Weeks ago I was getting so jittery about going to Pampanga, the Culinary Capital of the Philippines a.k.a. Gracia’s province where her roots are from. Up to the last minute, I was feeling so worried about it. But I am happy that I did go with her and her family to Pampanga. It was the best thing happened to me so far this year. I am very much thankful about it. And I feel so exited to come back next year!
In The Room
I travelled to San Pablo City in the cold night of Thursday last week. Didn’t know it would rain. It felt like the rain was a welcome sign to a series of exciting events for the next three days to come from that day on. So I arrived in their house a little wet but I was all fine. That was a bit surprising that I didn’t feel anything strange. It felt like I was home.
Seeing Gracia’s Mama and Papa in the corner of my eyes on the sofa with that sweetness only people who are truly in love with each other, was a beautiful scene to see. A bit of me was wishing that my Mama and Papa would find that sweetness before it becomes too late for all of us in this circle.
Her sisters and her nephew Ken were already in Pampanga. Her Mama and Papa retreated to their room early so to prepare to wake up the next morning. After few minutes, Gracia went to The Room where she and I should sleep together…on separate beds, mind you! Laughs!
But I don’t trust myself, you know what I ‘m saying. So even if I was sleepy myself, I pretended that I wanted to watch Queen Seon Deok even though it was already an effort to keep my eyelids open. I just wanted everyone in the house to get slipped into dreamland so that instead of sleeping in the same room with Gracia, I could sleep on the sofa in the living room. But after turning off the TV and all the lights, her Mama woke up, and Gracia, too. They woke me up to transfer to The Room. So I slept there, in The Room.
In The Room, the two beds are few yards away from each other. Far enough that snoring wouldn’t put any sleeping person in embarrassment. I lay on my right side, facing towards Gracia’s bed. In the dark, I watched her sleeping with Big Foot, the big bear stuff toy I gave her years ago. I was afraid that any moment I would stand up, get close to her, and finally lose all control I have in myself that would cause me to do things which are not proper for people who are not yet married. I tell you that it felt like a torture. I felt a mix of pain and love as I watched the one that I love so close yet so untouchable. I didn’t want to risk the trust her parents are giving me. So it was a battle of my two selves that got my eyes tired until I myself got slipped into dreamland, catching dreams that weren’t meant yet in my waking life.
From San Pablo City to Pampanga
Around 3AM I woke up to go to the comfort room. I thought we still had one hour to wait to wake up. Then I remembered that we should leave the house by 4AM so I woke up Gracia. I liked it when we were having breakfast with her Mama and Papa in the kitchen table. I think it was expected that when you have planned to leave at four, you would leave at 4:30AM instead, laughs!
Her Mama led the prayer before we left the house after checking everything in the house.
It was so traffic in Alabang that the bus driver decided to take the long way to get to EDSA. Long way that we needed to take the route to Zapote. We passed by Las Piñas. We read road signs telling us we were in Cavite then we reached Pasay where Gracia and I were laughing real hard on our seats after we saw a signage saying Bawal Ang Tao Dito (Literal translation is No People Are Allowed Here). I told her, “It feels so risky to get here, look at that!”
To cut it short, it was a long trip to Pampanga because of series of traffic and waiting. But the longest ride for me was the ride on the tricycle. It felt like eternity to me because as we rode on, I was little by little losing my hold from my so uncomfortable seat! Laughs! My legs muscle got a bit painful after that.
Meeting Auntie Virginia and the Clan
We were welcomed by Auntie. She is the eldest sister of Gracia’s father. She has a short hair reaching above her shoulders. Her hair was grey, almost white. She has a beautiful nose. The first look she gave me was reading deep into my soul. They had prepared a yummy Sinampalokang Manok for our lunch. I’m telling you it was so tasty that I couldn’t help but had my second plate for lunch! Laughs!
We also ate with their cousin Hilda and her two kids, Joshua and Mariel. There were also Ken, Ate Sheryl, and Mariz. Later we met Sirenang Bato whose real name is Jenny Rose, later on she would become one of my favorites.
After lunch we began meeting all the members of her clan. I was introduced to many people who were not into talking. They didn’t talk that much to people they met for the first time but I was so conscious with making first impressions to them so I just let go as smooth as I could. By the way, when they talk, I didn’t understand them anyway because they always talk in their local native language.
There was this group of elders, men around forties or fifties who were drinking lots of beers, they invited me which I nervously accepted. I thought it would be a good way to know them more and them to know me more. You know, we could ask each other with questions. I would give them polite and honest answers. Then I could join in their topic. But guess what, not more than a word I understood from all the things they were saying. They laughed all together without me understanding why. I simply sipped my beer then smiled. It was all weird. Uncle Oscar, the youngest brother of Gracia’s father was kind to me. He even tried to tell me the gist of their conversation.
I thought it was a bit rude for people to dominate their conversation with their local language when they have a visitor who doesn’t understand them. But then I realized that it was difficult for them to talk in Tagalog. That there was so much to talk about and picking the dialect was the last thing to think about. That I understood. Finally Gracia and her mother came to my rescue and took me away.
That afternoon we ate and ate and ate. Wow.
This is where we kept our shoes while we stayed in Auntie's house. It is the ceiling in the living room.
Gracia’s mother also introduced me to their…land property. That this up to that far there belongs to a certain uncle. Another this to a far there belongs to another uncle. This to their family and all that. For sure you get the picture. Every detail of it made me feel so welcome and I am so happy about it. Somewhere in my head, I thought everything was like in Antipolo.
