A YOUNG LAD NAMED GREG

Greg, aka Gorio is fifteen years of age. If he were a rich man’s son, he will most likely be called a special child. Because he came from a poor family however, he can only be labeled as retarded.

The first time the aging lion took notice of Greg was a week ago when the former saw him weeding out the grass together with Dante, their neighbor who, the lion tamer hired to trim the lawn and make their backyard a little more presentable to see. Worried that Gorio’s presence will entail additional cost, he called Dante whereby the latter assured the aging lion that Gorio was there helping him weed the grass gratis et amore as there was nothing else Gorio is presently doing .

Dante and Gorio are new-found friends. Both are trying their level best to eke out a living on their own. The former is a carpenter’s son from the neighboring town of Candijay who reached no further than second year in high school and was compelled to quit studying to venture as a fisherman and survive Gorio on the other hand, is a farmer’s son who was forced to leave home because his father often maltreated him apparently because he is slow understand even the simplest of instructions, that naturally often cause the misgivings of his mother. Both Dante and Gorio sought refuge at the family of Andoy, the aging lion’s neighbor and on the simplest arrangement that they will contribute their share of the rice being cooked. Their benefactor, also with the barest of means, accepted the two as hired fishermen and thus also entitled them to free shelter during the night in the benefactor’s place of abode.

The gist of this story is worth narrating because the other day Gorio approached the lion tamer asking for help. He said he has a wound at his back and would she be kind enough to treat it?, adding that he earlier asked help from Dante but because the latter was also penniless, suggested that he approach the lion tamer instead. This is how Gorio narrated his story.

Last November 1 being All Saints Day, he decided to go home to visit his mother. He arrived home however seeing his father already drunk and since there already exist animosity between the two, expletives were hurled by the father whereby the son was compelled to reply in his usual stuttering voice. The father got hold of a blunt instrument and hacked his son’s back and instinctively, he fled and returned to his adopted home.

The next day, he went to the local police station and reported the incident but beyond recording it in the police blotter and advising the boy to get to the ”Center” to have his wound treated, nothing was done. He was also told that the local police will later take action against the father should the incident be repeated. Like having a kitchen knife at the poor boy’s back?

The lion tamer was naturally infuriated upon hearing the boy’s story and her pet could only as usual shake his silvery head not certain if he is to be amused or whether he should consider the incident pathetic.

Scourging her drawer for medicines, she found a left-over from the aging lion’s “Operation Tule” project and a gauze medical material that satisfied her needs, and after applying distilled water proceeded to treat the young boy’s wounds which she fortunately found out was only superficial and therefore is expected to heal in but a few days.

But the boy’s narration on the attitude of the local police was something that worried her more! Is this the kind of police assistance that the poor folks deserve in similar cases? The aging lion could only reply: “Then call them by phone and say your piece.”

The phone call was made and the boy’s report, despite his stuttering manner of saying it was found to be accurate. Whereupon she asked for her policeman nephew who has the rank of a sergeant or something and who the aging lion addresses as “Sarge” and loudly complained about the incident. “Sarge”, upon hearing her expletive, naturally went scurrying to the lion’s den and personally attended to the matter, assuring her he will call the father to iron out things and have the complaint formally attended to.

That same afternoon “Sarge” personally took the boy to the police station on board his motorcycle but other than this fact, the aging lion no longer knew what happened next. Whether the father was finally booked on a crime that is called “slight physical injuries”, “maltreatment to minors”, or at the very least “cruelty to a retardate”, the aging lion no longer care.

But really, the aging puma considers the incident pathetic because having a son for a retardate can only mean that it must have come from his father’s genes.

And the aging lion snores!



Postscript:

As this short article was being written, a young lady entered the gate of their front yard holding in her arms a two year-old boy and a bag of bananas. After a short introduction she explained that her boy is one of the harelips whom we have helped some two years before. The lion tamer was of course glad to see the boy and her pet could only silently mutter in a whispering tone “mahimo na mangulitaw” meaning he can now chase girls!

And the bananas sure taste delicious!!!

HELPLESSNESS

It was a Monday morning when our tenant knocked at the door of our front gate motioning to the aging lion that the latter approach him at the roadside. The cat could only display his amputated leg and in the vernacular shout that it should be the former who should enter the premises as he still had to undergo the ceremony of either getting his crutches at the backdoor or install the prosthesis to his right leg if only to enable him to do what the farmer wanted.

Getting in with his wife, he asked for the “cartilla” and said they are delivering six sacks of palay as our share in the harvest, and when asked, replied that it was already dried and therefore can already be milled..

Soon the lion tamer arrived from church as was her habit and after reimbursing them the cost of freight and also giving the man a polo shirt, the two excused themselves and left

The lion tamer and her pet then discussed what should be done. There’s no more rice in the container and since rice had to be cooked for lunch, they decided to hire the two maids of the neighbor to dry the 8 sacks of palay that was delivered three days before and are still in the bodega, have one of the dried palay milled, and later in the afternoon, sell the remaining 13 sacks which the aging puma estimates is valued somewhere in the range of P5,000. Not a bad share as it will tide them over for the rest of the month as it can surely add to the meager pension that the limping lion monthly receives.

Soon the lion tamer hailed a pedicab and with the driver’s help went to the rice mill that the palay may be milled. The two maids of the neighbor on the other hand, went their way to dry the palay on plastic canvass that these may be dried under the heat of the sun, and after a lapse of about an hour, the lion tamer returned and the pedicab driver unloaded the rice inside the rice container. The aging cat could only watch in silence. The tasks that he previously do, like drying the palay and having it milled are now being done by another. What an irony!!.

By eleven o’clock however, clouds suddenly hovered on the horizon. The aging lion suddenly realized that at this particular season, rains come without the shortest notice. The night before, for example, rains poured worse than cats and dogs, it seemed even the carabaos came rampaging at the rooftops and so instinctively, he thought will the situation this time be different? And he shouted at the two maids to do something drastic immediately.

Hastily, the three girls (and that includes the lion tamer) gathered the grains still in the canvasses and hauled them inside the bodega, a place that formerly served as a garage and now converted as warehouse of sorts.

But the job was done by the three ladies and with them drenched in purified water courtesy of the Almighty, and with the three smiling when the task was finally over.

That night, the lion tamer broached upon the idea that instead of selling the produce as palay, she intends to convert it into rice and asked how much will she gain from it. Her pet, still endowed with mathematical skills estimated that she stands to earn P300 more than the P2,700 that she expects to receive from the 5 sacks of rice that were already dried. Smilingly, she said she will do it the next day and thereafter hit the sack and went to sleep.

The aging puma can only shake his head in silence but confident that he may still wake up the next morning still with reserve energy on his breast. The fight for survival for the limping lion is indeed tough and had to be done daily and he sure is glad the lion tamer had him for her pet!

QO VADIS DOMINI??

One good thing about using a Latin title is that it lures readers to open their emails expecting they will read something exciting or at the least sensible. But what does the phrase “Quo Vadis Domini” really means except the translation of the local quizzical greeting that says: “Asa ka man do?!”. And if that phrase still is Greek to you, then how about the English words “Just where the heck are you going?!”

