Flashback: Easter Sunday April 19, 1987

April 19, 1987

I grew up in Binangonan, Rizal where Easter Sunday was celebrated with an early morning procession (Salubong). Other than going to mass, there was nothing more after that. We did not have Easter Bunnies, egg-painting contests, no Easter egg hunting, no colorful rabbits, no candies, and no fiesta-like meals.

Having studied and lived in Manila since college, I learned that there were some celebrations on Easter Sunday other than going to church.

On the morning of April 19, 1987, while reading the newspaper, I saw an advertisement of Manila Hotel. They have an Easter Sunday celebration at the Champagne Room complete with magician, games, Easter egg hunts, candies, Easter Bunnies. Sounded fun and the magician thing made me excited. I was happy with the thought that my little daughter would enjoy these things.

I dressed my little toddler up, carried her, walked to Shaw Boulevard, hailed a cab. It was a sunny Sunday. While the taxi moved, I was both excited to entertain my daughter and there was also a feeling of anxiousness as I watched the taxi meter dropped every minute or so. Baka kulangin ang pera ko.

I remembered my daughter innocently sitting on my lap while we embarked on this 16 kilometer journey. Traffic was not bad yet, it took us half hour to reach Manila Hotel. I think I paid some P25 to the taxi driver. US dollar exchange rate that time was pegged at twenty pesos to a dollar.

When we reached the Champagne room, there were no people yet other than the waiters, who were busy decorating the restaurant. I guess we came in  too early. It was not even lunch yet.
I asked one of the waiters and he said yes indeed, there would be Easter Bunnies and a magician but they would come after lunch.

I sat uncomfortably on one of the Louis IV chairs somewhere in the middle as I observed the waiters.
The room was fully decorated with flowers and crystals. I marveled at how charming the place was. I had never seen a room so pretty.

I put down my daughter and let her stand beside the table as I held one of her hands to make sure she didn’t wander around knocking off glasses. Behave naman ang anak ko.

The waiter came back and gave me a big folder, the menu. I looked at my watch (no cellular phones yet) and it was only 11 am. Parang ang tagal ng ipag-iintay namin if they would start at 2 or 3 pm.

I opened the folder and looked at the food and their prices. Susmaryosep!! Ang pera ko kulang pa pang softdrinks. We have to take a cab back, kulang na ang pera ko. I couldn’t afford to eat there. I didn’t have a credit card yet at that time. I only had a hundred pesos, eh di ba nabawasan na kasi nag taxi kami.

When I saw the advertisement that morning, I just got excited with the prospect of bringing my baby for her to experience those new and exciting stuff. I didn’t realize that Manila Hotel was not cheap and that I needed extra money for 5 star dining.

After a few minutes, my daughter said “I’m thirsty”. Naku, I didn’t bring her milk or water (no bottled water yet during those days). I mentally calculated my cash, then I made a major decision. I called the waiter and ordered “waiter, isang 7-up nga”.

My daughter and I shared in the drink. Then after a few minutes, she and I ventured into our next journey….. home.

She fell asleep as soon as we got on the taxi.

The Champagne Room would always be part of my life story as a young mother. That was an experience that I didn’t mind sharing to people, strangers included. There was nothing to be embarrassed about. I didn’t have money, all I could order was 7-up.

That’s why when Oyen chose to bring me there on my birthday without my knowledge, I felt that was not a coincidence. That was fate.

Here’s the baby, whose mother didn’t have money to order food.

For nostalgia’s sake we wanted to order 7-up but they only had Sprite.

Edmund was not with us on that historical day. As a young husband, he still didn’t have any concept of family day. He was not attentive to possible activities or places he could bring his wife and daughter to. Pero iba na sya ngayon. Big change.

O ayan anak,  free water na lang.

My son wasn’t born yet in 1987 that’s why he wasn’t aware of the story.
Experiences like that make me appreciate more what we have now.

At saka, kaya siguro magaling ako sa arithmetic, I had a lot of practice mentally calculating if my money was enough.

#alwaysgrateful