At night it rained. Secretly I felt a sense of romance when it was raining. I really like it to just cuddle with Gracia in the future while it is raining outside. I don’t know but I feel that I have a connection with the rain. My heart beats in a different but beautiful harmony when it is raining.
This bell pepper which looks like a tomato is planted right in the backyard of Auntie's house.
We slept late that night. I slept in the same room with Gracia…and the rest of the people in the house. Very Filipino, laughs!
Meeting Ate Hilda’s Cousin
The prior night, I heard Ate Hilda, Gracia’s cousin, talking about her cousin Jay-R who, according to her, looks like the TV and Movie Star Lucky Manzano. Secretly I was getting jealous already, laughs! I was like, hey, I thought I was the Star! Laughs!
Then we finally met him the second day. Well, what could I say? He seemed all nice. He is a lot taller than me. He is so fair, I hate to admit it but he got really a beautiful skin. He easily had charmed almost everybody, felt like he was stealing all the attention, laughs! The more I felt his presence, the more my competitive spirit got activated. I didn’t bring it on intentionally. I guess it is always a part of my system to automatically dislike pretty males, laughs! But hold on there. I was not hating him. In fact, I was doing fine with doing away with evil jealousy.
After breakfast, Gracia and I went to her cousin Ogie’s house which was only three blocks away from where we were staying. We watched Ate Hilda and Mariz cut the pork into little cubes for the Sisig. There I also met Edmond, another cousin of Ate Hilda. He was so funny that he was making me feel more welcome and more at ease.
Again, I was invited to another con-beer-sation. This time with younger men. I was with Jay-R, Edmond, Ogie, Bayaw (don’t know his name but they all call him bayaw), and later on with Mariz. Before I joined them, I told Gracia that when I touch and twist my ear, that means I can’t drink another bottle of Red Horse and she has to excuse me and bring me to Auntie’s house. Funny it was that she was always not looking my way every time I touched my ears. They (Gracia, Ate Hilda, and Mariz) were also having a soft version of con-beer-sation not far from us. Later on, they joined us.
I really enjoyed them. After two bottles, I already felt my head swelling and my mind floating in beers. But I managed to keep a good posture and I began laughing real hard when I thought something was funny. Even if I was the only one laughing. That con-beer-sation was wonderful that I drank more and more beyond my limit even if I had already Gracia seated next to me. But I didn’t want to spend my last day there with them dealing with headache so I was forced to twist my ear and Gracia saw that. We went to Auntie’s and there I slept for two hours.
We Watched Palo Sebo
Palo Sebo is a traditional sport usually played in fiestas. There we watched kids and young adults climbed the greasy long pole that whoever of them reaches first the peak would get the Php 2500.00 prize. It was fun. People screamed and were so amazed all in chorus.
While watching, I got a chance to meet the rest of the clan. I think, it took close to two hours before someone won the prize money.
Looking For the Stars
Before night hit the sky, we were planning to go to Peryahan. It would take us like around thirty minutes to get there. Joshua, Mariel, and Ken were very excited. And so Gracia, Mariz, Ate Hilda, and I. Unfortunately it rained again that night. It was fine with me. However, the kids wouldn’t easily accept the fact that we couldn’t go anymore. Joshua was crying. Ate Hilda told them to look for the stars because if there would be stars, which would guarantee that it would not rain the whole night, then we could go. But there was not a single star in the night sky.
While waiting for the stars, I was left with the kids. I felt it was not fair that these kids were talking in their local language. I knew their topic was me. They were laughing about me. I felt like I understood some of what they were saying but I refused to take it all seriously.
When kids were sleeping, we spent the night playing cards. Ate Hilda and Mariz played with other cousins in the living room. While Gracia, Sirena, and I were comfortable around the kitchen table.
The three of us we laughing real hard as we played on. It was all because of Gracia. She was telling funny stories that tickled all the butterflies in my stomach. I was laughing like there would be no tomorrow. Sirena needed to go to the kitchen just to laugh as hard as she could to avoid making serious noises, laughs!
I was wishing that that night would not end yet for I was enjoying every thing about it. But we needed to leave early tomorrow so that I could attend the Sunday service in Victory. Before we retreated all to our room, I got a chance to see all the old pictures of Gracia and her clan. It was fun to see her baby pictures.
In The Room: Part two?
When I was lying on the bed given to me, I couldn’t sleep. My feet were against Gracia’s feet. Since the whole room was dark and little lights were coming from the living room below, we were free with playing with our feet. I thought it was romantic. There an old desire again fired up into a dream. The romance filled my heart as I listened to the soft romantic sound of the rain.
The Last Day
A little disclosure here: I am just telling exactly as how the kids put it. OK? Defensive? Laughs! The kids were repeating what they were talking about me the previous night. This time it was more understandable because they were saying it in my language. They were saying that…you ready for this? They said I look like Jay-R. Laughs! Wala lang, gusto ko lang sabihin.
Let me explain this a little more. Let us put it in this logical whatever. They said, Jay-R looks like Lucky Manzano. I look like Jay-R. In other words? Bhala ka na, laughs! OK, forget it.
When we were bidding our goodbyes, true it was that I was sad because I wanted to stay one or so more days with them. I miss them, really. I miss Sirena. I miss Auntie. Auntie was trying her best to speak in my language but she simply couldn’t. She said something before we left that made us all laugh. She was even a bit embarrassed and shy when she wished that when we return next year, Gracia and I were already married.
And it was a smooth travel back home. I am very happy.
