a letter to Lolo
Lolo Indo,
No words can express how much you are sorely missed. It’s been 10 years since you left us. Last night, I cried myself to sleep for the lame reason that I cannot remember the last time I saw you. Maybe I just really miss you.
Maybe, you’ll ask why it took me 10 years to gather my thoughts and write to you. Well, I guess I was just caught up with this thing called life. I was taught to move on and I think that’s what I did. But to tell you the truth, I miss you and I wrote this letter as an account of the memories that my brain cells recalled.
You are my defender. You were the one that I run to when I’m being punished by mommy when I do something wrong. You are the one who make “salo” when I’m being hit as a price for being hard headed. You were also the one whom I ask for help when mama Be won’t let me go out of the house, again as a punishment for my naughty deeds. But as a protective grandfather you also didn’t tolerate my kakulitan at katigasan ng ulo. Remember the time when you ran after me with walis ting-ting in your hands because I answered back when you reprimanded me?
You are my teacher. You were the one who taught me what to do when gamo-gamo will swarm at the fluorescent light and Thus, annoying the people who are watching the TV. You were the one who taught me to make toys out of bottle caps and threads. As our teacher, you were also the one we run to when we want to try or do something. Just like the time when Ate Aysel and I insist that you rub to two bamboo sticks to produce a fire, like the one we saw in sineskwela. You didn’t produce a fire that day, but you never stopped until there is smoke to prove to us that you can indeed produce a fire by friction. For me, you proved something more that day. You proved that you will do anything for us, your apos.
You are my partner in crime. When I was younger, I enjoy being with you. Riding in your kariton,bicycle and even at your back. I always cherish the time when I’ll go with you and Lola to the farm and the times when I’ll go with you on your sari-sari store trips. I can still remember the time when we bought tomato sauce instead of tomato paste and the time when Mama Nettescolded us for buying PAPA ketchup instead of the much preferred Del Monte ketchup. You are my partner in pagbabayo. You will pound the peanuts and it’s my duty to transfer the powdered peanuts in a bowl. You are also my prank partner. Remember the time when Lola will get annoyed with us because we keep on tickling her ears when she’s taking her siesta? Oh how I enjoyed doing that!
You are my playmate. I miss playing with you Lolo. You always make the most of the simple things around you just to entertain your apos. You do magic tricks like the disappearing one peso coin, you do shadow plays when it’s brownout and tell us stories from your life. I love playing hide and seek with you kasi ok lang sayo na ikaw palagi taya.
You are also my doctor. Ikaw ang taga hilot ko pag may “kibit”, “ubo” at “pilay”. You are our go to guy if we feel sick. Maybe that’s the reason why it hurts us so much to see you in pain. My heart ached when I saw you came home from the farm one time with a deep wound in your feet wrapped in coconut leaves (your improvised bandage) and the time when Mama Nette ask me to watch over you when you got stitched after hitting your head on the door frame. But what hurts us the most is when cancer took out the best of you.
To enumerate all you are to us would take me a lifetime to write. Undeniably, you have not only touched our lives but also those of the people around you. Kung nakita mo lang yung mganaka-park na sasakyan nung huling gabi ng burol mo Lo. It shows that people came to pay respect because you are respected and somehow you have made an impact in their lives. We, your family may have moved on and go on with our lives. But all that we are today, we credit it to you for none of us will become what we are today not unless a Lolo Pedro existed.
I’m so excited to meet you again Lo! I have tons of stories to tell you and I miss you so much. Prepare your harmonica, for together we will sing the song “Ang Carbao ko nga mahinay”.
Love,
Your granddaughter, Mays
P.S. I have your platinum ring with me.
Maybe, you’ll ask why it took me 10 years to gather my thoughts and write to you. Well, I guess I was just caught up with this thing called life. I was taught to move on and I think that’s what I did. But to tell you the truth, I miss you and I wrote this letter as an account of the memories that my brain cells recalled.
You are my defender. You were the one that I run to when I’m being punished by mommy when I do something wrong. You are the one who make “salo” when I’m being hit as a price for being hard headed. You were also the one whom I ask for help when mama Be won’t let me go out of the house, again as a punishment for my naughty deeds. But as a protective grandfather you also didn’t tolerate my kakulitan at katigasan ng ulo. Remember the time when you ran after me with walis ting-ting in your hands because I answered back when you reprimanded me?
You are my teacher. You were the one who taught me what to do when gamo-gamo will swarm at the fluorescent light and Thus, annoying the people who are watching the TV. You were the one who taught me to make toys out of bottle caps and threads. As our teacher, you were also the one we run to when we want to try or do something. Just like the time when Ate Aysel and I insist that you rub to two bamboo sticks to produce a fire, like the one we saw in sineskwela. You didn’t produce a fire that day, but you never stopped until there is smoke to prove to us that you can indeed produce a fire by friction. For me, you proved something more that day. You proved that you will do anything for us, your apos.
You are my partner in crime. When I was younger, I enjoy being with you. Riding in your kariton,bicycle and even at your back. I always cherish the time when I’ll go with you and Lola to the farm and the times when I’ll go with you on your sari-sari store trips. I can still remember the time when we bought tomato sauce instead of tomato paste and the time when Mama Nettescolded us for buying PAPA ketchup instead of the much preferred Del Monte ketchup. You are my partner in pagbabayo. You will pound the peanuts and it’s my duty to transfer the powdered peanuts in a bowl. You are also my prank partner. Remember the time when Lola will get annoyed with us because we keep on tickling her ears when she’s taking her siesta? Oh how I enjoyed doing that!
You are my playmate. I miss playing with you Lolo. You always make the most of the simple things around you just to entertain your apos. You do magic tricks like the disappearing one peso coin, you do shadow plays when it’s brownout and tell us stories from your life. I love playing hide and seek with you kasi ok lang sayo na ikaw palagi taya.
You are also my doctor. Ikaw ang taga hilot ko pag may “kibit”, “ubo” at “pilay”. You are our go to guy if we feel sick. Maybe that’s the reason why it hurts us so much to see you in pain. My heart ached when I saw you came home from the farm one time with a deep wound in your feet wrapped in coconut leaves (your improvised bandage) and the time when Mama Nette ask me to watch over you when you got stitched after hitting your head on the door frame. But what hurts us the most is when cancer took out the best of you.
To enumerate all you are to us would take me a lifetime to write. Undeniably, you have not only touched our lives but also those of the people around you. Kung nakita mo lang yung mganaka-park na sasakyan nung huling gabi ng burol mo Lo. It shows that people came to pay respect because you are respected and somehow you have made an impact in their lives. We, your family may have moved on and go on with our lives. But all that we are today, we credit it to you for none of us will become what we are today not unless a Lolo Pedro existed.
I’m so excited to meet you again Lo! I have tons of stories to tell you and I miss you so much. Prepare your harmonica, for together we will sing the song “Ang Carbao ko nga mahinay”.
Love,
Your granddaughter, Mays
P.S. I have your platinum ring with me.
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