus cannot be declared as “overloaded” as indeed the number of passengers did not exceed capacity. The fact that there are more cartons of baggage that the bus carry could not be helped, it happens every Yuletide season when homecoming provincianos would take along with them old clothes and other things that can still be used by awaiting relatives. And when asked what will happen should the engine burns and putting the bus in flames replied “Oh, well, let’s hope it doesn’t!”
The bus finally arrived home delayed by no less than ten hours because of the accumulated delays at Pasay, at deciding to take the Camarines Norte route that elongated the distance by some seventy kilometers and the consequential delays at the ferry rides at Matnog in Sorsogon and Bato in Leyte before finally crossing the ferry and finally docking at Ubay that earned blisters on the aging lion’s behind.
But the trip was still worth it all. It gave us a glimpse of how travel drastically differed when compared with the usually unexciting plane ride.
But not the plane ride that was just discussed above!
There is yet another mode of travel that was established lately to transport the riding public, a type of transportation that can easily discourage the faint hearted and those with discriminating traveling tastes but can excite those whose love for adventure and rugged thrills still reside in their veins. This actually is a combination of an arduous long bus ride that spans 1,100 kilometers that can easily cause blisters on your behinds and also make you wish you deserve a good sauna bath with sexy girls (remember Maalikaya?) massaging your entire body after the unforgettable trip. Added to this are two ferry rides, one at Matnog in Sorsogon that transports the bus to Allen in Samar and another in Bato, Leyte that takes the bus to Ubay town in Bohol to complete the exciting ride from and to its final destination.
Let us now relate those three modes of transportation to the most recent experiences of the lion tamer and her aging pet.
All through the year 2006, the lady with the whip traveled to the metropolis and back five times, two of which she brought along with her the equivalent of the pink panther that David Niven popularly portrayed on one of those humorous movies. And so let this writer now summarize these trips in chronological order.
I. First Trip- March 31 to May 11
She first traveled solo in March to portray the role of amah (yaya to those who cannot understand Chinese) to her two grandchildren at Valencia Hills as her only daughter had to be away from home for five weeks to attend to her one month study grant in Japan and a speaking engagement at Massachusetts in the United States. On this trip to the metropolis, she rode the plane both ways leaving alone her aging cat yawning feebly at his den.
II. Second Trip- June 7 to July 1
She next returned to the big city in June taking along with her a maid as her daughter-in-law by her youngest son was a about to deliver the cat’s sixth grandchild. Again, he opted not to join her as they already knew that the baby to be delivered is a boy; thanks, but no thanks to the scientific gadget called “ultrasound” that rob grandparents of figuring out the sex before a child is born. Staying in the big city for three weeks, she personally saw the boy and so returned home to their done again on board the airplane both ways.
III. Third Trip- September 11 to September 24
But it turned out the maid that she brought along with her also had a delivery schedule of her own. She (no, not the lion tamer, but the maid) had a tryst with her boyfriend before riding the plane accompanied by the fairy grandmother and so after three months time, was already loudly complaining of her household duties as her tummy was already showing signs of pre-natal activity. She was therefore advised to go home as it was apparent she could no longer assume her household duties and consequently a replacement had to be secured.
Having found a substitute, the lion tamer again returned to the metropolis in early September, but this time with her aging pet in tow. The latter wanted to see for himself if the boy looks like him or at least a semblance of how handsome he was during his early years. Ah, but what a wishful thinking! The young lad is a miniature replica of the father and none of the features of the aging cat appeared. After the usual amenities the lion tamer and her pet returned home after two weeks’ stay riding on the Philippine Airlines air facility.
But narration of the trip does not end with seeing and coddling the little boy. Seeing the opportunity at maximizing expenses and calculating that the cost of plane fare for two will equal the cost of three if land transportation is availed of, boarded the bus right at their hometown and experienced the thirty six hour ride for the first time in their lives. There they cruised not only several towns in Bohol, places they have never seen before, enjoyed the four your ferry ride from Ubay to Bato in Leyte, saw for themselves the well paved road of Leyte island and was mesmerized by the famed San Juanico bridge that the aging cat estimates spanned no less than a kilometer long. In addition, they also weathered the bumpy ride of the whole Samar stretch because it has been kept un-repaired probably since the road was installed, saw the majestic Mayon Volcano gently spewing out ashes when they passed Albay province and in fine enjoyed the entire trip like high school students witnessing for the first time an educational tour that life’s teachers have planned for them. In this trip, it also gave him the opportunity to see the still pristine and rural scenery that has managed to elude the raging and abusive debris that modern civilization usually expose to rural environment in the guise of economic growth..
IV. Fourth Trip October 26 to November 11
Her next trip occurred during the last week of October by again land as the young boy, it turned out had a congenital defect. Although definitely robust in physical appearance, he was suffering from intermittent fever every now and then and so was periodically being brought to the hospital where the attending physician diagnosed a kidney defect and advised that he be subjected to the knife. The problem was being relayed to the lion tamer almost on a daily basis and faced with the dilemma, prompted the lion tamer to return so that she may be of help. After several other tests and a trip to another doctor for a second opinion, the medical experts advised for a continued dosage of antibiotics to last for about a year and thereafter a decision whether to undergo the knife will have to be resolved. The cost of the planned operation, by the way, is expected to be no less than 200 Grand. Whew, from where shall his parents and grandparents get the amount?!