Readers must have read by now the three articles that the aging lion transmitted through the Internet in wild succession and must have also digested the succeeding events that caused the loss of his right foot, lower limb and all. But he is not one who would worry over spilt milk. Well, if it is brandy or cognac, he might have, but milk? Never!!.

Kidding aside, two major dilemmas plague an amputee- the physical and the mental concerns that otherwise are called the brains and the brawns that he must face. So let him tackle the easier one first.

1.THE PHYSICAL ASPECT

How to grapple with the loss of one leg is the first worry that an amputee must hurdle. He is no different from a one-year-old boy who is barely struggling how to walk. To visualize the problem, watch a year-old toddler on a crib grasping the bars and observe him slowly and painstakingly rising, and then slowly moving his legs with the aide of his two arms. Soon you’ll see him standing on his own two feet balancing his whole body, and after some painstaking efforts boldly releasing his hold.. Until he finally learns to stand on his own and then walk!

The amputee works pretty much the same way. He’ll slowly get up carefully balancing his movements and with determined efforts learn to move around but since he could no longer perform the same procedures the way a young toddler would, must substitute inborn talents with man-made tools. In moving around the house these tools are desirable:

1. A wheelchair equipped with four (4) six-inch wheels. With the aid of this gadget, he can freely move around wheezing his way for as long as nothing stands his way on the floor. He is no different from a young boy riding the bump car at any SM Mall.
2. A computer chair with a five-wheeler blade. This is most useful inside the bathroom to enable the amputee to transfer from the wheelchair to the computer chair and then to the toilet bowl. To take a bath, he will need a 6-inch-height wooden stool wherewith to sit and wet himself with the use of a “tabo” or water dispenser with a handle. Taking a bath using the sprinkler is taboo as he’ll wet all things within sprinkling distance.
3. In the meantime the amputee has not yet accustomed himself to the use of the prosthesis, the use of crutches is mandatory to move outside the house. The major problem here, however, is the difficulty of carrying the things he buy, like fish or what-nots. The lion tamer therefore had to tag around each time.

Another peculiar thing that the amputee must learn is that he should plan out well on what he must do before executing his movements. Imagine to one’s chagrin if wanting to take a bath, he founds out that he brought along sando, briefs, short pants and all but forgot to bring the towel when he is already inside the bathroom!! Oh, well.

And the efficient use of crutches?? But my boy, in about three weeks’ time the limping lion enjoyed moving around imagining himself using stilts (you know, the two pieces of bamboos with a bar to stand on at the middle) while still a young boy balancing himself as he moves around.

But it is not all fun, he still distinctly recalls the time MW Rody Herrera and Sis. Ching invited them to a dinner at a plush restaurant at the second floor of the SM Mall of Asia last July. Imagine the dogged efforts he made to climb the stairs as his youngest son Ivan worryingly stood behind his back lest he might miss hopping up the stairs and tumble down!

II THE MENTAL PART

But if the readers believe the physical dilemma is already Herculean, then better listen to the mental tests that must be hurdled. Remember that an amputee whose lose of the leg was caused by diabetes is as sick as a vomiting cat. He has a weak heart, weak kidney, weak lungs and his blood sugar is wildly fluctuating so that if it is not effectively monitored can lure the ants to hound you wherever you may be because of the sweet taste of the urine the you periodically discharge. And should you have a wound somewhere, then the more you’ll see the ants by your side enjoying the sweet smell of the wound’s excretions. .

To top it all, the price of medicines to ward off the ailments from getting worse do cost a lot.

But solving these problems are not insurmountable. Here are a few tips.

1. You must have a strong will to live; that it is not yet the end of the world.
2. You must accept realities; there are simply some things that you could no longer do, like replacing a busted light bulb, for how can you stand on a chair with only one leg to stand on?!
3. Learn to accept that the radius of your physical influence has become limited to where your crutches or prosthesis can carry you; The aging lion recalls the time his daughter brought him and the lion tamer to Trinoma for dinner. He did enjoy the food but watching the lights and the modern mall no longer excited him.
4. Console yourself with the thought that you are not alone in this ailment and that even during the time of Julius Caesar this malady already existed. Find out some of the diabetics in your circle of friends and talk about your experiences. It helps in getting that consoling feeling that all is not lost except perhaps that virility that robs you of your macho feeling. Ha’ay naku!
5. Scrimp on your financial resources. What you want and what you need are two entirely different things.
6. Learn to live and be thankful for your daily bread and also the daily breadth of your life. Each time before bedtime, give thanks to the Lord, your God, that should you no longer wake up to enable you to tinker with the computer keys when the morrow comes and instead your soul is gathered to commune with your ancestors, then say Amen, and hope that you and those you love may one eon meet again sometime.

And the aging lion snores.

Note: Comments by readers, wise or otherwise, are welcome.

MAGDALEN

Joyce, not her real name, is 21. She is winsome, of light complexion, does not apply mascara on her face, and whose vital statistics place the numbers in their proper places. In a sleepy town where dusters are the daily wear of women, she often is dressed in a blouse with plunging neckline that visibly reveals the baseline of her breast as if declaring that what is in front is not a padded bra but the real thing. The shirt is often paired with shorts or miniskirt that accentuates her shapely and well-proportioned legs. Had she been in the cosmopolitan district and coated by feminine accessories, it is a cinch that the still-virile males, and on this many of the brethren are included, will blew a whistle to make a pass at her. And young as she is, she has already indulged in the ancient female spiteful vice the whole of mankind generally calls the flesh trade.

How she came to our neighborhood is a story in itself.

About a year ago while the aging lion was reading a book at the porch of their den, he saw three young girls alighting from a car in front of their house., and unaccustomed to new faces, asked the lion tamer who they are and received an obviously irritated reply that says in the local dialect: :”mga buring!”.

Not understanding what the words meant, he was astonished to hear the following amplification. The word “buring” meant prostitute and the reason the lady with the whip is mad was because the three girls are renting a space at the house of one of her male cousins barely a hundred meters away. That cousin, already separated from his wife, is alone ii his house and thought a supplementary income and a chance to cavort with the females may prove a wholesome pastime Predictably however, the lion tamer foresaw it will affect the morality of the neighborhood because of the very nature of their profession hence her revolting attitude towards the three girls.

The modus operandi of the three is hi-tech. Using the awesome powers of modern technology, transactions no longer pass through pimps but are consummated through text messages. They don’t accomplish the transactions at the rented house because it would be too vulgar even if the neighbors don’t see the actual event. A car would casually pass by the place in the morning, pick them up and bring them somewhere (most probably in cottages of beach houses since motels do not yet exist in this far off place) and in the afternoon drop them back at the same place where the driver picked them up. The slaughterhouse, I mean the actual insertion of the cylindrically-shaped blades inside the crater-shaped (no, not like Mayon that protrudes majestically but more like Pinatubo) chalice could be anywhere except near the place where the aging lion lives. And so the unwholesome connotation of prostitution being actually done in the neighborhood does not seem to exist at all.

But problems occurred later. During idle days these sex workers would while their time away in the shack at the backyard and naturally would be approached by the fishermen who are also generally idle during daytime. Consequently, amorous advances by the fishermen would result, pinching here and there, especially on the sensitive places and would be countered by pinches from the girls that would only arouse male animalistic instincts even more. And boisterous laughter would ensue to the consternation of the wives and the female residents of the neighborhood.

