Tototonton. I just can’t seem to get that word out of my head.
After a horrendous day at school, I decided to pay my dear little niece a visit in their place in Cainta. They have been here in the Philippines for about a couple of weeks now since they arrived last March 25. My cousin Ate Malou, his husband Kuya Joseph and Lila Martina are now living in Shenzhen. Kuya Joseph works as an associate architect (I’m not sure it I got the position right) for WalMart China and is currently on a business trip around Asia. Since China is obviously a little tiny bit different from home, they have decided that Lila and Ate will stay in the Philippines while Kuya goes on his business trips. I would have visited them as early as Mar 27 if not for that dreaded thesis that I am now starting to love. And this afternoon seemed to be a wonderful time for catching up.
When my mother and I arrived, we caught little Lila watching Spongebob Squarepants in Nickelodeon (did I get the spelling right?). And then when she saw me, she goes “Tototonton! Tototonton!” If you haven’t got it yet, it’s lila-talk for “Tito Tonton!” Don’t get me wrong. She is one heck of a kid, a very smart kid. She’s what, 3? And yet, she speaks English in complete sentences. Of course, there is the occasional undecipherable baby talk but fortunately for us, this is where context cues come in handy. Also, it is quite amusing to hear her with her British accent. Apparently, she imbibed the accent of the Ex-pats in the building where they are staying. She understands Filipino, Chinese and Bisaya. If she gets tired of talking to you, she would say “Ambot sa imo!”
And she’s photogenic too. As you could see in the pictures, Lila is not of the shy type. Ate Malou tells me how Lila would pose every time she would hear the word “smile”. And since Kuya Joseph would usually bring Lila in the office, his boss got an idea to have Lila pose for WalMart. They haven’t received yet the schedule for the shoot but most probably, it will be on June or July when they get back to China.
And as I look at her, growing up so fast, I get to feel a little bit old.
I have about 7 nephews and nieces from my immediate family (not nuclear -- I’m an only child) and two of them already call me “Tito Tonton”. It wont take long that Lila will also call me “Tito Tonton” and as soon as the rest start talking, all of them would be calling me “Tototonton”.
After a horrendous day at school, I decided to pay my dear little niece a visit in their place in Cainta. They have been here in the Philippines for about a couple of weeks now since they arrived last March 25. My cousin Ate Malou, his husband Kuya Joseph and Lila Martina are now living in Shenzhen. Kuya Joseph works as an associate architect (I’m not sure it I got the position right) for WalMart China and is currently on a business trip around Asia. Since China is obviously a little tiny bit different from home, they have decided that Lila and Ate will stay in the Philippines while Kuya goes on his business trips. I would have visited them as early as Mar 27 if not for that dreaded thesis that I am now starting to love. And this afternoon seemed to be a wonderful time for catching up.
When my mother and I arrived, we caught little Lila watching Spongebob Squarepants in Nickelodeon (did I get the spelling right?). And then when she saw me, she goes “Tototonton! Tototonton!” If you haven’t got it yet, it’s lila-talk for “Tito Tonton!” Don’t get me wrong. She is one heck of a kid, a very smart kid. She’s what, 3? And yet, she speaks English in complete sentences. Of course, there is the occasional undecipherable baby talk but fortunately for us, this is where context cues come in handy. Also, it is quite amusing to hear her with her British accent. Apparently, she imbibed the accent of the Ex-pats in the building where they are staying. She understands Filipino, Chinese and Bisaya. If she gets tired of talking to you, she would say “Ambot sa imo!”
And she’s photogenic too. As you could see in the pictures, Lila is not of the shy type. Ate Malou tells me how Lila would pose every time she would hear the word “smile”. And since Kuya Joseph would usually bring Lila in the office, his boss got an idea to have Lila pose for WalMart. They haven’t received yet the schedule for the shoot but most probably, it will be on June or July when they get back to China.
And as I look at her, growing up so fast, I get to feel a little bit old.
