FEW HOURS BEFORE CHRISTMAS-ZAMBOANGA CITY SETTING
I wanted to unwind after beating deadlines on the story of convicted rapist former Representative Romeo Jalosjos.
Its about 6pm… six more hours to go and its Christmas day. I went out to check how my son is attending to carolers. He is in-charge of giving coins in behalf of me.
Actually it used to be my task then but since Jalosjos is a big story, I am oblige to follow my editors’ order.
Anyway, when I went out of the house savoring my smoke and coffee, several kids in their loud shrilling voices sought permission "BUENAS!!! PUEDE MAN AGINALDO?!!!"
Before I could nod for approval they started singing "HEY JINGOL BEL! JINGOL BEL! JINGOL OL THE WAY, O WAS PAN DIDITS TURAY, IN DA WANDER SOFEN SAY HEY… WE LAP EN SING WE LAPAHA WE LAPAHA LALALA JINGOL OL DA WAY!"
It follows with another song "JOY TO THE WORD THE LORD IS CAM LETHER BERTING BERTING…"
Somewhere at the dark corner of our gate, my son Kenjo kept on murmuring (huh like mother) saying "bakit didits turay? oy dahan dahan kayo kumanta, pano napunta si berting sa joy to the world?"
Actually the children were not really singing, they were all shouting. Since Kenjo wanted to correct the lyrics, he is among those shouting (at least correct yung lyrics although nagkakamali rin mga kanta.)
They were all racing against time. After one group of carolers, I guess I entertained about 10 groups in a matter of 35 minutes… everyone was in haste… I know they wanted to earn more this night cause its the last night for their caroling.
Unlike last year, I saw a lot of people moving around, some with gifts, the others with huge plastic bag of groceries beating time to buy something for Noche Buena.
I hardly see people around and the mood is quite different. There were less public utility like tricycle stopping over in front of our gate (as our gate has a lamppost so most of our neighbors prefer to alight near our residence for security reasons).
Last year most of the fences and doorstep were glittering with christmas lights but this time, only those rich neighbors with such grand decors, the rest is contented with blinking bulbs in their respective christmas trees.
But one thing I hated most is the neighbors insensitiveness when it comes to firecrackers. They are complaining about the high cost of commodities yet they keep burning their money by buying firecrackers.
I decided to leave the task to my son as I need to check the kitchen. We didnt prepare much this Christmas because most of the people we have had last Christmas are either abroad or spending Christmas with other families.
My brother Toto is now in Canada based on the last call he made three weeks ago, my other brother Jose is spending Christmas with his in laws in Lamitan along with my four nephews and nieces. My other brother Jimmy is in Riyadh.
Inside this compound, my mother celebrating Christmas together with sister Emma and her adopted 4 months old son Kijam in her own house.
My brother Joel is in another unit at the back with his wife and three kids. Although he is not so with Christmas celebration because he is Balik Islam.
Me and my son Kenjo the most loneliest probably in the compound, although my son’s voice enough to wake the entire community.
I just cooked a simple pasta with tuna and cheese, baked marinated prawns with garlic and fruit salad. In our table good for two people just slices of bread, fruits, pasta, prawns and salad. Of course brewed coffee is always present.
My son refused to sleep "baka hindi ko ma open yung mga gifts."
But I insisted since he’s been exhausted shouting together with the carolers.
Last year, Kenjo along with my nieces and nephews went from house to house caroling and he earned a share of P145.00.
I remember he donated the funds to the Kapuso Foundation after he saw in one of its campaign a little girl who wanted slippers.
The other savings he got from Godparents he also donated to Bantay Bata Foundation for another boy whom he called Tweety because of the hydrocephalus.
This year he missed the caroling since all my pamangkin experts in caroling were not around. He is complaining saying "walang bigat ang alkansya ko ngayon."