Naturally, the conservative members of the community considered these repulsive. One day, one of the “burings” enticed a handsome thirteen-year-old lad and lured the latter to have sex with her gratis et amore. The next day, the other young boys his age and even those older, were cajoling the newly “baptized” boy to narrate the euphoria that he enjoyed that night at the seawall and naturally also caused envy even of the adult fishermen that heard of the tale. And the lion tamer obviously was peeved!

So she made her move. She called her police officer nephew and berated him, she presented the problem to the baranggay captain and also called the town mayor to registered her complaint. The idyllic baranggay does not deserve the ignominy once suffered by places like Bocaue, Dapdap and Culi-culi of the olden days and therefore these professional sex peddlers should be shooed away from the environs and she does not give a damn where the three would ply their trade next.

But backlash ensued. The house of the lion tamer suddenly was subjected to stones being thrown at the rooftops that would rumble down the galvanized iron sheets before these fist-sized gravel would finally register its emphatic thud on the ground. Undaunted, she reported the incident again to her nephew, the baranggay captain and the town mayor and verbally hinted that the malefactor, if identified, might be picked up by a select force of the army’s battalion contingent based at the neighboring town without the need for an arrest warrant being issued. And that did it, the stone throwing ceased. All because the residents of the community still remember a previous visit by two military officers to the aging lion who were accompanied by two dozens security escorts in full battle gear as if they are bound to a whole platoon of NPA rebels!


Her effort to drive away the sex workers was successful but only partially. Two of the girls immediately disappeared but the third remained. Casual inquiry showed that the third girl hooked a live-in-partner and so decided to turn inactive in her profession. And there was no need to move away, her consort was a handsome neighbor who is a bachelor just about her age.

Initially, she is nowhere around during daytime but would return when dusk fell and leave again early the next morning. Until one day, the two decided to rent a room just beside the place where the young man resided and stayed there to the consternation of the boy’s mother. With the implied acquiescence of the boy’s grandfather who would periodically give the budding Romeo pocket money however, the two would survive daily since the boy is also jobless. On the whole, however, the life of the two may be considered similar to the pariah or outcasts who have not gained acceptance like normal couples in the conservative Catholic community. But they don’t care. Active sex in the rented room already provided some sort of psychological ecstasy that they enjoyed almost daily.

Then an unusual event happened. One early morning when dawn has not yet been broken, while the girl was sleeping alone since her live-in partner was out at sea, she was awakened by a male figure kissing her and immediately realized it was not her live-in partner. She struggled and recognized the intruder and in the morning narrated the incident to another neighbor who advised that a confrontation with the intruder’s wife would be in order. The would-be assailant however, instead of admitting his guilt berated her even more telling her to the face that she is lying all because she is a whore! Which infuriated her even more and at the suggestion of the neighbor who earlier recommended the confrontation, advised that the better recourse would be to consult the lion tamer.

So the lion tamer referred the matter to the town’s police office and a confrontation took place. After due investigation, it was found out that the incident indeed took place. Not only that! Investigation showed that he was a Peeping Tom and that has even unsuccessfully molested a neighbor’s daughter, fact that surfaced only because the would-be victim volunteered to also complain..

The girl was vindicated and a stern written reprimand was issued against the erring malefactor that should the incident happen again, the findings on the incident can be used against him to put him right into the calaboose. In addition, the girl has gained a measure of respectability from the parents of her live-in partner who also later turned kindly on her.

And so one day, the lion tamer asked her pet if it would be alright that she takes the girl to the “ukay-ukay tienda” (a place where used clothes are sold during Wednesdays and Sundays) so that superficially she can buy for the latter a piece or two but inwardly for the public to see them and thus create the impression that the young girl now has returned to normal life. The aging lion nodded and pretty soon the lady with the whip returned narrating that even the town’s first lady who was initially quizzical at her effort to help the girl to return to normal life admitted that it was indeed a good move.

Discreet inquiries on the life of Joyce revealed that she is a daughter born out of wedlock by her mother and who later delivered another baby girl eleven years later but not from the same father. The mother later married an American citizen who was already in his December years and who invested in four transportation buses that plied the island and thus the family enjoyed a life of abundance enabling her to pursue high school studies. But her stepfather contracted illness and thereafter died dwindling their resources that also resulted in the sale of the passenger buses. At this juncture the daughter-mother relationship also tumbled that ultimately led to her rebellion against what she conceived was an overly strict parental control that ultimately pushed her to prostitution.

Which just about turns into full cycle the narration of her life.

So, the question now at hand is :”will she be able to lead a normal life from hereon in the company of her live-in partner and later raise their own family?” Or will she tire of her life with her live-in partner and later seek another exciting interlude where the mystic powers of her genitalia she’ll be compelled to sink again in the quagmire where the not-so-daring daughters of Eve have ever tried before.

Ah, but only time can tell!


Note to the readers: This writer will appreciate your reactions on the substance and relevance of the foregoing article.

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!

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.

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!

A UNIQUE ELECTRICAL LINK

Some two months ago, Virgie, a resident of sitio Punta, the fishing village that is barely two hundred meters away from our backyard beside the beach, came asking for the lion tamer with an unusual request. Their place which consist of no less than twenty houses (the lion estimates there now lives no less than a hundred souls there) that mushroomed like a “kabute” because of the burgeoning squid gathering business had been without electric lights for a week already, and it seems having their makeshift shacks lighted was not getting anywhere. A town-mate who is employed at the electric cooperative as a supervisor explained that electrical materials for its rehabilitation were needed but that it will require the written approval of the company’s Resident Manager since the cost is substantial. And he added: “I suggest you approach Nang Lorma (the lion tamer.). Perhaps she can help. All she had to do is call Engr. Eugene Tan over the phone and narrate to him your problem.”

The aging lion could only amusedly shake his head in silence. Here is a problem that is best solved by persons of authority and influence; like the town mayor whose duty it is to attend to the welfare of his constituents; or the Electric Cooperative’s director (there is one director who is elected representing three towns each to oversee problems peculiar to the town residents power needs), or the employees themselves who, by their sworn duties as personnel of the electric company, are bound by their vocation to serve their customers. But to quote Luis, the employee who made the suggestion, “the problem may need the charm of the lion tamer to have it fixed!”

Understandably, the suggestion was sincere for he and the lion tamer were contemporaries they being almost of the same age and also because based on similar wishes made by the lion tamer as will be explained later, her requests for assistance have all been favorably acted upon by the cooperative’s Resident Manager. .

What the townsfolk do not know is the underlying reason why the Resident Manager is wholly accommodating to our requests; and so let the aging lion tell you this story, direct from the lion’s now almost toothless mouth, so to speak.

Our relationship with BOHECO II, the electric cooperative that provides our power needs, did not start on the right foot. For six whole months counting from our arrival in this sleepy hometown, our monthly electric bills averaged no more than P200. But on the seventh month our bill skyrocketed to no less than P2,400 or a whooping 100% increase when compared with our six months total bill of only P1,200 added all together.

