Lorna and Aldrin’s Box

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/112718/Lorna-Tolentino-set-to-go-to-Holy-Land-for-inner-healing

Pag-alabin ang damdaming MAKA-PILIPINO

HAPPY WEEKEND!!!

Contemplating on my title above, I wonder if there is "Afterscience" or "Afterenglish"…hehehe Just want to make you laugh…I chose that title because an hour ago, we were studying about Math-Elementary Algebra. My mind is still with Math and so it goes…

Tata Ino’s wake was quick and simple.It describes how he was as a person- a man of courage, very independent and hard working.   A lot of people remembered to glance on him at the wake. Some relatives from Bicol came. And I was really touched by the presence of Tata Erning, a 74 year old relative.Albert was touched by his officemates. Many of them came even the guards and even the boss came.When he shown his grateful heart…some memories flashed back. Last year, Albert was sent a memo about a wrong delivery brought about by loop hole in their processes. This was written and given to him by her lady boss(now separated from the company). I was furious then, I told him " ikwento mo sa kin, sasagutin natin." After learning about their processes and the loop holes. I wrote a four pages reply to the memo. I stated that it’s not Albert’s fault, it’s the loop hole that caused the problem. I supported my premise by the actual processes and cited examples. When Albert read what I have written, he told me to change the content and make it less aggressive. He told me that it will not do any good if we will be vindictive. After a long argument I revised it to one page, just stating the wrong process and with no signs of vindictiveness. And he thanked me for that one page letter. With that incident I realized one of good trait of him. Albert is never vindictive. He can easily  forgive and forget. And maybe that attitude of him helped him. Albert is far from perfect but he has that humility to stay away from vindictiveness, a charitable heart and NEVER shown crab mentality all the years that we are together. Maybe, just maybe…those traits helped him to win people around him.

After the cremation, we went straight home, cooked some food and go to bed early.Well, most of the time we go to bed early.  At midnight, I was awaken by a smell of flowers. I know in my heart that its Tata Ino but I did not bother to stand up and wake up Aldrin and Albert. I just whispered "Hello Tay" and fell as sleep again.When we woke up in the morning I told Albert " Alam mo ang bait ni tatay, hanggang sa huling sandali independent sya" And he answered "oo nga."

It was a loss. Painful? Yes. Especially for Albert.

Aldrin just came from a birthday celebration. And guess what? I have "pasalubong". My son bought me a "Yum burger" So, so so nice…let’s eat…

Kangina-kangina lang ay kausap ko ang aking kapatid, sya ang nanay ni Gorby na pamangkin kong ubod ng gwapo, matalino bukod pa sa pagiging magiliw at karinyoso Hindi ba kayo nilipad ng hangin sa winika ko? Pasensya na kayo pero yan ang totoo. Naikwento nya ang "achievement" ni Gorby kaya tuwang-tuwa ako Sa aming pag-uusap ay biniro ko sya na ako ay magpapaampon para masanay ako sa Ingles. Natawa ’sya pero sa loob ko ay totoo…hayaan nyo, magiipon ako ng "English words" at minsan ay gagawa ako ng "blog" sa wikang Ingles.

Talagang marunong ang Diyos, kailangan kong matawa para makabawi. Halos wala kaming tulog kagabi dahil sa magdamag na pakikipaglaban ng aking biyenang lalaki sa kamatayan. Ngunit sa kasawiang palad ay yumao sya kanginang alas tres ng madaling araw.Sabi ng mga doktor, "Cancer of the Prostate"  ang sanhi ng pagkamatay nya.

Wala na si Tata Ino. Siya ay pitongpu’t anim na taong gulang…

Nakilala ko sya sa pagiging magiting na tao.Bilang ama, maasikaso sya sa kanyang mga anak na sa palagay ko ay sobra na. Bilang asawa, ayon lang naman sa sabi-sabi ay  huwag nyo ng itanong sa akin :)  Baka bumangon sya upang ako ay pandilatan ng mata. Seryoso, di ko makakalimutan ang pagmamahal na ipinakita nya sa kanyang yumao na ring anak na si Josie. Si Josie ay nagkaroon ng Lupos. Bagama’t matanda na si Tata Ino, sya pa rin ang personal na nagaasikaso noon kay Josie. Kahit hirap ay di mo makikita ng panghihinawa sa pagsisilbi sa anak.Ng yumao si Josie ay nalungkot ng labis si Tata Ino.Madalas syang magkasakit.

Nong isang araw ay isinugod sya sa Binan  Doctors. Yon ang accredited hospital ng kompanya nina Albert. Napakalaki ng utang na loob namin sa kompanya nila dahil sa benepisyong ibinibigay nila sa kanilang mga empleyado. Mahina syang magsalita at namumutla, ngunit nandoon pa rin ang lakas ng loob. Di siya makaihi. Tatlong beses siyang nilagyan ng sonda pero di ito maipasok at may bumabara. Pinainom sya ng gamot na pampaihi. Nakaihi sya ngunit kakaunti lamang ang lumabas. Ang pasya ng mga doktor ay operahan sya. Kinabukasan, ng di agad dumating ang doktor, sabi nya   "bakit dito ang tagal magopera?, sa PGH opera agad."  Pagkatapos ng dalawang oras, nahilo sya sa sobrang sakit ng kanyang tiyan. Pinagkaguluhan sya ng mga doktor. Pumutok ang tumor na pinanggagalingan ng sakit. Nawalan sya ng malay…hanggang bawian ng buhay.

Kalungkutan ang namayani sa mga sandaling sya ay pumanaw. Umiyak ang mga batang kasa-kasama nya sa Binan na naging parte na rin ng kanyang buhay. Mga araw na alam kong kahit si Tata Ino ay di rin malilimutan. Hanggang sa huling sandali ay masasabi kong "magiting" si Tata Ino…di natakot sa kinakaharap, maging sa operasyon sa kabila ng kanyang katandaan. pagdasal natin ang kanyang kaluluwa…

Paalam Tata Ino! Paalam Magiting!