He postponed his own funeral

I’ve been spending a lot of time on the road kaya my hips are becoming extra-wide already from seating in the car.

I hied off to Binangonan again, yesterday morning.
Kuya Lito was in Thailand yesterday. His secretary was waiting for me at the corner of the main road in Binangonan as soon as I entered the town proper. She handed over two envelopes, one contained the abuloy (donation, contribution) from Kuya, and she gave me an extra envelope for my own abuloy. Actually, mine was already in a small envelope. Nilagay ko na lang din sa bigger envelope.

I went to the wake of Bong’s uncle, Willie or Wewe to his family. I arrived at 11:30 am hoping to catch them before they bring the coffin to the church for a blessing. The funeral was scheduled for 1 pm.

When I arrived, there were no puneraria employees yet and few people. I went inside and joined a group of relatives who also came from Manila but arrived much earlier.  Para bang hindi sila nagmamadali. Yun pala, the interment had been postponed.

Willie’s wife—– “Hindi tuloy ang libing”.
Another woman—– “Hindi tuloy ang libing”.
Nilo————– “Hindi tuloy ang libing”.

(Chuchuwa-riya-riya)

A—————- “Ow, hindi tuloy ang libing?”.

(Nakigaya naman ako.)

A—————– “Bakit?”

Willie’s wife—– “Pina-postpone nya.”
Woman————- “Pina-postpone nya.”
Willie’s wife—– “Ayaw pa nya.”
Nilo————-   “Ayaw pa nya.”

(Chuchuwa-riya-riya)

A—————— ?

Willie’s Wife—— “S’ya ang ayaw.  Nagpunta sya sa punerarya at pina-postpone nya.”

I was confused. This is their story.

According to the punerarya, someone came over to their office yesterday informing them that the funeral had been postponed.

They claimed that the person said kapatid daw sya. He is the brother of the deceased. Willie’s only brother, Atty. Rey Aralar, the father of Bong, passed away last year. Their only sister, Merit, is currently living in Tennessee.

Willie’s family and relatives think that it was Willie himself who went to the funeral parlor to have his funeral postponed. He still wants to stay around for two more days. I hope he doesn’t change his mind. If he goes back to the funeral parlor again to postpone his libing, baka wala nang makipaglibing sa takot.

Willie and my brothers stayed together for a few years in the Spanish mansion of Lola Cion in Don Quijote Street, near Dapitan in Sampaloc, Manila when they were studying at UST. Panahon pa ng kopong kopong, tila nasa elementary pa ako.
My mother believed that it was Willie who influenced Kuya Ben (+) to drink beer and skip classes. Nabarkada daw.

May the soul of Willie rest in heaven, Amen.