Of Dusk and the Departed
Sometimes all that a friend needs is your presence - my thoughts
2 o’clock am: The cab turned to a dark corner street near La Iglesia de la Nuestra Senora de Buenviaje and we alighted in front of a two story chapel. We were five women who braved the winding roads to Antipolo to pay respects to the man who raised a kind and happy daughter. The air was light but solemn that morning and we kept ourselves awake with loads of caffeine and stories about ghosts, death, miracles and the spectacular men we call our dads.
We are all in our mid 20’s and 30’s with exciting challenging careers and fast phased lives but when we began talking of our dads it was like we were children again as we remembered how they are like and while we vented our frustrations on their being hard headed and stubborn, we also acknowledged that we will not be as loving, strong willed and confident as we are right now if not for the unconditonal support of our dads. We saw ourselves as extension of their personalities and as living proofs of their success and as the hour of sunrise was nearing we couldn’t help but feel enormous admiration for the dedicated men who were absent in pictures because they clicked the shutter, who held our hands when we walked our first steps and who will be shedding silent tears when he has to finally lead us down the aisle. The morning we paid respects wasn’t one that was gloomy with sorry pretentious smiles but one that was filled with honor and admiration for our officemate’s dad who raised a daughter that held it together despite the circumstances, one who smiled to greet us but would stare once in while to his coffin with so much love in her eyes.
We left a couple of minutes after sunrise and though we were sleepless for 24hrs and dead tired, we were contented knowing that we paid respects to a man worthy of respect.
Liham Ng Ama sa Anak
Marami tayong napag-uusapan,
at wala tayong pinaguusapan.
ikukuwento mo ang istorya
ng napanood mong sine
tungkol sa mga tagaibang planeta
na sumalakay sa mundo.
Ipapaliwanag ko kung paano
nakukuha sa isang tungga
ang tequila sa loob ng kopitang
nakalublob sa mag ng serbesa.
Marami tayong napag-uusapang
walang kabagay-bagay,
pero hindi natin pinag-uusapan
ang nanunuot sa kalansay.
Laman ka ng aking laman,
dugo ng aking dugo,
pero hindi mo itatanghal sa akin
ang kaibuturan ng iyong puso.
sa aking ugat nagmula ang bunga,
sa aking hingal bumuga ang hining,
pero hindi ko ikukumpisal sa iyo
ang likaw ng aking bituka.
Wala kang ibinubulong,
at wala akong itinatanong.
Hindi ako nagbubunyag
at hindi ka nag-uungkat.
Iisa ang hilatsa
ng ating buto-buto,
Pero ang liham mo ay lihim mo,
hindi mo ipapabasa sa akin,
at ang luha ko ay luho ko,
hindi ko ipapaligo sa iyo.
Gayunman, alam ko
na kung ako’y plastado na
sa tequila at serbesa,
nakahanda kang magmaneho,
at dapat mong malaman
na kapag dumating ang mga tagaibang planeta,
magdadaan sila sa ibabaw ng aking bangkay
bago ka nila maagaw.
- Jose F. Lacaba -
Para sa aking ama, sa inyong mga ama at sa namayapang ama ni C.M.