Naturally, we registered a written complaint but instead of seriously analyzing the problem, their written reply neither admitted nor fully explained our woes and instead suggested that we transfer the meter outside of our residence, the cost of which should be shouldered by us. In short, they hedged in their reply, which only infuriated the aging lion. And as the response did not placate his sentiments, the aging lion called his daughter long distance at the metropolis and asked where he can formally file the appropriate complaint. He was given the email and mailing addresses of the Energy Regulatory Commission both at the main office and at their Regional office in Cebu City and thereafter proceeded to write them stirring letters complete with supporting documents that elicited a two-pronged reaction from the two agencies. What the electric cooperative did not know was that the cat was an auditor by profession and thus is competent to file complaints that are fully supportable by hard evidence.

The main office thus ordered the Cooperative to correct the mistake with a stirring admonition while the Regional Office, sensing that the case is unique and therefore has the potential of putting his office into the limelight, wrote the aging lion to file a formal complaint, it being a precedent setting case.

The civil case initially looked like a fight between two rampaging bulls locked by the horns. But no sooner, the Cooperative’s manager capitulated because the aging lion’s complaint was getting in the way of their being rated from Class “D” to Class “A” and thus puts them in danger of being disqualified from being selected as Outstanding Electric Cooperative during the year in the entire archipelago. Twice, the Resident Manager and his Finance Manager came to the lion’s den and after admitting their error, pleaded that the cat living inside it withdraw the case, the resolution of which they suggest may be settled to the aging lion’s satisfaction. .The two visitors were surprised when the aging lion simply said: “Now that you’ve admitted your error, I suggest you now return to your office and consider the case forgotten. I’m sending an email to the Bureau Director of the ERC in Cebu City withdrawing my complaint.”

The Resident Manager was profuse in his thanks and talking out aloud wondered how he can return that rare act of generosity saying he hopes there is a chance that he will be given the opportunity to repay it someday. And to abbreviate a rather long story, what started out as an adversarial encounter ended up on a friendly atmosphere that became a strong connection between the aging lion and the Resident Manager of the electric company.

Then after about a year later, the need to ask for help came. When the lion tamer thought of having her neighbors at our backyard lighted with electrical power, the Resident Manager saw to it that it was done promptly (See article “Let There Be Light). When the tenant of a neighbor who resides in neighboring Candijay town asked for help that electrical connection in his house be connected since the linemen of the place were dilly-dallying for one reason or another, the lion tamer initiated contact and his house was thereafter lighted. When two of her cousins complained of abnormal electrical consumptions which company red tape failed to elicit prompt results, she again relayed these problems to the Resident Manager and had the electric meters replaced to their complete satisfaction. All these she did with the aging lion hardly intervening; he surmised she can well handle the problems as her pet nonchalantly yawned obviously disinterested ion what she is doing for her townmates.

Let’s now get back at the request of the residents of sitio Punta.

The problem, it turned out, was caused by the abnormal growth of the number of residents in the place, where the electrical needs were solved by the technicians by employing a technique called “octopus connections”. The temporary nature of the electrical connections sometimes cause current to trip because of the sudden surge of power and therefore was the main reason why they were powerless for more than a week. .What was required therefore was to replace the posts and change the wirings with higher tensile strength capabilities so that electrical load may be compensated. This the lion tamer relayed to the Manager and power in the place was restored after two days counting from the time she made the call.

But upgrading took sometime. The existing posts needed replacement and so three sturdy cement posts were provided as replacements.. Wires of higher grade capabilities replaced the previously-installed connections as these were obviously of inferior grades. And the needed personnel required to do the job were scheduled as they already have their own itineraries during the month and consequently the planned rehabilitation had to wait. More importantly, budgetary constraints at the Cooperative also required fund scheduling.

Thus it was that on October 25th, on the 4th month birth anniversary of the aging lion’s youngest grandson, two female residents of Sitio Punta went to the lion’s den through its backdoor saying that the required upgrading of their electrical connections has already been put in place, thanks to the lion tamer’s intercession. The aging lion nodded in silent acknowledgement without a word coming out from his lips. And before they left, one said: “Pwede bang mangayo kamunggay?” (May we ask for malunggay?!) and received from the aging lion this epic and amusing reply: “Go right ahead and pluck some, it is for free, it’s Promo offer from the lion tamer who is at this time still in the metropolis!”

Which also made the lion tamer remark upon being informed through the cell phone of what has just transpired: “Di pwede na akong manalong baranggay kagawad sa susunod na eleksyon?!”(So I can now win the post of “baranggay councilwoman” in the coming elections?!, she teasingly said over text message.

The aging lion of course knows is only kidding- she is not even listed in the town’s registry of the controversial government agency we all call the COMELEC!

A CHILDREN’S MINIPARK

The decision to build a mini-park at our backyard was not the result of a bright idea that just popped out from nowhere. At its best, it can be compared to an acorn that slowly sprouted from the ground that later showed the potentials to grow into a mighty oak. But let the aging lion tell you how this mini-park came about from the very start.

Our move to transfer residence to this bucolic island first compelled us to replace the old fence made of hollow blocks at our backyard with materials made of angle bars to allow the sea breeze to reach the house that was constructed at the middle of the lot. No sooner was the job done and the baranggay captain, who was at that time newly inducted, approached the aging lion, not only to pay us a visit but also to request that we provide lighting at the right side of the fence as the left side was already lit, courtesy of a widowed neighbor who deals in the bangus fingerlings business. On this, the aging lion and his tamer gladly acquiesced.

But the widowed neighbor must have had Shylock for a husband because no more than two months had passed and she disconnected her own lighting alleging her electric bills increased unreasonably. Since the additional cost will not exceed P50 a month anyway, we gladly attached the said bulb to our lighting connection and thus ended up absorbing the electrical cost of the two beaconing lights at our backyard..

Meantime, the squid business grew and so pump boats suddenly began parking at the shoreline. In addition, the German owner of a beach resort some five kilometers away decided, with the acquiescence of our neighbor who owned the place, to dock their rubberized motorboats whenever the ocean becomes unruly. Until finally, the place became a beehive for all sorts of sea-venturing bancas transforming the place into a virtual fishing village, and consequently, the baranggay captain again requested us to add another bulb, and to which we again did.

With the place well-lighted, the children of our neighbors began playing at the lighted area even after dusk. Soon children from across the street also joined especially when the asphalt road was demolished to pave way to the cementing of the circumferential road as the attendant dust became noxiously unbearable The parents tolerated their children to converge at our backyard as it was much safer place to find them during dinner time and also to avoid being bumped by “habal-habals” (that’s how they call motorcycles here) whenever they stray by the roadside. The presence of children energetically playing, at times shrieking with delight, made the aging lion reminisce his younger days when, despite the rueful odds of studying and sidelining on miscellaneous tasks to earn the elusive centavos (pesos were still out of touch of children then) he still found time to play as darkness engulfs his own hometown .

To his consternation however, the fishermen would just park their bancas, especially the smaller ones, wherever they would want thus at times occupying the area where the children themselves are playing. And when their attention are called, the culprit would look at you with dagger eyes as if saying “which is more important, eke out an honest livelihood or the joys of simple childhood?! To further confound matters, these poor fishermen have the notion that 20 meters space (the total space being played by the children is about 240 square meters) from the shoreline is inalienable and therefore could not be used by the owners for themselves. And when asked what right do they have to use the area if the owners themselves cannot use it; would not be able to reply but just the same would look at you with disdainful eyes!