I have about 7 nephews and nieces from my immediate family (not nuclear -- I’m an only child) and two of them already call me “Tito Tonton”. It wont take long that Lila will also call me “Tito Tonton” and as soon as the rest start talking, all of them would be calling me “Tototonton”.
***
My cousin Julius, the brother of Ate Malou, will be having his grade school graduation tomorrow. And we were all very excited about it. Let’s just say he had a hard time budgeting his time between studying and his PC games. I told him, “Nice one Juls! Good job dude! Sa wakas, natapos din!” Then I gave him a handshake and a tap on the shoulder. Although it seems that the handshake and the tap on the shoulder were all too paternal, I really did feel like I was talking to a gentleman, similar to that affirmation of a father or an older brother of a boy’s coming into manhood. I just hope so he starts acting like one. I’m very proud of my cousin.
***
After the job interview at Shangri-La, my mother asked if I could pass by her office for a while. I said I was on the MRT on my way to school but I won’t be staying there long. I just had to meet someone and share to her the good news. And so, after settling whatever is that I had went to school for, I head my way to my mother’s office.
And when I got there, worried that she might have gotten “tampo” with me after i have texted her twice without her replying, I find my mother chatting with the other policewomen. They were talking about our house in Bulacan. Then I realized that my mother wanted me to go to the office because she wanted me to be there when she shared the pictures of the new house with her friends. All I could do was laugh.
My mother has gotten through a lot. If I were to write a telenovela about something, it would be her life: the probinsyana who cried, suffered but endured all the agony life can throw at her, and turned out to be triumphant in the end. It is Marimar meets Analuna. It is not surprising that she loves these kinds of stories. I think her favorite book of all time besides the kursilyo guide is the biography of Lee Iacocca. It is the classic Cinderella story minus the fairy godmother, the carriage and horses that become mice and pumpkin at the stroke of midnight.
I was not making fun of her when I laughed. I was just really happy that she was happy with what she has accomplished in her life. She was so happy that she wanted her dear unico hijo to witness her doing a rendition of Frank Sinatra’s “My Way”. It was really a wonderful sight: my mother seated in a monoblock chair lecturing the younger police in front of her who are resting on a bed about life and how to go about it. It was ancient Greece feminized.
The picture would have been complete if not for me. I love the new house. But I love my friends more. I love the city more. I don’t want to move yet to Bulacan. If DA or Lea is reading this, or Jamelle, I have no intention of discrediting our dear Bulacan. But unlike you who are near Caloocan, we are in the Bulacan Province proper. It is near the end of the route buses take. Although it has most of the features of the city, it lacks the one that is next only to electricity in importance: telephones. In our part of Bulacan, telephone lines are yet to be built. Although the mobile phone presents itself to be the next best thing, you cannot connect to the Internet with it. And although many people consider silence (lack of noise) as a plus in choosing a house, in my opinion, the place is too quiet. People go to sleep at 9 or 10. After that, all you can hear are crickets.
I love the city. But I love my mother more. And when she moves out, I have to move out too with her. What shall I do?
***
I’m keeping the apartment. I know it will hurt my mother to learn that I don’t want to move to Bulacan. But I think it will be more of a disappointment to her if I don’t learn how to fend for myself. Now, I get to prove to her that 20 years or so have not gone wasted.
I have a job now. For a PR (Public Relations) firm. Although part time, I think it will not take long until I get a permanent one. I guess this signals the start of my independence.
Tomorrow, I’ll be at the Westin Philippine Plaza to observe a press conference for Ferragamo. Although I have no idea what Ferragamo is, except of course the common knowledge of it being one of those things 98% of the Filipino population cannot have (including me of course, hell of course including me), I am excited for tomorrow’s event. My boss says it is part of my training – an immersion as he puts it.
I won’t be earning a lot from the job but I think the experience that I will be learning from this is which that is invaluable.
***
And so goes an afternoon in my life: A day lonelier, but a day wiser. I wish I find my way.
***
This growing old thing is ironic. Independence makes you strong by making you alone.
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