Thursday Afternoon

Let me digress from my regular "reminiscing" topic tonight and pass this story on to you. It might leave something - a thought perhaps- for you all to ponder on.
I see a lot of disabled children in the clinic. Such diagnoses of Down's Syndrome, cerebral palsy or paralysis are very common in my practise.
I saw my regular 1:00pm appointment today. A normal site - cries, slobbers, and running noses. After the session, both parents asked me if I could do them a favor - if I could bring some food stuff to the Catholic Church food pantry. I of course obliged.
I was totally floored when I saw the boxes of canned goods, cereals and noodles that they were turning over. The father is a driver for Pizza Hut. He is an Environmental Science graduate but is unable to find a job. Mother is a teacher but has to stay at home post partum. The Missouri state has given them food stamps to get by.
They have more than enough food and some of the food stamps are about ready to expire. The couple opted to spend the food stamps for food and in turn requested me to hand over these groceries to the church.
These family can just go ahead and keep the food - for these are meant for them anyway. But they opted to share the wealth around. If that was me - my initial thought would be to fill up my freezer (which is groaning with food). I would be thinking of myself and my family - when I know we have more than enough to last us.
Moral of the story - mayroon pa ring mababait na tao sa mundo. Mayroon pa ring mga tao who would think of others and not just have the world revolve around them.
I have no intention to preach nor to make you all feel I am just as good as these couple are. No - all I want to say is - at uulitin ko - mayroon pa ring mabubuting tao.
P.S. Jinky - sabihin mo kay Migi - salamat.

Meet Auntie Concesa

Auntie Concesa with Edward (middle) Marissa (right) Me (Left)
She is the youngest among the Eduardo Rosete children - that makes her my mother's youngest sister. Auntie Concesa was our ever loyal baby sitter when we were in Burgos.

She was a beauty (until now actually) in her younger days. Siguro talaga nga puli itti Rosete ti napipintas (wen sika, then chuckle like a turkey again).

She would patiently watch over the three of us - Edward, Marissa and I. I remember her more clearly when she used to live with us at Proj. 7. When she started to go to college in Manila (immay immudong naggapo Burgos) she stayed with us. Since Mama was working the nightshift, she would handily watch over the children.
There were weekends when we would have the opportunity to watch the movies at Quiapo. Ket kasanno met, ubing is ubing. Adda al-alikuteg latta nga makuna. Ay kabsat - naglaing nga mang-keddel ni Auntie. Her fine motor capabilities and dexterity of her fingers were without doubt very precise.
As I look back, I really can't blame her. The responsibilities given to her were immense. Tal-lo nga ubbing nga bantayan is definitely a chore.
She married Uncle Boy Torres who is a physician. I was on my last trimester with my older son when Papa, Mama & Jim brought me to him for examination. He was a lot nicer (okay Auntie - I got even with you).
I recently saw her in our Rosete reunion. Ma-amak ak nga luk-wen isso na baka ked-delen nak met (HomeRun Auntie).

Introducing.. .The Family

This picture was taken way back when we used to live at Proj. 7. Cecil and I were probably in our grade school days then while Erich was still playing "Batman" and not yet in school.
The fashion rage then was look-alike outfits ergo Cecil & I were wearing the same dress styles. i think the very reason here was to prevent one from "umapal" with the other. Mama used to buy our dresses at Cinderella's. Whatever dress I have, Cecil has to have one too. Unless, Uncle Tony, her godfather, would be handing her her presents - which normally happens all too frequently. My god mother was Ninang Rosie Nacino (sister of Auntie Pining) and my godfather was Ninong Pertoy Caballero.
I rarely saw them when I was growing up for they were both based in Agno. Mabalin nga nag-mano ak met kanyada maduma-duma ket napalladawan ak met itti piso (which was a fortune then).
Do notice the "hair-dids (instead of hair-do). Mama was our hairdresser. Remember awan itti kulot itti bu-ok ko for saan ak met nga immala itti Rosete, bu-ok wise. It was easy then to trim my hair for it was super straight - saan la nga makutab-kutab. Cecil's hair, on the other hand, is very Rosete - kulot. Narigrigat nga puteden ta madlaw no saan nga pare-pareho itti attid-dog ti kartib.
It was so simple then. We were asked to sit near the lawn so all hair remnants will not dirty the living room. Erich, on the other hand, was taken cared of by Papa. Uray kutab-kutab ti pukis na ket mabalbalinnen. His world just revolved around his "batman and robin days " together with the other kiddos ng kalye.