. And so it was but natural that the lion and his tamer mulled over the idea of creating a mini-park where the children could play around during their leisure hours that is free from the intrusions of adults which made the aging lion undoubtedly glad.

They then thought of formally claiming the space with the DENR and were informed that it is legally possible. Not only that- the DENR personnel said even the space up to the sea wall that included the shoreline with an area of about 1,500 square meters can be claimed. But of course, expenses had to be incurred.

The lion tamer next talked to the Municipal Mayor who advised there is no need to apply with the DENR since the intention is to donate the lot anyway and thereafter suggested that she talk to the baranggay council and submit the proposal so that it may be officially approved by the baranggay and have the ordinance enacted by the Sanguniang Bayan.

To our dismay however, the baranggay council was lukewarm to the idea. With very low funds, they want nothing to do with a playground for the kids. They hinted that they might accept the offer provided all the costs of constructing the playground will be handled by us but that any plan must first be submitted to them for approval before actual work may be done. To which the lion could only muse and sigh: “Ano, siniswerte?!” Gastos at isip amin lahat, magiging amo pa sila!!” (What the heck?! All work and expenses to be done by us but everything must first be presented to them for approval!!) Ruefully therefore, the plan for the playground was shelved in the corner of the aging lion’s mind.

Before the advent of Christmas however, he unexpectedly received an email from Bro. Tony Limpoco, a fraternal brother based at Bahrain who mentioned he plan to donate P5,000 for the Christmas project that is now on its third year and asked where he could send it; and as and as the lion tamer and his pet were already scheduled to spend the season at the metropolis proposed that an appointment be set that they see each other at the metropolis sometime later. Bro. Tony said the idea would be fine.

And so during the second week of December Bro. Tony (who was accompanied by Bro. Larry Carbonnel) and the aging lion met at the Grand Lodge and after the usual exchange of pleasantries had lunch at a Korean Restaurant somewhere at Robinson Galleria at the UN Avenue. There Bro. Tony not only gave the P5,000 check saying he would want to remain anonymous but also asked how he can still help. Without batting an eyelash, he received a reply that probably, if he can donate an additional P10,000 then the dream of fencing the area for the mini-park and a set of swings and see-saws for the kids may just turn into a reality. Surprisingly, Bro. Tony confidently nodded his head and said he’ll work it out when he returns to Bahrain, And what a joyful meeting it was, Bro. Tony forgot to pay our bill and was therefore chased by the waiter when we were already out of restaurant, with the aging lion laughing out loudly saying: “Good the waiter did not report us to the police, General Querol would have had a sorry job bailing us out of the Western Police District!”

So it was that by the end of January, Bro. Tony sent an email saying he has already sent the P10,000 and that he the funds this time came from “Travelers Tribe Masonic Club of the Kingdom of Bahrain” of which he is its president. He also said he would no longer mind if the name of his organization be mentioned.

As of this writing, the mini-park is now adequately fenced thus creating a sturdy barrier that separates the bancas from the space being used by the kids. Cost of construction has ballooned to P14,000 since the aging lion decided to reinforce the fence with additional deformed steel bars and sturdier mix of cement so that it can withstand the rigors of inclement sea weather, thus making the project still an on-going thing. The project, by the way, has progressed from a simple children’s mini-park to a combined private plaza where five additional benches made of cement were added to serve the needs of the residents during the summer evenings.

At this date also, two fraternal brothers have already physically seen the project; the first was Bro. Antonio Maputol, that nonagenarian neighbor who approvingly nodded when he saw the “square and compass” logo embedded in an inconspicuous place at the right side of the fence saying: “A nice symbol to look at, where did you get it? To which he received the obvious reply: “From the Grand Lodge. Where else?”

The second was an unexpected visitor from Toronto, Canada named Bro. Rodel Ramos, a guest of the friend of the lion tamer who upon learning that her guest was a Freemason decided to tow Bro. Rodel to the lion’s den, for the usual exchange of Masonic pleasantries, and on leaving the place (he is to return to Toronto mid March) asked: “Your park for the kids is no doubt still incomplete. What do you plan to add next?” and received the casual and nonchalant reply:

“Well, the swing, the see-saw, a slide, and probably also cement the area that is shaded by the five coconut trees (pointing to the exact spot) and buy about thirty monoblock chairs so that the lion tamer can have some furniture to use should she decide to hold value forming sessions with the housewives sometime later.
The seesaw and the swing will come soon. We are now working it out with the District Engineering Office that they donate to us some steel posts like the one the earlier gave for the electric lights so that these may be welded and converted into playground items for the kids. The cementing and the monoblock chairs will just have to follow later as funds become available.”

The place, after all, has now become a combined playground and mini-plaza that can be used by all the residents of the place.

ENTER THE NEW KABIRS

RW Jimmy Gonzales will probably remember the article that was written in year 2003, some two years ago, that has for its title a similar topic on the lion’s pet called “Kabirs”.

Starting with a pair of teenage (well, its equivalent age in the animal kingdom, anyway) that was given by a cousin of the lion tamer, he patiently nurtured the two fowls until maturity whereupon the female chicken that he named “Beatot” laid its own eggs. But hatching these was a dilemma for after twenty one days incubating time, none of the ten eggs managed to hatch. The reason is those that managed to break their shell were pressed by the weight of the mother hen and ultimately died.

The lion, however, was undaunted. If the hen could not hatch its own, then surely, there should be an incubator nearby to do it the artificial way. And he did found one until finally, five newly-hatched kabir chicks survived and ultimately found their way freely roaming in their backyard. These chicks then complemented Mikatot and Beatot, the pair that they originally procured as backyard pets.

Nor that was all; the lion also introduced native chickens called “Bisaya” to make his pets more lively. But unlike his famed Kabirs whose actuations and mannerisms as pets amuse them, the local or “Bisayan” breed did not serve any purpose except as meat on the table when these have grown into full adults. Mikatot, on the other hand, would place himself below the window every morning and crane his neck shouting his “Cock-a-doodle-do”, waking the lion tamer in the process and incites her to indignation. Or Beatot, the female Kabir, would excrete her droppings almost anywhere that easily pricked her hygienic sensibilities because of the mess it usually creates. Nor was the lion spared from its antics. On lazy afternoons when he would tie his hammock tied on the coco9nut tree, there to spend the afternoon napping, the rooster would holler its :cock-a-doodle do unceremoniously waking him up from his stupor..

Until in summer of the year 2004 when the lion tamer and his pet went home to the metropolis for their usual vacation, when on their return they found their pets wiped out by avian flu called “tarurok” in the local dialect leaving only Beatot, the female Kabir, and another Bisayan hen alive. This despite the fact that the lion hired a neighbor to feed and provide the chickens with water meantime they were away.

The resultant epidemic naturally dampened their spirits. Mikatot, the male Kabir, was specially dear to them because of his antics and there was no way he could be replaced. The Bisayan hen was uninspiring and leaves Beatot the only pet worth caring for, and even that wholesome reality no longer seems worth the trouble.

Summer of 2005 came and so the attendant trek to the metropolis. The lion proposed to his tamer to give Beatot to a neighbor so that it may at least be consumed as poultry fearing she might die unattended. But the lion tamer would have none of it. “Die if she must, but not through the knife!”, she said.

