Ka Turing and Ninang Thea

My website programming is not yet fixed. My site goes on error everytime I edit and post. This post took me several hours instead of 15 minutes. This is the reason why my posts have been so delayed. My site’s codes are still erratic. I hope to find someone who could really help me correct this programming errors. It is so frustrating.

On July 13, 2012, Bong, Aileen and I went to the wake of Ka Turing in Vallejo. There was some friday night rush hour traffic and Bong was a little worried. Me naman, ayaw kong magmadali. Kung late kami, eh di late. Ayoko ma-stress dahil doon. Nakakahiya daw kasi kung late dun sa mass. Ayaw ko magmadali kami ng drive at baka naman kami mabangga.

Vallejo is an hour drive from Hayward. One has to cross this bridge to get to Vallejo from the Bay Area.

We arrived in Vallejo on time, way ahead of everybody else except for the immediate family of Ka Turing.

It was like a re-union with kababayans from Los Angeles and Toronto.

Aileen and Bong with their inaanak named Angelina Jolie with her dad Teddy.

Aileen,_____,______, Lenny Mallari- Garovillas

The wife of Ka Turing joined in.

Techie Maaba came (far right), Jonathan Chua (far left), and Jessie Garovillas

Kain before the mass, kain ulit after the mass. Masarap yung sinok mani.

Jonathan Chua and family arrived that day from Toronto. They’re close relatives of the deceased.

Aileen with Nene Garovillas, also a close relative of Ka Turing. She never ran out of kwento about Manny Pacquiao, their close friend. She said everytime he has a fight, Manny gave them 8 tickets and they’re also allowed to go inside his private rooms and dine with Manny and Jinky Pacquiao.

Alice Maaba- Dacanay and Beth. Husband of Ninang Thea was on the background.

Bong and Jessie Garovillas.

And after more than 40 years, I finally got to meet again my ninang sa kumpil, Thea and her husband. They own a home for the aged in Fairfield.

Ninang Thea’s ancestral house in Binangonan is like a fortress most especially in the eyes of a little girl. Even until now, it still is an imposing structure along Rizal Street in Binangonan. It’s about a hundred meters away from what used to be our residence.

I only saw her once or twice after she became my ninang because she either lived in Manila or in the US.
I came home one day and my mom said..

Mama———-” Annie, galing dito ang Ninang Thea mo hinahanap ka may pasalubong daw sa’yo. Pumunta ka daw sa kanila.
I immediately changed my clothes, dust-on baby powder on my cheeks and neck and walked to their house.
Tao Pooo. Tao Poooooo. Tao Pooooooooooo Tao Pooooooooooooooooooo Tao…p
A man looked out the window from the second floor of that very tall structure. The little girl down below looked up…
Na dyan po ba si Ninang Thea?
Male————– Wala dito
Little Me——– -Na’san po?
Male————– Nakaalis na.
Little me——– Babalik po ba?
Male————- Hindi, lumuwas na ng Maynila.
He then disappeared.

I walked back home
Mama———— Nakita mo ba Ninang Thea mo?
Me————- Wala po dun, umalis na.
Mama———– Ang sabi nya ……

Few years passed,
Mama———- ‘ne, Kaaalis lang ng Ninang Thea mo, hinahanap ka, puntahan mo daw siya at me ibibigay daw siya sa iyo.
bilisan mo, magpalit ka ng baro.

The fear of going to their fortress is stronger than the excitement of receiving a gift. Their door is so big and made of thick wood. No one hears me when I called out. Their big dog’s barking is louder than my soft voice. No one comes to open the door. They just look from the very high second floor window.

Katok,Tao pooooo katok again, Tao Pooooooooooooooo katok na naman, Tao Poooooooooooo
I waited for about ten minutes, then Tao Poooo Tao Pooooooooo Tao Poooooooooooooo
Nadyan po ba si Ninang Thea? Tao Pooooooooo

Finally a woman’s head appeared from the window on the second floor
Bakit?
Little me———— Si Ninang Thea po?
Wala dito.
Little me———– Babalik po ba?
Hindi. Lumuwas na ng Maynila.
Little me———– Meron po bang iniwan para sa akin?
Wala.

After a few years,
Mama————— Galing dito ang Ninang Thea mo pinapupunta ka sa kanila at may ibibigay daw sa iyong manika.

I did not change my dress anymore and I immediately walked over to their place.
Tao Poooo Tao Poooo nadyan po ba si Ninang thea? Tao Pooooo
I stopped for a while and just leaned on their cemented wall. It was useless to knock or shout. I wondered if they ever heard me because their house was big and tall or they just totally ignored me.

After several minutes, A woman appeared from the window?
Sino yan?
Si Annie po, inaanak ni Ka Thea. Nadyan po ba sihya?
Wala dito.
Babalik po ba?
Wala na sya dito.
Saan po sya?
Umalis na.
Meron po siyang iniwan manika para sa akin?
Wala.

Ninang Thea saan ang regalo ko?