My parents’ cure-all medicine is the chinese eucalyptus oil in a bottle. Even if my father spoke fluent Fookien, he couldn’t read the Chinese characters written on the bottle’s label so we, my parents, my four kuyas, Aileen and I, all called that as “gamot na maanghang”. Pag-uwi ko at amoy gamot maanghang ang bahay namin, for sure, either one of my parents or brothers is not feeling well.
The new generation version is the White Flower brand. I have passed-on this “nakagisnan” to my daughter that’s why she too, keeps a tiny bottle for her own use.
I came home the other day from the UN Women dinner with a tummy ache aside from feeling nauseated. Julienne gave me her tiny bottle which had a few drops left.
Me : Naku anak, sa laki ng tyan ko pa’no kakasya yan?”
Julienne sprinkled a few drops on my belly. Then she noticed the label and we both started laughing.