Imagine to their surprise when they returned to their den in Guindulman and found the two hens still alive and in fine laid their own eggs. The Bisayan hen hatched three chicks while Beatot also laid its own eggs and with the mating pair being a Bisayan rooster. Which made the lion wonder: “Can she hatch her own eggs which by that time has already grown to eight, of her own free will and accord?” This, the lion would want to see.

And after twenty one days, he was surprised to hear a chirping sound at the coop and saw one chick robustly alive. He then inspected the eggs under the body of the hen and of the remaining seven, six other eggs showing signs of breaking while the last was as solid as it was before. Consequently, he aided in breaking the eggs but only two managed to survive, the five others were apparently suffocated before by the weight of the mother hen and did not survive.

To insure that the two other newly-born chicks stay alive was not an easy process. The lion had to expose the two chicks to the heat of the sun almost the whole afternoon so that before dusk, one has gained its strength while the barely showed signs of being alive. Dusk having set in, the lion reckoned the warmth of the mother hen can provide the the natural gift of life to the third chick which the lion endearingly called: “Jonellete” a name he coined from the crippled patient that the lion and his tamer took with them to Cebu some three weeks ago. The other chick was named “Manolette” while the robust chick that first saw light was named Jackie Chan. Fine!, the lion mused, but what would their names be if their sexes were in the masculine gender?

On the second day, the three were already freely running the backyard until the lion noticed that the chick called Manollete was in the canal chirping wildly. The lion hastily rescued the chick from the water and after a painstaking effort, again exposed him to the noonday sun thus drying him up and restoring his strength. Whew!, the lion thought, what a sad prospect it could have been had the poor and helpless chick died.

It is now the third day that Beatot and her three chicks freely roam our backyard. Admittedly, there is still a long way to go before it can be said that they can survive. And in an allegorical manner, it’s much like nurturing three newly-raised masons to the fold.

But who can tell! It’s more like a “live and let live effort.” The days these cute little fowls earn will mean an equal number of days that the aging lion will spend to compensate their number of days stay on earth!

Right, RW Jimmy?!

BACK TO THE LION’S DEN

Last June 27, the aging lion declared a recess to his fraternal brothers and friends saying he will return to Manila after less than a month’s stay at his den nursing his injured right foot. But let him start this story from the time he and his tamer disembarked from the Superferry II at Tagbilaran City last June 8.

Uncomfortably inconvenienced by the accident that he suffered while still in the big city last May, he and his tamer decided to disembark straight to the Ramiro Community Hospital to have his swollen right ankle operated on. The night before while the ship was still cruising the straits of Cebu, she called Dr. Ronald Ramiro and explained the lion’s worsening condition, whereupon the good doctor replied that the resident physician on duty will attend to the wound when at the hospital and after the usual paperwork, the incision on his swollen right ankle will be performed. This was done and later they were also advised to return two days after for possible complications. Proceeding to Guindulman later in the day, he felt relieved and expected that his painfully injured foot will soon be a thing of the past.

But it was not so. The attending physician, after examining the wound referred the lion to two other physicians, one a lady internest and the other a surgeon who, which he said, can attend to the lion’s wound much better. While he did not say so in so many words, it was evident he was not at par with the job at hand, and so the referral to other medical professionals was unavoidable!

The lady internest promptly prescribed that the lion submit himself to so many medical tests obviously to determine the lion’s medical condition especially as it relates to his being a diabetic while the surgeon reopened the wound, scraped the rotting tissue which made the lion whimper in silent agony prompting the surgeon to ask if the lion’s tolerance to pain is high enough and got the epic reply that “if the lion collapsed while he was still on his job, then the lion’s tolerance to pain has already been surpassed .”

Four more trips to the surgeon at and the internest were made, with the former doing the scraping and applying the medicinal ointment and with the latter continuing her questions and prescribing medicines without the wound getting healed. Worse, body fever was already continually being experienced by the aging lion. Meantime, the three cubs back home were daily asking for their patriarch’s condition via long distance and not getting any positive reply, decided to cajole their dad to return to the big city and have the wound treated there. And what better recourse is there than send an SOS email to Ka Billy del Rosario, chief orthopedic surgeon at St Lukes who promptly prescribed an antibiotic that costs thrice the antibiotic that the local surgeon prescribed.?!

By June 27, the lion tamer and his aging pet boarded Superferry I and after two days at sea proceeded straight to the hospital where Ka Billy was already waiting. Upon opening the wound, he declared the problem was not really that serious but could have been had the trip been unduly delayed. “Hematoma”, he said, and promptly treated the wound with expert ease as no other doctor in the country could. He also replaced the antibiotic that he earlier prescribed saying he earlier had to prescribe a more potent medicine while were still in Bohol because at that time, he has not yet seen the condition of the injury. Having made his first treatment, he then prescribed a less-potent antibiotic and declared the injury already well controlled. He also ordered the aging lion to drink a small bottle of Yakult after every meal to replenish the good bacteria that the antibiotic also kills together with the bad bacteria that hinders the revitalization of the tissue that was indispensably needed to heal the wound. For his part, Ka Albert Encarnacion was also very generous to provide the aging lion with a crutch that enabled the latter to move around to support his still sturdy left leg.

And four more medical visits after that, the last which was last July 20, whereupon the lion asked from the good doctor permission to return to his den. Ka Billy said it will be okay provided the lion will keep in close contact and if need be, send a photograph of the still-limping right foot should medical assistance still be needed. Meanwhile, the prescribed medicines, including the small Yakult bottle taken after every meal will still be necessary.

And the rest became programmed medical therapy. But looking back while already at the lion’s den, he thought it could have been worse and most probably with the lion’s right foot dismembered had not Doc Billy treated it.. The medical procedures that were done at the province which resulted in worsening the injury involved the following:

1. The resident physician incised the swelling skin to flush out the fluid that resulted from the accident earlier. What should have been done was to prick the swollen skin to get the liquid out and in time, the swollen skin would have healed by itself.

2. The surgeon committed the mistake of instructing that the wound be cleaned by tap water. At the big city, Doc Billy declared that cleansing of the wound with tap water exposed the wound to harmful bacteria and therefore prolonged the healing process. From the time the wound was treated by Doc Billy, it has not undergone tap water cleansing..

3. The gauze bandage prescribed by the local doctor was of the general type which protected the wound from exposure. Doc Billy prescribed a gauze bandage that is sterilized by the manufacturer thus shutting off the possibility of bacterial contamination.


4. The antibiotic that was described earlier and replaced from time to time by Doc. Billy to achieve maximum results, no doubt played a vital role in the recuperation. The knowledge of medical professionals in the big city on modern medicines do augurs well on the patient’s speedy recovery.

The lion is now back at his den silently murmuring: “Whew, what a close call. Were it not for Doc Billy, the aging lion would most probably be limping with but a single foot remaining!!

THE AGING LION LIMPS FOR HOME

Bro. Chibu:

I would have let your email pass by saying “OK, I’m fine.” But I’ll be lying if I say that So I’ll tell you what happened.

