The Ark

Copyright © 2020 by VeryWellAged

Birthday thoughts...15

Author's note: These chapters are NOT stand-alones...The story starts here.

Birthday thoughts...16

I have been in the Philippines thirteen days now. Not even two full weeks and look at what has happened. This is October 9^th, a Saturday.

My call to my bank in the US was on the morning of the seventh there and midnight between the seventh and the eighth here. That was a Thursday night, Friday morning for me and Thursday morning for them.

The bank says three business days, but I’m not sure how it’s counted with the international dateline in the middle. Three days might make it what?

Counting from their Thursday, one day, the next day is Friday, Monday makes two and Tuesday makes three. But if counting from my Friday the third day will be Wednesday. I’m pretty sure that no matter how I figure it, the money will not get here on Monday… except I don’t know if SWIFT transfers obey banking days, or if things happen on Saturday and Sunday.

So, it seems to me that there’s a possibility that the money just might make it by Monday. I’ll check each day, not because it’s a crisis now, but I need to know more clearly for later transactions, when I’m transferring a lot of cash.

The gals have taken off, back into Tacloban, for real curtain rods, curtains, towels and more kitchen utensils. I have decided to savor another Big Mac and since I’m going, Lorie decides she needs to come with me.

She doesn’t want the Big Mac or the Quarter Pounder, she wants the chicken and rice. I decide to take a taste of the chicken, and uh-huh, it’s horrible. She admits that the chicken is better at Jollibee’s, but also admits I’ll not like their burgers. What can you say, life is like that sometimes.

Sir Ira, what we do about Bim’s daughter?

Huh?

Her daughter. She told you about Niana. She tell me that.

OK… and?

What we do?

How do you mean?

When she working she not have a way to have Niana with her, so her parents take her¹. She send money home every month from her pay to help support her.

So I need to give money to Bim to send to her parents?

Maybe. Maybe, Niana can come? Bim now have a home and a way to care for Niana if you allow.

Did Bim ask you to talk to me about this?

No! No! We girls just talking about it last night in the bedroom. I not know about Niana until then. I ask Bim why she not here. Bim say, no way to do this.

I see. Thank you for telling me.

You not angry?

No. Why would I be angry?

I not know. Just worried.

Huh, OK. Well, Bim was right. Until we settled here, there was no way to have her daughter with us. But now, there probably is. Her child is about six, right?

Yes, she is six. In first grade.

When did the school year start?

June. It almost sembreak² now.

Which is better? Send money to Bim’s folks until the end of the school year, before we bring the daughter here, or bring the child now?

I think it OK if you do it at sembreak.

Is the school calendar the same here as where she is now?

Same everywhere. DepEd³ set the schedule. She need a form 138 to transfer. But that not hard. Maybe some money needed. I not know. Principal will give the form after all fees paid. Maybe some fee needed.

OK, I’ll speak with Bim about it.

You OK with Niana come here?

Yes.

See, you a good man!

It’s Sunday and we are all at home. Much to my surprise not one of them said she wanted to go to church. Things are quiet. That evidently is distressing to them and great for me. I’m having a hard time understanding why they are moping around saying ‘It too quiet!’

I have no agenda today. Most stores are closed. We don’t have WiFi access here and so there’s no way to use my tablet. I guess I could ride into Tacloban for that purpose, but it isn’t that important. Whatever the news, it can wait a day.

Bim is hanging a curtain in what I call a living room this morning. They seem to have another name for it.

Bim, let me help. This job requires more than two hands.

Maybe I grow an extra one!

I don’t recommend it. It’ll be so hard to find clothes that will fit if you do!

Ah! Yes, that is true.

You know, I was thinking, don’t you miss your daughter?

She pauses and looks at me. I think I see some sadness in her eyes, but maybe I’m imagining it.

Yes, I miss seeing her. Before I see her on my day off. I not see her for three weeks now.

She is in Manila?

No, she with my parents in Mabitac. I take a bus to get there. It a long way from Pasay, more than seventy kilometers.

Bim, you’re too low. Raise that up a bit. … A bit more I think. … Yes! Perfect. Right there, my love. … It’s too far to take the bus now. I don’t like you being so far from your daughter.

Ira! What choice? I not leave you. I not! It OK. My daughter be OK. Her lolo and lola⁴, they are good to her. She be OK. I am sure of this.

I’m sure they are good people, but I think there are better options.

