Kaban ni D_BystandeR: PAAPAS MENSAHE ALANG SA MGA AMAHAN

I cannot help but reminisce those good old days when I was still young and was privilege to witness and savor the many different ways, through which my father provided me the windows of rare opportunities to know how the world looked like before I came into it. 

I didn't know that my father, in his early teens was already an expert fisherman exposed to catching fish in the sea with the use of craftily made arrows fastened to a rubber sling. He was in the company of his peers who went out to the sea undaunted by all kinds of dangers lurking in the corner. They would go swimming to the depths like five fathoms to find a wide variety of fish for their easy catch. And he told me of another story of how a young groom who was still wearing his "all white" garb from the Church after getting married went to a cockfight and with a measly sum of ten centavo-bet, he decided to try his luck before going home. During that time your one centavo can already buy 5 pieces of ripe bananas. Unfortunately, he came into an argument with another gambler and was thereafter stabbed to death. Then there was a story of a known boxer in their place who figured into a fight with another man. He was treacherously stabbed and his opponent ran away leaving the boxer picking up his "intestines" from the ground and washed it in a nearby artesian well (puso). That boxer did not last long to survive and died without seeing a hospital. 

My father had also a story of his own and remembering it today I could still feel my hair at my back standing up in fear. He got into the most unforgettable fight for his life during the waning days of World War II. Finding himself in a dilemma for his decision to continue serving in his town as a sanitary inspector during the Japanese occupation, he was alerted by some of his well-meaning friends to keep himself away from the "eyes" of a guerrilla group who already meted out summary liquidation or "instant death penalties" to those being faulted for having continued working in the government during that time. They imposed punishment following the "laws of the jungle." If you happen to be one of those earmarked for liquidation you should think of whatever imaginable ways to escape from "the scratch of death." My father was one of the survivors of that harrowing experience. And this was something I cannot forget about my father. My mother was already fuming mad asking my father how on earth he came home empty handed after being sent to buy some stocks of merchandise for our "sari-sari store" from a neighboring place. And my father was there using his last known "expertise" as a defense lawyer to himself, explaining he was a hapless victim of a "pickpocket" who surreptitiously divested him of his wallet. I don't know if what he told my mother was true but it saved him the trouble instead of "confessing" he lost it in cockfighting. 

And today being a "Father's Day" I consider it a fitting gesture to celebrate with the undying memories of my father. 


(Bug-os ang  pasalamat sa KAHAYAG ngadto sa nagsulat niining  artikulo  nga si JOHNNY LOVE. Nagtakuban siya sa pangalan, "D_BystandeR".  Natawo siya sa Sugbo apan anaa na karon manimuyo sa Illinois sa tinipong nasod sa Amerika. Ang kusog nga koneksyon sa kasayuran pinaagi sa internet kanunayng naghaling sa iyang kadasig  pagtuki sa mga nagbukalbukal nga hisgutanan dinhi sa atong nataran. Usa siya ka magsusulat nga gradwado sa kursong komersiyo padulong sa pagka accountant sa University of San Carlos kaniadtong tuig 1961.  Nahimo siyang miyembro sa usa ka hugpong sa mga batan-ong magsusulat nga gitawag ug STUDENT PRESS.  Nahimo usab siyang   Associate Editor sa basahon  USC-JPIAN sa tuig 1962-63. Magtatampo usab siya isip magsusulat sa nasudnong magasin,  "Philippines Free Press" ug sa mga nag-unang peryodiko dinhi sa dakbayan sa Sugbo sa lunhaw pa ang iyang pangedaron. Nahimo siyang mamumuo sa usa ka pribadong kompaniya sa dakbayan sa Sugbo, ESCANO LINES, sulod sa napulo ug duha (12) ka tuig  dayon niyang tapon  ngadto sa NAPOCOR  ug nahimong kawani sa kagamhanan  sulod sa bayente dos (22) ka tuig. Niadtong tunga-tungang bahin sa tuig 2000, nilalin siya ngadto sa tinipong nasod sa Amerika ug sulod sa napulo (10) ka tuig, nagtrabaho siya sa  buhatan sa kagamhanan sa nasod sama  sa  UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE (USPS).  Karon sa pangedaron nga 67,  gihuptan gihapon niya ang walay pagkutat nga kadasig ug walay busganan nga kaikag sa pagpaambit sa iyang nahuptang abilidad  ug kabatid sa panulat.  Dili niya mapugngan ang kaugalingon sa pagpaambit sa iyang mga hunahuna labi na kon molambigit kini ug hisgotanan nga makadani sa iyang mga mata.)