Left: My 81 yr old grandmother and brother Ted
Even after 26 years, Nanay still treats me like I’m some sort of teenage debutante. What’s funny is that she gives my younger brothers, even my female cousins the liberty to do as they please- and they haven’t even really lived independently as I did from college till the time I started working. Here are typical scenarios at home:
“Nay, I’ll be going out with friends tonight.”
“Which ones? Where will you be going to?”
“My highschool friends. I don’t know, we’ll probably have dinner and go someplace else afterwards.”
“What time will you get home?”
“Nay! I’m turning thirty in a few years, I’ve lived in Manila by myself for 9 years, I think I’d know by now how to take care of myself.”
“Don’t be out so late. I’ll leave the keys at the door.”
(And then I’d be obliged to get home before midnight because she stays up to wait for me to come home.)
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Even after 26 years, Nanay still treats me like I’m some sort of teenage debutante. What’s funny is that she gives my younger brothers, even my female cousins the liberty to do as they please- and they haven’t even really lived independently as I did from college till the time I started working. Here are typical scenarios at home:
“Nay, I’ll be going out with friends tonight.”
“Which ones? Where will you be going to?”
“My highschool friends. I don’t know, we’ll probably have dinner and go someplace else afterwards.”
“What time will you get home?”
“Nay! I’m turning thirty in a few years, I’ve lived in Manila by myself for 9 years, I think I’d know by now how to take care of myself.”
“Don’t be out so late. I’ll leave the keys at the door.”
(And then I’d be obliged to get home before midnight because she stays up to wait for me to come home.)
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It was the morning of my flight, and Nanay was knocking loudly on my door like there’s a fire or something. Reluctantly, I open the door, still wiping the sleep from my eyes.
“You’re going to be late for your flight!”
“It’s 5am, the airport is fifteen minutes away, and my plane doesn’t leave till 8:30!”
“Are you packed already?”
“Yes.”
“Where’s your plane ticket?”
I point to my desk.
“Where will you be staying?”
“Tatat’s house. Remember her?”
“Where’s her apartment? Do you have your money with you?”
“Nay?!”
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“Didik (a forsaken pet name she and my Mom and Dad gave me as a kid), don’t forget to buy my medication.”
“Yes, Nay.”
“Vascor 10mg and Crestor 10mg.”
“Yes, Nay.”
“And oh, buy me some Menthol Cone. And tell you mom when she calls, I need more of those Equate ointments for my joints.”
“Yes, Nay.”
“Have you have breakfast? Are you coming home for lunch? How come, you are leaving for school so early?”
“Yes, I already ate. I have a lot of exams so I need to get there early, and I might come home late.”
“Don’t forget to bring your water.”
“Nay!”
During parties or gatherings, she would pull people aside and point to me, and tell them “UP yan.” She shows them my trophies, and practically shows my thesis book to every passing stranger.
Oh, Nay. 81 years haven’t slowed you down. Since you took care of me and my brothers from the day we were born till now, I can only hope I can take care of you the same way.
14 comments:
mmm, gorgeous brother! *blush*
@ pepe: haha! he's in the US navy
Okay, Ted guy's a fine piece of ass. Runs in the family, eh Thadie? ;)
I'm fine na, btw. :)
thaddeus,
we shared two campuses.hehe. that's all the clue i can give you.haha. seriously, am not even sure if you know me. i wasnt popular, you know. i always belonged the the greater insignificant number of students. so, there's really no point of giving you more clues because, chances are, even if i tell you my name and other infos, you would not be able to distinguish me from the next guy.
anyway, your bro is cute. so, he's in the states now?
ooooha, and thats what makes him a lot more sexy!ahhh, man in uniforms! :)
and wats yur grandma's tips to reach that age! shes unbelieveably beautiful!
Your entry just made me miss my lola. I regret not visiting her this year...
@ mark xander: Hey, be respectful of my brother! hehe ; ) bunso namin yan = )
@ pepe m: She eats a lot of veggies.. Rarely eats meat.. She's a strong woman, that's for sure. Kahit may osteoporosis na. I love her!
@ john halcyon von rothschild: Ang haba ng name mo! hehe can I just call you John? = ) You should go visit when your schedule allows.. You won't regret it = )
@ anonymous: first, we have to establish these points:
1. That you are male (I won't pursue this any further if you're female. Just kidding!!)
2. If we were in DWU together I would surely remember = ) Such a small bunch kasi
3. If Leyte High or UP then you would have to give me more clues. Kun St. Therese, I'd be clueless haha! I remember only Joy Palami and a few others..
Seriously though, I appreciate so much your visiting this crazy site (hehe!)and if you are a little kooky, tell me so we can get three gallons of beer and ponder the mysteries of life. Hahaha!
At least give some sort of code name so I won't confuse you with the other anonymous people who leave comments here..
Yup, my bro (and practically everyone in my immediate family) is in the states already. except me huhuhu! ; )
thaddeus,
1. i am male (well, i hope so).
2. we went to two campuses together (since you only went to four schools, st. therese, dwu, leyte high and up), there are only eight combinations, i think. bulok-bulok man gud ak ha math.
3. i think i'm the only one who calls you "thaddeus" when i write a comment in your blog.
4. i am not sure if we ever talked before because we were never classmates. was never interested in you (hehe) and vice-versa.
5. i asked if your brother was in the States right now because he might have taken a vacation a week or two ago in Tacloban.
6. just so you would not confuse me from other anonymous visitors, everytime i write, i'd leave a post script in waray.
7. i am based in manila right now. but if i see you in tacloban, and i'd muster enough guts, i might approach you and introduce myself. hehe.
amu la.
@ anonymous:
1. That's good to hear! hehe
2. Clue pa, kahit kung anong level lang- elementary o secondary o tertiary ; ) This is fun!
3. Yeah, I noticed. And it annoys me so much you call me by my full name. Thad na lang!
4. How mysterious ; )
5. Which brother? Ted went home last april for a few weeks lang. Ty is in the US with my Mom..
6. I'd love that
7. I'll be waiting ; ) Are you barkada with any of my longtime friends? Lourdes Tan, Bernard Young, Prince Royce Morales, Remejoy Sagdullas, Frances Esperas (or any other crazies)? I think that would give me a clue = )
your bro is indeed yummy..im hooked to this blog..thanks to misterhubs..
@ anonymous: Many thanks! I'm a big fan of Misterhubs myself
Thaddeus, --> (because i want to annoy you. hehe. joke). okey fine, Thad,
1. i call you thaddeus because that is the name which i know you from way way back.
2. we shared two campuses. one was in high school.
3. i wonder what you find mysterious in my earlier comment that we were never classmates and that we were never interested in one another (haha. balit tu-ud. i was never into you. and mas labi na, nga you were never into me.)
4. i am not barkada to any of your longtime friends (na disappoint ka ba, because you had somebody in mind? hehe. diri adtu ako). although, i know most, if not all of them. but i know them only in the same way that i know you, by name and face. i have probably exchanged shy smiles, hi's and hello's with them, but i have never talked to any of them in a personal level.
5. anyway, don't spend a minute of your time figuring out who i am, because i don't deserve that, because i don't think you know me, because i am not interesting anyway, because it would be a waste of time and because you'd only be disappointed if you find out later on. mayakan ka, yuck, amu la ngay-an itu hiya.
6. anyway, you have a nice blog. and i always look forward to opening my pc and reading your entries herein. consider it your greatest contribution to my life. haha.
amu la.
@ anonymous: Uy, di ako ganyan ha. I love to meet new people, kahit sino and all the more na we have ties since High School diba? Its always interesting to meet people from the past = )
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