Friday, August 27, 2004

Kleenex, please!

I hate crying at funerals but then, I almost always do, even if it's a far out relative like my husband's Uncle Vicente. At least I didn't beat his kids into it. Yvonne, the youngest of them, wailed like a mad cow as the men lowered that expensive silver box put inside another white concrete box using pulleys. Celi, the doctor, stood tough except that I saw her fighting back her tears as her shoulders shook at the mass held earlier in the chapel. Ditas, the nurse, who flew right out from US was quite poised, but her eyes were already swollen red due to sleeplessness and crying.

I liked Ditas instantly when I saw her. She stood from that front pew at the funeral parlor two nigths ago and greeted me as if we've known each other for ages. She hugged me and kissed me and while I bussed and hugged back, it took a while for me to figure out that she was the eldest of the three sisters that lost their dad. She exuded warmth, sincerity and she spoke well. Auntie Cely, their mom, looked calm but agonized, and I felt so much for her as she looked down and saw the last of her lover, her best friend and her lifelong companion. I shed tears, how embarrassing, but can't find my packet of Kleenex. Goodness, Genevieve, Sam's other cousin borrowed it and didn't care to return! Ok, let the tears dry by itself! Genevieve tugged at her Dad and whispered to him that he will also be experiencing the same joy ride inside a box by the pulleys sometime and, would you believe, Esther, her sister, seconded the motion! The old man must have felt really bad, and so I gave that hmmp look at the two naughty ladies, but they just laughed as their dad said " I can't do anything about that."

It felt weird seeing Sam and Genevieve taking videos and pics of all the events and people there earlier, especially those who stood by the side of the dead, who I thought, got overexposed even when he couldn't say "cheese" anymore. Imagine, the people actually posed beside the dead!

As Celi announced that they were hosting lunch at The Fort, Sam and I wondered what it was we were celebrating, surely not uncle's dying! Oh great, Celi, now looking bright, introduced us to her boyfriend who came in late, an army ex-colonel, Geoffrey. Maybe I committed a blunder because Celi's eyes widened at me when I kinda asked, "Is he the first one I've heard?" Oh, well, blessed are the forgetful, for they get the better of themselves even after committing a blunder. Now, where was I?

Yvonne was suddenly cheerful at lunch, and Sam asked her, where have you just been? It seemed like we're on a TGIF gimmick as the place buzzed with happy folks greeting one another and feasted on about eight courses of dishes that liberally flowed onto each table. Auntie Cely came to me, thanked me for the black blazer she wore, and complimented me as very "guapa" in my black flowy dress with embroidered hem! I felt like her true niece and their true cousin, much loved, very much accepted. Over our rich dessert of coco-tapioca, custard, and jello, Genevieve decided that she and Samjohn her son would go home with us, borrow my shirt and extra cross trainers, and challenge us in a badminton game. And so it was.

But I tell you, the freshly brewed coffee that followed lunch was perfect, and I needed Kleenex to wipe my smeared lips. Life goes on ….

BING L. HERNANDO slept soundly at 8/27/2004 09:36:00 AM