Auntie Nieves

Auntie Nieves was the other half of Uncle Ponsing. She was a teacher at the Agno Elementary School. Nalaing nga agkanta ni Auntie Ibos. Mama made it a point to visit her before we trek back to Manila then. Sumungad kami pay laeng idiay ruwangan da ket mang-rugi nga ag "Kyrie" ni Auntie. Kyrie was a hymn sung during mass. Ay ket agpas-ya da kenni Mama - first voice and second voice. I've never seen her mad nor have I heard her raise her voice - except to hit the high notes for O Salutaris. I still have to show you a copy of her and Uncle Ponsing's picture that hanged in their living room - que posterioso for both of them. Instead, I have these two pictures taken when James & Mokong were younger.

I remember how vocal she was then to have Uncle Ponsing be buried in the Naraval plot when he passed on. Papa would not take nothing of it - he was adamant that Uncle Ponsing lay beside Tatay and the reset of the Sisons. Not that it really mattered to anybody else - natangken la itti ulo dagiti Sison. Auntie Ibos had her way (but of course). Soon, the tomb just became a spot to visit - to say a prayer - to reminisce. It really did not matter after all - uray adinno itti paggiyannan ni Uncle Ponsing. There is nothing anymore inside that tomb, it was just another marker at the kampo santo. Napatpateg dagiti imbati na nga laglagipen tayo.