What options? You really going to fly me back to Manila once a week?

Well, maybe once.

You do that? I can see Niana? Truly?

Yes and no. Bring her here. We have room.

You joking? Ira? This not funny.

It’s not a joke. Bring your daughter here.

You mean this?

Is there a reason why you don’t want to?

What? No! Ira! I can get her?

I think it’s for the best. She can go to school here just as well as there, right?

Yes. Yes! But, you not mind having my child here?

Bim, do you really love me?

Yes, of course. Why you ask that?

Well, if you do, then you are staying with me, right?

Yes… Ira? I not understand. What you saying.

We have a place to live. We will build a home. It may be a home you live in for many, many years. Maybe for long after I die. We are stable and can afford to have your daughter here. What’s the reason for not having her here?

When you want me to do this?

Is there a break in the school year that makes the change easier?

Yes, it very soon.

Call your parents and work out the details. We will fly you back to get her. … Hey, you’ve let that drop too much! Higher, my love. Yes, that’s it.

Ira, you like this color? Cincer think maybe you want a darker color.

It’s fine, but Cincer is a smart gal.

Ah, so darker for the bedroom, maybe?

That would be nice.

Good thing I meet you first, she smarter and prettier than me.

But not more loving, Bim. Not more loving.

It OK if we have a party tonight?

What type of party?

Lots of food. The neighbors come. We will have karaoke. It will be fun.

Are you sure it’s a smart thing? There won’t be a problem with two underage girls?

No problem. Ri not really underage. I not think anyone will complain about Ann. Cincer, me and Nelia are not underage. No one think a problem.

What do we need to do to get ready for a party?

You not do anything. We take care of it. But, you need to sing tonight. It important that you join with us. We will get beer. You want us to get scotch? I think we will go to Tacloban for that, maybe. Most here drink Tanduay, I think.

What’s Tanduay?

It rum.

I can drink rum. That will be fine.

Good, then the men, they be happy to drink with you. But, they get drunk. That what the men do. Will you get drunk?

No. I won’t drink that much. Thank you for warning me.

Wow, what a good day! I get my daughter and we have a party!

As the day progresses, more people I don’t know are in the house. There must be over twelve people in the process of cooking various things. A guy with a tricycle, designed to probably carry pigs and not people, shows up with three cases of a type of beer I have not seen before, called Red Horse. Ann tells me it’s preferred to the Pilsen I drink, as the alcohol content is higher. I take that as a warning to be careful.

Huge pots and pans are in evidence. When I say they are large, I can only say that I have never seen such large cooking pots and pans in my life, outside of maybe a school cafeteria. A four quart Dutch oven would look positively diminutive in comparison. Cooking is over charcoal fires and homemade grate affairs made from lengths of rebar welded together.

There are both men and women cooking, though the men are doing their things quite separately from the women. Someone has brought a live goat. Five men hold it, slaughter it, and butcher it. Among other things, it will be the meat for a dish called caldereta.

Sometime mid-afternoon, I notice a girl with Ann who is not cooking. The kid is looking at me and then looking away. I don’t approach Ann and her friend, but later ask Lorie if this Reyna will be here too.

You saw her. She with Ann.

I thought so. Well, she’s a neighbor, so it was to be expected.

Good. Thank you for not being angry.

Why be angry? No one has done anything wrong. At least I don’t think anyone has. I never told anyone to not speak to Reyna. I assume that since she is a real neighbor, we would see her from time to time. … Do you have parties like this where you lived?

Of course. It is how we Filipinos live. We like the parties. Maybe next time we will have lechon. I hope.

Lechon?

A pig. It is so good. I love lechon.

How many people will be here tonight?

Hard to know. It be exciting.

This party is for no reason other than we have moved here?

Yes, that true.

Wow, I have never had such a big party at my home in the USA ever.

Not even for your birthday?

No! Never. And for my birthday I don’t think I have had a party since I was a child.

Really? No one gives you birthday parties?

Really.

Ira, when it your birthday?

This coming Thursday.

What?! Your birthday this week?

Yes. It’ll be my sixty-sixth.

Oh my God! Do anyone know?

You mean here?

Yes!

No, I don’t think anyone does, why?

Oh my God! Oh my God! Oh my God! CINCER, CINCER!

And off she runs. What the fuck has just happened?

Fifteen minutes later I have every one of my gals in front of me. Their faces are stern. Bim seems to be the spokesperson.

