Lola Lomy

[ Monday, April 19, 2004 ]

After the War

OUR MOVE TO MANILA When I was about five, our family moved to Manila, The City, about 120 miles outh of our province. There were five of us siblings, then (my sister, Aurelita [Bambi] was the baby). I may have mentioned this before, but I cannot forget the time Pang and some guys moved the piano up to the second floor of our new house. That night when he was in so much pain, it was something I could not comprehend. He was our father, always in command, nothing could hurt him or scare him! But I thought he was going to die! I think that started my fear of everything that I could not understand. I feared that we were all going to have the same pain Pang felt. I feared this new foreign place. That first night we slept on the floor and I dreamt of walls closing in on me. I woke up in complete darkness and I remember the darkness enveloping me, confining me, rendering me motionless. I became afraid of the dark. Our new place was too confining; a far cry from the open spaces we were used to in the province. The houses were built so close together, one heard domestic squabbling when it occurred. The house across the street from us had their first floor sublet to about three families; and there seemed to be fights there all the time. There was one tremendous fight where two women slapped and punched each other, and pulled each other's hair with all their might. There was yelling, cussing, and physical violence I have never seen before. No one was able to break them apart! I was so scared; yet I watched the melee with morbid fascination. Our house was not far from the railroad tracks (they ran parallel to the street next to ours). I heard of little kids being run over (that made me even more neurotic). I became less mischievous. I was a scared little girl, still imaginative, but in a morbid sort of way. I think it took a while for me to get used to the move. Growing up in Manila was a mixture of interesting experiences and constant fear of the unknown. I must have missed the territorial awareness of my surroundings that I've enjoyed in the province. I developed a sense of insecurity that drove everyone mad and impatient with me. Mang had gotten a teaching job in Pasay City, far across town. She used to come home very late in the day. I remember every time it was dusk and Mang wasn't home yet, I would start crying and carry on until she showed up. I recall all the grown ups glaring at me in disgust. Pang was still working at the House of Representatives. He had a political alliance with the Speaker of the House. He would take us to the Congressional Club and we would go swimming or just hang out; or watch the grown ups play tennis or play cards (unless they played poker; it was private).

[ Thursday, April 08, 2004 ]

Back from CA,

Elice just passed her Masters of Liberal Arts Masters thesis -- with honors! Kudos, Leecie! I am proud.

[ Monday, April 05, 2004 ]

April Birthdays

Benny(2); Gemma Cutinello(4); Tom Foster; Edwin Nantes & Marcus Fukushima(7); Rudy Purugganan(11); Danny Basco(12); Dylan Greif(16); Sister Consuelo Ferrer & Thea Jaromay(17); Al Purugganan(19); and the 8th birthday of my Favorite Aidan in the whole wide world(23)! HAPPY BIRTHDAY to all! and to the ones I have missed.

[ Thursday, April 01, 2004 ]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BENNY!