“Nag-igib na ako ng isang drum ng tubig para sayo.*”
I would hear those lines said every night after dinner. Tita B - the Colonel’s oldest sister, Tito S, and Doctor Steve (who was not yet a doctor then) were all sitting with me on the dining table waiting for me to drink my Enervon capsule. Which is fine if you're an adult but not if you’re seven or eight like me then. I would drink so much water the capsule would dissolve half it’s size before I could swallow it. And all that time they would sit and wait until I swallow it.
I think my parents could not afford the tuition at our private school or my dad was not giving my mom his salary, it depends who you asked and at what time actually so versions vary. But anyway there was lack of funds and I had to stop schooling in our private school and I had to temporarily stay at Tita B’s house and live with her family. Tanduay Girl was still studying at the private school - she’s a straight A star student and I believe they offered her a scholarship while we had our financial troubles.
Now Tita B is scary. She’s tough. I cannot remember how I felt when my mom told me I will live with them but I’m sure I cried and cried. While living with them she would not give me my merienda** if I do not sleep after lunch. She would refuse to make me another glass of juice if I spilled the first one she gave me especially if I spilled it on the carpet. She placed Doctor Steve and my other cousin K’ Hen in one sack and tied it on top of a tree while lighting a small bonfire under it because they fought to much. And when she would bath me she would scrub a big stone on my back and arms because she said I was too dirty. School was more than an hour away so it was stressful waking up at 5 in the morning with the news blaring out from the AM radio...I don’t remember listening to AM radio at home so I hated their radio. It meant waking up so early and travelling. But that does not compare to the stress I get whenever she would de-worm me. Gah!!! How I hated it. I wanted to go home. I wanted my toys. I wanted my family.
But after sometime I got used to living there and studying in a public school. I remember the first day in school where she pointed a big tree and told me it was an apple tree. My child-like mind was blown away by this thought. I felt I was in the US of A whenever I was under that tree (later I found out it wasn’t really an apple tree but a star-apple tree, I heard wrong). Every afternoon I get first pick in the school’s merienda because Tita B’s Home Economics class cooked it. Doctor Steve would buy me paper dolls before we go home. During weekends Tita B would make me ginataang mais*** or bilo-bilo**** or banana cake or chocolate cake (which is THE yummiest I’ve tasted until now). She was much more of a mother to me than my real mother was. But as years went by her strickness was replaced with a quite smile and an endearing voice often asking me if I have eaten and would bake me my favorite chocolate cake.
June 22 Tita B suffered a stroke.
Three Saturdays ago I visited her in Manila. When I walked in their living room my smile was frozen in place. My cheery hello died instantly and was replaced by shock. Two physical therapists was holding each of her arm and tried to support her as they teach her how to walk. Her left leg was paralyzed and so was her left arm. Her face sagged and I can see the cheekbones protruding. She looked like a starving adult in Africa. When she saw me her eyes twinkled and slowly she said “Hello, kumusta ka na Dang?” I could not cry then. I had to smile and share stories and make her feel everything is normal and dandy even though I wanted to weep and asked God to heal her and make me get the stroke instead. Kahit ako na lang, wag lang sya. Before the Colonel and I left, we prayed with her and Tito S.
I told myself three weeks ago I was ready to write about it. But whenever I would try I can’t even stop crying. So I said maybe a week from now, but even a week after I couldn’t see my keyboard because my eyes are too blurry with tears. And so I said, let me try again next week. This time I am able to write it, even with tears. She is surrounded by throngs of people who love and care for her. More so she has a big God who is the strength of her heart. So even if I will no longer hear her whistle from one block away, she will always be that strong caring mother in my heart and mind.
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*Nag-igib na ako ng isang drum ng tubig para sayo - I fetched one drum of water for you
**merienda - snack
***ginataang mais - sticky rice with corn cooked in coconut cream
****bilo-bilo - rice flour balls with fruits and sago cooked in coconut cream
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