Why you not tell us this your birthday?

Why would I?

What you mean? It important!

Why?

Do not be difficult! Ira, why you not tell us? If we know, we get lechon! This is important. Please give me some money. I need to go shopping right now.

How much you need?

Six thousand pesos. Maybe I not use most, but I not sure. But I need it right now.

Six thousand pesos is a tad more than one hundred dollars. I figure what the fuck. I hand it over.

Bim takes it, announces that Ann will go with her and off they go while the others continue to huddle by me. Cincer is maybe the only one not ticked off. But that doesn’t mean all is OK with her.

Ira, it really true that, in your country, adults not celebrate birthdays?

It’s different. Sometimes there will be a small party, but mostly you just have a cake, or go out to a nice dinner at a restaurant. It’s not normally a big deal and most folks don’t celebrate at all.

If there a party, how many people?

Three, four? I don’t know. Not too many.

Always?

Cincer, nothing is always. There will be exceptions. But there never would be a party the size that we are having today. Of that I’m sure.

It different here. We celebrate birthdays here. If we know your birthday this Thursday, we make a very big party. There be three or four cakes, a big lechon, platters and platters of lumpia, tuna kinilaw, fried chicken, chopsuey, sweet and sour fish, cassava cakes, maja blanca, biko, leche flan, and brandy for all the men. Not just the rum. You not know, but your birthday very important to us. We will have a big party for you every year. This true, even after you die, we will celebrate your birthday. Oh, Ira, you just don’t know how important this is. It important we honor you every year!

They are absolutely right. I have not a fucking clue. If it had just been one or two of them so totally bent out of shape, maybe I would have discounted it. I’m not discounting it now. This appears to be a very serious issue.

I’m sorry. I had no idea. None. But if there’s a failure, it’s not yours, it’s mine for not letting you know. Please don’t let this spoil the party we will be having today. It’ll be possibly the biggest party I have ever had in my life, in my own home. For me this party is amazing already. Please allow me to kiss each one of you, and thank you for your caring.

That’s what happens and all seem to be mollified. While it hardly seems to be the basis for a crisis to me, they seem to feel differently. Once again, I’m faced with the reality that I really do not know their culture.

Bim and Ann return three hours later, I don’t actually see their return, but hear their voices. They seem excited. I gather the word that it’s my birthday is circulating as a couple of people have come up to ask me exactly how old I’ll be, before telling me I look so much younger. It makes me laugh, to myself. I look every bit the sixty-six years I have traveled. Some of it has been over hard road.

The doings for the party have been going on all day, and the actual party seems to be beginning about six this evening. It starts with a prayer before the meal. An older woman I have yet to meet has been asked to give the prayer.

In my heart of hearts, I hope she doesn’t have a clue as to what goes on in this house. The gal is taking her assignment very seriously and she isn’t short about it. However, as the prayer is in Visayan, of all of my household, only Ann has a clue as to what is being said.

In my way of thinking, a prayer that last more than twenty seconds is way too long. This one lasts over ten minutes. There’s no way I’ll ever learn all what was said. But I swear, I’m pretty sure I heard the name Reyna mentioned. I’ll ask Ann later.

As I look around at all the makeshift tables of food I see something that just can’t be. It’s wrapped up in cardboard and it’s pretty large. At one end it looks like cloven hooves and at the other end, can that really be the head of a pig? Is this lechon? If so, how in God’s name did they get it in such a short time?

The mystery, if it can be called a mystery is resolved soon enough as the cardboard is removed. It’s apparently a whole spit roasted pig. Nothing is missing from the nose to the tail. It’s all there.

The next thing that happens is a crush to grab a chunk of the skin which comes off adhering to pieces of white fat in the fingers of the attackers.

Someone shouts something and all stand back. Ann approaches the animal and snaps a large chunk of skin with the adhering fat off a section close to the cheek, puts in on a plate and brings it to me. All seem to wait as I’m handed the plate. Gingerly with two fingers I pick up the hard, thin and greasy slab and bite off a piece. It’s wonderful. Truly great. I must be smiling. I take another bite and say something totally foolish. Wow, this is great!

It seems like I have rewarded all with vast dregs of happiness. There’s whooping and laughing, and once again, a crush to get to the pig and its crisp, crunchy delectable skin.

§ § §

§ § §

Birthday thoughts...17