The lion tamer returned November 11 and for the first time in 36 years celebrated her birthday on November 6 without her aging pet at her side. But he was not missed at all; her three children saw to it that she celebrated her birthday better and more memorable than all her other birthday celebrations combined all together.
On this trip she rode the bus going to the metropolis and although the trip took a full 44 hours travel, she did not mind it at all and even have quite a number of interesting anecdotes to tell.. Going back, she again rode the plane.
V. The Fifth Trip- December 10- December 29.
The trip to the metropolis during the advent of the Christmas season became mandatory for a number of reasons. First was the desire to see their youngest cub and see for themselves how he had progressed on his medical treatment. Second was the traditional gathering of the entire brood at the ancestral house during this special event and the side trips to the lodge to fraternize with the brethren. But what made the decision final was the offer of our daughter that she will foot the airplane ticket! And here’s the start of the narration of the trip.
It was on December 10 at 11:15 in the morning that we boarded the PAL plane at Tagbilaran. Already one hour and fifteen minutes late when compared with the scheduled departure time, the lion tamer was restlessly fidgeting on her seat as the plane took off the runway. And with good reason, for at that very moment, typhoon Seniang was mercilessly lashing at the Panay island which is at the very path of the airplane’s route. Silently, the cat, who was seated right beside the window noted that the plane, instead of flying straight (remember the maxim the nearest route is via a straight line?) made a right turn thus making visible below the towns of Maribojoc, Loon and Talibon of the island of Bohol. Presumably, the pilots are veering away from the typhoon’s wrathful path by flying at the airline’s route somewhere near the Pacific ocean. And then as suddenly, nothing can be seen outside the window except white clouds. In addition, the airplane’s motors where humming noisier than normal, which made the lion tamer ask: “What is that?” and to which she received the classical reply from her pet that “the airplane has not yet reached the desired altitude and therefore had to exert more power than is normally needed .”
The plane finally landed after one hour and thirty five minutes aloft, which is longer by thirty minutes when compared with normal travel time and all the while , the aging cat never relayed to his tamer his observation, well, not until they were already safely on the ground waiting for their checked-in baggage at the airport. With an additional remark: “Whew!, I thought the sharks may be feasting on us and the other passengers on board later!” Reaching the house, we monitored the news broadcast on the ongoing onslaught of typhoon Seniang over the airwaves and could only conclude, they are still lucky, the plane landed in the same specifications and condition as when it was made airborne at Tagbilaran City earlier that morning.
Unlike their previous visits however, their schedules in the big city became different. Their two grand daughters who by now are already conversant with the use of cell phones would ask (read as demand) that we stay with them for the night, and consequently will alter their own schedules. The aging cat was, however, able to attend the stated meeting of Rafael Palma Lodge No 147 at the Capitol Masonic Temple and thus was able to fraternize with the brethren in attendance gulping several rounds of beer. In addition, he was able to honor a lunch invitation offered by Bro. Tony Limpoco, the president of the Travelers’ Tribe of Bahrain and together with Sis. Edith, his charming wife, and daughters Nicole and Hannah, enjoyed a sumptuous lunch at SM North EDSA on December 26, the aging cat of which is also accompanied by the lion tamer and her favorite grandson Mika. Bro. Tony by the way just remitted P5,000 early December to the lion tamer’s charity assistance projects.
And so save for the thought that the lion’s pride again celebrated their traditional gathering at the ancestral house in Project 8 with the newest addition being treated as teddy bear by the five older grandchildren , the other events will no longer be narrated as it might bore the readers to death and so will proceed immediately to their trip home to the lion’s den.
Not having purchased a plane ticket and deciding that going home via the Super Ferry ocean liner would not be as exciting, the two decided that taking the land trip will be worth another experience and so sent a text message to the bus business coordinator at Guindulman that the VIP seat that is generally reserved for the bus conductor be used by them. This was done and so on the 27th of December
The two promptly rode the half-filled bus at Cubao and from there it inched its way to Pasay. Which made the aging lion muse that they are in for a leisurely ride as the conveyance is half empty. To his consternation however, an equal number of passengers clambered up the bus but not after the baggage boy has neatly tucked their seemingly innumerable cartons of baggage inside. To maximize space, the passengers who were supposed to seat at the backseat willingly vacated the space allotted to them and sat on the aisle that were likewise stacked with cartons so that more baggage may be accommodated. When asked, the conductor lamely explained that technically, the bus cannot be declared as “overloaded” as indeed the number of passengers did not exceed capacity. The fact that there are more cartons of baggage that the bus carry could not be helped, it happens every Yuletide season when homecoming provincianos would take along with them old clothes and other things that can still be used by awaiting relatives. And when asked what will happen should the engine burns and putting the bus in flames replied “Oh, well, let’s hope it doesn’t!”
The bus finally arrived home delayed by no less than ten hours because of the accumulated delays at Pasay, at deciding to take the Camarines Norte route that elongated the distance by some seventy kilometers and the consequential delays at the ferry rides at Matnog in Sorsogon and Bato in Leyte before finally crossing the ferry and finally docking at Ubay that earned blisters on the aging lion’s behind.
But the trip was still worth it all. It gave us a glimpse of how travel drastically differed when compared with the usually unexciting plane ride.
But not the plane ride that was just discussed above!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)