Last May 26, Thursday, I was busy tending to the miscellaneous things that needed to be fixed in the house, But the bungling old lion that I had now become, I spilled and down the floor I landed smacking my jaw on the tiles in the process. My immediate reaction was of course to find out if it is still in serviceable condition and finding that only a light pain showed, I confidently dismissed the accident and forgot all about it

That Saturday was the stated meeting of Juan Sumulong Lodge No. 169, a lodge dear to me. I was already feverish then and had it not been for the fact that I am to get the barong tagalog that the lodge has provided for its members, I would not have reported to the lodge. I attended the meeting and enjoyed the fellowship with the brethren thinking that it was only an ordinary fever but not connected to the accident.

The next Saturday, I attended the stated meeting of Laong Laan Lodge No. 185. This time however, my right ankle was already swollen and my fever has not gone away. Faced with the fact that we are already scheduled to ride the Superferry bound for Tagbilaran on Monday and fearful that an incision on the swollen leg will only inconvenience me during travel, we decided to postpone any medical treatment, and at the ship, I lamely sipped my eight cans of Miller Canned Beer during the twenty-eight hour trip. To further confound our consternation, the room that we were booked in was at the middle of the ship thus depriving us of the scenery of the islands that dotted the passage lane.

Upon docking at the pier at three thirty in the morning of June 8 we proceeded directly to the Ramiro Hospital and had the swollen foot attended to. The attending physician told me to return two days later and so on Friday, we promptly reported back to the hospital.

But the wound has not healed and so an Internist and another surgeon was recommended to us by the Resident Physician. Subsequent medical tests were made and the wound was again opened and the blood that clotted inside was removed. Later in the day, we went home to our den in Guindulman. It turns out wounds of diabetics are not that easy to heal (I’ve heard of this old line before but I never thought it also applies to the old lion)

I can only hope, the wound heals otherwise, if it gets any worse, then you may expect that the now almost-toothless lion will also have only a single foot to limp on!

Now so much for that sob story. Let’s now tackle your interests there.

I’m glad to learn Ka Raffy has already contacted you. It is not necessary that we personally attend to his needs, referring him to our brothers who can probably help will already suffice.

I’m also glad you are active in the DeMolay movement. Down here we now have two Grand Lights (RW Romy Yu and Pacifico Boy Aniag) and they surely can reeve up petitions from Senior DeMolays thus adding quality members to our Grand Lodge. This certainly will augur will for the Fraternity. I trust it will also do well for you there.

This email by the way is also being furnished all the viewers of the lion’s den. More will be coming as the seven-week sojourn at the metropolis entailed quite a number of stories to tell.

With my kindest fraternal regards!

Bro. Jun

WEDDING RECEPTION AT THE BEACH


It was not the only wedding reception to be held at that particular area of the beach; but at the time the first was held a year ago, the lion was at the metropolis hence could not chronicle the said event.

What made the two weddings unique was that the brides involved sisters and the grooms were migrants to the place. The eldest, Dinah, was married to Randy Enojas, while the younger, Maria Elizabeth, a pretty eighteen year old whom the lion tamer mulled to take along to the big city as a household help, married Arnulfo Godinez, aged 38, and which, if defined in poetic language, the wedding may well be considered an April versus September affair.

Save for the fact that the reception was within bird’s eye view of the aging lion since it was held at the other end of the beach where the lion often while his time away, the festivity would not have merited a page in the Internet, only, both grooms are neighbors of a barangay called Cabil’an, an islet beside Dinagat Island in Surigao del Norte that looks no bigger than a dot on the map of the Philippine Archipelago.

The place where the groom came from is the domain of the famed Ruben Ecleo and his Philippine Benevolent Association Inc. (or PBMI), where this semi-religious cult conducts its base of operations. Most of the inhabitants were themselves migrants that came from other places of the archipelago, mostly fishermen who felt the crunch of living while in their respective places of abode unbearable and decided Dinagat Island and its environs are suited to their needs. The group of islands, being mostly craggy and being the frontline of the rampaging waves brought about by typhoons that regularly batter the archipelago, would be bane to framers but is suitable to fishermen whose beachheads are their natural habitats. Cardo, the migrant whom the lion interviewed, himself came from Masbate who transferred to Dinagat Island some thirty years ago. Life to his family, he said, was becoming difficult in his place of birth. Out there in their new home, he said that religion is not a monopoly of Catholics, Protestants nor of the Adventists, but that certain tenets of Ruben Ecleo like “ganti” which the latter defined as reward, a tagalog word that means “response” are assured to those who follow his word. From what Cardo explained however, it appeared Ecleo is a good administrator who ran his flock like a cooperative, helping them in their financial needs whenever necessary.

The solemnization of the actual wedding is nothing unusual as it was held at the town’s church. But the reception was because it was conducted at the beach, the type usually held by celebrities, like Nora Aunor when she married the young Christopher de Leon sometime in the seventies. And while the food that was actually served may not fare well with gourmets and connoisseurs, the other events that transpired are worth this story to tell.

Two days before the wedding, three PAMO boats (actually a large fishing vessel with a crew of about seven seafarers that generally stays afloat for about 18 days at sea catching fish) , docked at the beachside carrying a hundred or so people. They include not only relatives of the groom but also next door neighbors who came all the way from their islet to celebrate with the wedded couple the affair, taking along with them, the pots and pans, the rice, the plates, the fork and spoons and the seven large pigs that they will butcher for food. The lion was told that out there in that small island, weddings and similar occurrences (even deaths) are unlike those that happen in other places which are mostly clan affairs, but are community undertakings. Neighbors contribute in the financial burden, the worry of the parents of the groom are thus considerably lessened. Nothing unusual here, Cardo said, since most are migrants whose clans are generally limited to second or third generation offsprings.

The night before the wedding is already the start of the celebration. The entrails of the pig is cooked into what an American friend calls “bloody Mary” (called dinuguan in the local dialect) and drinking Tanduay Rhum, talking about the characteristics of both the would-be bride and groom, told by parents of either side under the cool shade of the tent that was pitched at the middle of pumpboats at the beach. Parents, of course, see to it that none drinks more than what the occasion demands, the marriage will be solemnized the next day yet.

Since dowries form part of the wedding celebration, a wedding dance by the groom and bride is held, with relatives pinning paper bills on their clothes as they dance to the music. The amount received usually approximates the cost of a pumpboat thus assuring the newly-wedded couple of a livelihood to start on once they start on their own. This rite, the lion assumes, is not limited to the Dinagats but all over the entire archipelago.

Another curious event after the solemnization of the wedding is the actual act of taking home the bride. Sometime after the dance by the couple ended, the groom’s party boarded the three pumpboats taking along with them all the cooking utensils and the uncooked food provisions they brought along with them, but only after leaving some remaining cooked food to the girls’ parents and taking along the precious bride with them. Much like the buccaneers who took along the spoils after the raid is over.

Which makes the lion ponder: Could it be that they will allow the bride and the groom on the third pumpboat to themselves pumping rhythmically what has to be pumped before they reach their homing destination??

Ay, bastos!!

THE RAT TRAP

The fable shown below was contributed by WB Rommel SJ Corral, PM, of Rafael Palma Lodge No. 147. The lion’s hindsight is shown at the bottom page.

Happy reading!

Bro. Jun Galarosa
Dagohoy Lodge No. 84
Tagbilaran City

THE RAT TRAP

A rat looked through a crack in the wall to see the farmer and
his wife opening a package. What food might it contain? He was aghast
to discover that it was a rat trap. Retreating to the farmyard the rat
proclaimed the warning; "There is a rat trap in the house, a rat trap
in the house!"

