A SONG FOR MY FATHER My Father died at home in Ormoc on the day after his birthday. He was only 53. He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. It was the year I was pregnant with Roby, Bobbys and my firstborn, and already the ebb and flow of the tides of Life were part of my own life. Maybe because I was his and my mothers firstborn, maybe because I was the only girl, I was treated differently. My brother Boy has many stories of our father, his mind still alert beyond his illness. And we would laugh together over these memories. Papang attended San Juan de Letran as a boy along with his younger brother. The older brothers went to the Ateneo. He and his brother were boarders there and when they ran out of money, his older sister, Tita Nene (Carlota T. Savillo) would say, the boys would take the boat ride in the Pasig river to St. Theresas San Marcelino and ask money from their older sisters. But for the most part, my Father lived his life close to the earth in Ormoc. He never became an engineer but he was well-read, loved music, loved the good life. He had pockets so deep (in the sense that no one came away after talking to him empty-handed), he sent some of our neighbors children to school with only he and my mother knowing. He would visit me in St. Catherines in Carcar during my birthdays riding in a rented car, the balloons coming out from the back. And when hed visit me in Manila while in college, hed bring me with him to the floating casino, all the time making me feel like a princess royale. I loved it when the storms came because then my father would come with the campesinos and secure our house. There would also be a large box of goodies to weather the storm with so that I never came to fear the storm...until Yolanda. It is at times when the storms of Life come that I get to miss my father so because with him I always felt protected, sure that he would give his life to keep us, his children, safe. That was always an unspoken given. I picture him now, handsome and strong, a mans man, cigarette in his fingers, and a bottle of San Miguel cooled in the waters of the brook in hand, whistling High and Mighty, the bloodied but unbowed veteran of many tristesas, beloved of his siblings and of the little people, respectful of my mothers family, the man with the great heart and the perennially open hand, and I can only say: You are my knight in shining armor, Pang! And I will always be your girl. With Roby Amor, Ina Amor-Mejia, Ria Amor-Alegrado, John Amor, Rosi Mancao, Ina Savillo Christina Toledo Johnson Augusto Tan Jr., Rosemarie Tan Tomada, & Bobby Amor.
Posted on: Sat, 14 Jun 2014 17:13:32 +0000
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