Inakay by Jose Blanco

Sometime ago, a friend of mine who needed to raise some money for her ughter’s college tuition fee asked me to help her sell an oil painting titled Inakay which she’s been keeping for 7 years.  It was painted by Jose Blanco from Angono, Rizal which she bought from the artist a few
weeks before he passed away in 2005.

I accompanied her to a male friend of mine who couldn’t resist buying a good art. He bought Inakay together with a few others and ever since that day, she’s been very appreciative and grateful to me for helping her unload her art.  Utang na loob daw nya na I helped her raise the money for her one and only child’s college tuition fees.

Me naman, every now and then, naalala ko yung Inakay.  Nagustuhan ko  naman sya.

Why?

Meron syang tatlong manok. I like chickens, they remind me of my father’s poultry and a little bit of my childhood.

Meron syang mga pinya. Pineapples are symbols of good luck in Chinese. Notice that during Chinese New Year, vendors in Ongpin put red ribbons around pineapples.

Meron din syang horse. Horses are symbols of speed, strength, stamina. Grow your business in leaps and bounds (sana).

Meron din syang mga saging. They remind me of my mom, Ka Felicing. When I was little, napapagalitan nga ako lagi kasi ayaw kong kumain ng saging eh mabuti raw ito sa katawan. Sya, lagi siyang kumakain ng saging. Everyday. Di ba a saging away keeps the albularyo away?

Meron din syang pitong tao na nag-aani ng palay. Harvest means prosperity.

Number seven, eh di good luck din.

Need I say more?

My friend is moving to a bigger office soon and I thought he probably had sent the painting to his new office.

But one weekend, I tried my luck and asked him where the painting was. Nadun sa storage and he has forgotten about it. Lakas loob, I
offered to buy it from him; he instantly agreed.

I had no intention  to get the painting yet until I have paid it but he insisted that I take it na kasi they are moving to his new office;  maghahakot sila ng maraming mga gamit, baka daw mawala pa.

So the oil painting now adorns  my messy office.

The colors are vibrant, maraming kulay yellow and by mere looking at it makes me feel relaxed.

I hope to fully pay it before my friend turns 80 years old.