The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and said,
"Excuse me, Mr. Rat, I can tell this is a grave concern to you,
but it is of no consequence to me. I cannot be bothered by it."

The rat turned to the pig and told him, "There is a rat trap in the
house, a rat trap in the house!" "I am so very sorry Mr. Rat,"
sympathized the pig, "but there is nothing I can do about it but pray.
Be assured that you are in my prayers."

The rat turned to the cow. She said, "Like wow, Mr. Rat. A rat trap.
I am in grave danger. Duh?"

So the rat returned to the house, head down and dejected,
to face the farmer's rat trap alone.

That very night a sound was heard throughout the house, like the sound
of a rat trap catching its prey.
The farmer's wife rushed to see what was
caught. In the darkness, she did not see that it was a venomous snake
whose tail the trap had caught.
The snake bit the farmer's wife.

The farmer rushed her to the hospital. She returned home with a
fever. Now everyone knows you treat a fever with fresh chicken soup,
so the farmer took his hatchet to the farmyard for the soup's main
ingredient.

His wife's sickness continued so that friends and neighbors came to sit
with her around the clock. To feed them the farmer butchered the pig.

The farmer's wife did not get well.
She died, and so many people came for
her funeral that the farmer had the cow slaughtered to provide meat for
all of them to eat.

Moral to the story: The next time you hear that someone is facing a
problem and think that it does not concern you, remember that when
there is a rat trap in the house, the whole farmyard is at risk.

"Teach us, O Lord, to love one another,
To help with the gifts that You bestow
Give us unity of mind and heart
As we truly serve You here below." **

WB Rommel S.J. Corral, P.M.
Rafael Palma Lodge No. 147

--------------------------------------------
SYNOPSIS

The obvious moral of the story is never trust a snake. The Holy Bible pictures this denizen of the grass and trees as treacherous, and even when it blunders, is still as deadly. Look what happened to the farmer’s wife!!

And the chicken, the pig and the cow??

Ah, but they’re like the poor inhabitants of Real, and General Nakar in Quezon province that were buried in the mud when the slopes of the mountains caved in on them during the onslaught of the deadly rampaging typhoon. Being indifferent to the activities of the illegal loggers, much like the effect of the rat trap, these poor people were shoved to their disastrous deaths!!

And the rat? Well, he must have adapted to the ways of Speedy Gonzales, (no, not RW Jimmy) who skillfully eludes the wily cat (it’s not RW Monching P**** either).

Aesop must be fidgeting in his grave for the lion’s intrusion into his domain.

FROM THE AGING LION’S DEN

COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS



As this article is being written Bro. Deo Macalma has just aired on the DZRH radio announcing it is now but twenty-one days to Christmas, but so far as the lion tamer is concerned, it will occur no more than a score later as the plan of the missus is to celebrate it on the 23rd of December.

Of course this is understandable. The priest who will officiate the event at our backyard cannot possibly do it on Christmas Eve as he is obligated to perform it in his parish, hence the advanced celebration. Consequently the awaited affair had to be advanced one day earlier and therefore, to the missus and to all those who were engaged in its planning, the advanced date no longer mattered. What is of utmost importance is that for the first time in recorded history, a mass will be held at the specific spot where she willed it!

Which makes the lion silently feel contented. The event has not yet transpired and so far, four brothers have already sent in the best wishes. Among them are:

Bro. Earl Albert Hart, an American Mason who has recently established residence in Tuscany in Italy. A new-found e-mail brother of this writer, he is husband to Estelle de Lara, a Filipina whose father’s mortal remains she found in a Masonic cemetery in Bohol. What transpired was a healthy exchange of e-mail correspondences between this writer and Bro. Earl trying to piece out the puzzle why Norman de Lara’s grave was found in that cemetery. But let us leave Norman ‘s bones where it is now lest we digress too far from our present topic. Bro. Earl, by the way, signed in at the Glphils Website Guestbook twice. For those interested to know what he wrote, readers are encouraged to open http://free.guestpage.com/home/view.rc?LoginName=glphilsAnd let us also ignore the word Tuscany, else we may be waylaid into the boring lecture of the second degree!

Bro. Jose Sal Tan of Laong Laan Lodge No. 185 and president of Cebu State College of Science and Technology in Cebu City. He likewise extended his best wishes, but from this writer’s end of it, could not forget that the former still owes the lion one healthy lunch, if only he could set his foot again to the famed Queen City of the South.

Mr. Tante Pacis, a family friend and although not a fraternal brother, has indirect links with the Fraternity since his biological father and father by affinity are both members of the Craft. Tante has already seen the twin electric lights that were installed at our backyard when he last visited Guindulman town last October and being a painter, could pretty visualize what the place would look like when the Christmas lights or “series” are finally installed.

WB Dave Dacanay who is now based in Saipan, (except for the notion that Saipan is out there where the tropical depressions that batter the Philippine Archipelago originate, this writer could but wonder where the heck that place is), has just sent in his fraternal regards for the success of the Christmas celebration that the missus has placed on her trestleboard. And ha!! He could not remember the User ID and passwords of the pages called “For Members Only” in our Website. Ha, ha, hah!!

But to those who have already read the article “LOOKING FORWARD TO CHRISTMAS”, they may want to have an update of the planned event. Here it is .

The Christmas lights consisting of six (6) colorful “series” of 100 bulbs now adorn the beachhead and at the middle of the twin electric lights was the Christmas lantern shaped like a star with a 25-watt bulb at the middle and another set of “series” wrapped around it circle-like looking like a halo. What a beautiful sight to see when you are afloat on the middle of the ocean, the homecoming fishermen are wont to say. There is one minor problem though- even at this early stage, the bulbs of the cheaply-produced Christmas lights start getting busted. Which made the missus worriedly remark: “What do we do?” And the lion said: “Don’t worry, well just replace the busted sets if we need to!”

The missus has also finally firmed up arrangement with the parish priest that the mass will be held at our backyard at eight in the morning. To make the mass more solemn, he instructed the missus to inform the celebrants that a confession will be held at about an hour earlier. Also, he intimated that even the residents of the adjacent sitio named “Punta” where more fishing villagers reside also be invited to hear mass. To the approving delight of the light of the lion’s life!

Several committees were organized. The Grounds Committee, headed by know-it-all Goody Bernaldez, the Mass Committee led by cousin Lilia, the Food Committee, the Programs Committee, the General Services Committee and even the Drinks Committee- the group of old fogies who will insure that drinks will flow freely.

But there are minor snags. In this provincial and Catholic atmosphere where age-old traditions are scrupulously still being practiced, will the priest allow a live-in couple and a couple who are members of Bro. Gregorio Aglipay’s church to confess?? The lion can but amusedly chuckle. Let the priest worry about that later!!

The fishermen for their part agreed they will no longer venture to the sea on the 23rd. Since mass will be celebrated in the morning while the festivities composed of children’s dances, games and partaking of the food will be held later in the day, the males, under the able leadership of the missus’ elderly male cousin will contentedly watch members of their respective families enjoy the occasion partaking the wage of a fellowcraft involving several bottles of “long necks” called Tanduay Rhum and while the time away.

But remember, now is only twenty days before Christmas!!