The king and the frog

1991, Cotabato City

He walked along side of the stream driving two frogs into the water in the process.

“They won’t go far,” he whispered almost to himself trying to convince it was just a great pretension of the amphibians.

They kicked up the mud as to deceive and blind my father as to their real hiding place.

My father waited a few moments allowing the mud to settle. Then near the shore of the pond, he saw a suspicious lump and no doubt that the frog has doubled his track to mislead him. From the lump of mud two bulging eyes appeared. He quietly slipped his hands into the mud and with quick motion he grasped the mud and the frog was in his.

ngiti

At napapangiti ako

hanggang ngayon

ayaw maalis sa isip ko

nakadikit (parang bubble gum sa buhok)

basta …

ang saya ng puso ko

kulang yong oras

pero hindi ang damdamin,

ang emosyon

na nakabalot sa isa’t isa

ewan ko sa’yo

pero yun ang naramdaman ko

napapangiti ako

hanggang ngayon

hindi lang ang labi

kundi ang buo kong pagkatao

mahal na mahal kita

sigurado ako

- tochi3 -

15 years more

Aging hands tie the knot at Ill. senior center

TINLEY PARK, Ill. - A suburban Chicago couple really believes it’s never too late for love. Dorothy Taylor, 84, and Duane Williams, 82, were married Saturday at a Tinley Park independent living center after what family members describe as a “whirlwind” courtship.

The octogenarians have been friends and bridge partners for about a year, but the romance started to bloom around Christmas, according to 84-year-old best man Walter Urbanik.

That was when Williams got the nerve to kiss Taylor. The two decided to marry within the week.

News of the engagement came as a pleasant surprise to family.

“The courtship was very whirlwind and very unexpected,” said Debbie Laneve, one of Taylor’s five children. “But we’re very happy for her.”

Her husband Mike Laneve agreed.

“When you’re 84 and 82, you don’t need a long engagement,” he said.

Williams has not been an impulsive man, but was inspired by “the spark of love,” said his son Tom Williams.

About 100 people attended the ceremony at Hanover Place, an independent living center for seniors.

Taylor, who wore a light brown satin gown with a jacket, was walked down the aisle by her 16-year-old grandson Vince Laneve of Chicago.

“It was kinda fun to walk her down and see everybody,” he said.

Source:   http://ph.news.yahoo.com/ap/20090113/tod-odd-octogenarians-wed-45981ec.html

Fifteen years na lang.

Sana, sa time na ito, they would say “We’re very happy for you!”

Street child

 Bigla akong napahinto at natigilan. Hindi ko akalain na isang buhay at humihingang bata ang pakalat-kalat sa isang abalang kalye sa Iloilo City. Hindi na bago ang mga aeta sa lungsod pero nakakalungkot pa ring isipin ang kalagayan ng mga ito.

Sabi sa aking ng isang kausap na tagapamahala ng SOS Children’s Villages sa Iloilo, wala silang magagawa para sa maga batang ito. Walang aetang magulang ang namimigay ng kanilang anak. Kahit anong mangyari, kahit anong hirap sama-sama ang buong mag-anak.

Akala ko, wala siyang kasama habang pagapang-gapang sa maruming kalye, naruon pala ang kanyang ate. Inaantay daw nila ang pagbabalik ng kanilang magulang mula sa pagbebenta ng walis tingting. Hindi pala siya nag-iisa.

Hindi tulad ko.

Hindi ako nakatiis, pagkatapos kong kunan ng litrato, inabot ko ang pack lunch na ibinigay lang rin sa akin. Kinalong siya ng ate nya at sinubuan. Mukhang wala pa silang kain.