Speaking of househelps, this reminded me of my parents’ maid who laughed out loud for several hours non-
At about 9 in the morning, my parents’ 2 maids started having some nice conversation, they were laughing and laughing. Then at about 11 am, I noticed that they were teasing each other, running around the house poking at each other, and their laughters could be heard all around the house. While we were having lunch, one of the maids, let’s call her LIZA, could be heard still laughing. We just ignored them thinking the two maids were still having fun and laughing at something.
At 4 pm, we still heard Liza’s laughter , talagang solid halakhak “ha ha ha ha.. ha ha ha ha…”
At 6 pm, she was still laughing non-stop, and with the same volume and consistency. My parents became concerned. She wouldn’t stop laughing. Even when my father shook her whole body, she just kept going as if she was in a trance.
Immediately after supper, my father sent out for the albularyo to check on Liza.
The albularyo poured water into a palanggana, lighted a candle and let the wax drip on the water. He interpreted the wax formations as shaped like a person who happened to be passing by our street at around 11 am while Liza and the other maid were chasing each other. This person, got so irritated with the two maids but he only saw Liza because Liza was the one who ran out of the house while being chased .
In other words, this person was a witch and kinulam nya si Liza.
The albularyo, who was a respected cure-for-all doctor in our town put his laway on Liza’s stomach while he rolled his eyes and prayed.
My father gave the albularyo some money after the ritual.
AT 10 pm, Liza was still giggling and laughing out loud.
At 11 pm, our neighborhood family doctor, Dr. Augusto Faustino came and diagnosed Liza. He told my father “Ka Cardo, kailangan hong dalhin na ito sa mental hospital”.
He gave Liza a powerful injection which within minutes made her stop laughing and placed her in a deep sleep.
We did not bring her to Mandaluyong that evening because Binangonan was 2 to 3 hours away from the mental hospital.
The following morning, LIZA woke up not remembering what happened the day and night before.
Moral lesson– don’t laugh too much.
