Wednesday, November 02, 2005

Halloween Special

I have always been the odd ball in many groups. For example, I never go to cemeteries on November 1. I have not visited my father's grave on that date. You see, when he died, we were caught by surprise and was not prepared for anything like that. So, we had to come up with the best solution as to where to put him to rest fast. It was his nephews and then surviving brother that rescued us by offering my grandmother's grave where two or three from the clan are also interred. This is in La Loma cemetery. Have you been there during All Soul's day? The place is just teeming with people. You don't even have to walk. You just stand and the multitude will get you to your destination. So, no, I don't go to cemeteries to commemorate the dead. I find it impractical. Besides I have had a lifetime full of cemeteries when I was younger.

My family used to live near the cemetery. It was in a town in Malabon called Tugatog. Actually, we lived beside the border. Separated only by a small stream, to our right was the Caloocan cemetery which extends to Malabon. If my kids have malls to go to during summers, I had the whole cemetery to play in. Morbid as it may sound, that was where I used to chill-out. I was very good at hopping from one tomb to another. There were the single ones, the doubles, triples which I hopped from one place to another. I knew it like the palm of my hand, so to speak. There were also the mausoleums mostly owned by Chinese families and the apartments and the ubiquitious aratiles treee. We flew kites there, hide from our parents, stole kisses from girls (that was rather cute as I was still about ten years old... I wonder if I can do that now). This was also the place where my friends used slingshots to fight war with the boys from neighboring Caloocan notably the gangs at the Sangandaan market. This was the not-so-fun part because Sangandaan was between my house and La Consolacion School where i spent my whole elementary schooling. Believe me, having enemies in a place where you always have to pass is not easy. What made this worse was that this was the middle sixties when having gangs and being a tough guy were hip. So I had been stopped several times by these hoodlooms to check if I was part of the gang they throw stones at every Saturday morning.

Anyway, being halloween and all, I recall my childhood with fondness. Living near two cemeteries, Nov. 1 was always a special treat for a young kid like me. Watching people was always fun. What was so special to me were the boy scouts. Not only did I envy their brown uniforms, the knee high socks, the neckerchief, the carabao that held it in place, the patches sewn on their uniforms but mostly the camaraderie they shared with one another. They had this huge tent where they camped in during the season which began on Oct 30 and ended up to NOv. 2. You see, during those days, the boy scouts assist the visitors. You would see them in pairs, roaming the cemetery waiting to be summoned for help. The most important thing they did was finding lost children which they handed over to camp. To my young mind, that was very productive.

My interest in the Boy scouts was further enhanced when I got to see the graves of the fallen scouts at the entrance of the La Loma cemetery. I was amazed at the huge scout sign that signifies their resting place. I told myself, someday I shall become a boy scout. And i did! NO, I never got to stay in cemeteries but I had experienced lots of camping trips, earned badges that saw me rising to become a Maginoo scout which at the time was the second to the highest rank one can achieve as a scout, under the tutelage of Mr. Guinto, our scoutmaster. A Maginoo scout is second to being a Rizal Scout. It was at this time that I learned how to cook, fend out for myself, pitch a tent, fold my clothes neatly, own a hunting knife and even ride horses in Baguio. Through scouting, I gained other friends, even scouts from another country in one of those jamborees. I was disappointed when my dad didn't allow me to join the international jamboree which was held in Japan but it turned out to be a blessing because the camp was visited by a storm.

At any rate, dreaming about scouting and actually becoming one gave me one realization. That i can be what I want to be if I only worked for it. This have always been my philosophy ever since. I wanted to become a painter and so I enrolled in Fine Arts and am now working on my latest painting. I dreamt of becoming a poet and so I joined several writing groups and am now learning how to write poems. Now, why I haven't dreamt of becoming a millionaire someday is beyond me, but I didn't.

PS.

I attended another EB with the Manila chapter of the Blogkadahan group. Our lone Japan chapter member Sachiko arrived and of course, we had to meet her. So we met her at Dusit where she and husband Michio were billeted, had a sumptuous dinner at Recipes and came back to Dusit for some music and drink at the San Miguel bar where Sabor Latino was playing. It was an awesome night of fun and merriment. And I got to hear samba playing once again. The percussionist-band leader was awesome! I can't wait till the next EB.

10 comments:

kukote said...

nakarelate ako sa post... naging boy scout din ako =) and even up to now... nakatatak pa rin sa kukote ko ang 12 scout's law na pwede kong irecite ng tuloy-tuloy kahit bagong gising.

i agree with you... hindi sapat ang mangarap lang, we must do something to achieve it.

Romeo Moran said...

my father is a rover scout, and he always likes to brag that he was the best, if not one of the best among his troop during his day. it may be all braggery but it amazed and impressed me. i had a short stint in scouting during grades 2-4.

unfortunately i don't remember the scout's oath and law anymore. tsk.

Anonymous said...

i did a long stint with the boyscout over here in the stateside. i ended-up being an eaglescout and in turn making my career in the u.s. marines. the only fond memories i have of holloween is wearing funny scary costumes and going trick or tricking for free candies in the neighborhood. thus ending-up with a sack full of candies after an hour of trick or treating.

darlene said...

I could only guess that the EB was really fun!

Jet said...

Tito, dyan ba sa school nyo may boy scouts? I was just thinking kasi, kami noon sa school namin walang girl scouts. Kung wala ding scouts sa inyo... well, I guess it's something you wish you could pass on to your sons. Is that why you go on camping trips with them? :D

joyce said...

ayan...naiwan na naman ako sa EB...paki text naman ako sir!!!

batjay said...

ako rin! gusto kong maging girl scout. mwehehe.

hindi rin ako nagpupunta sa sementeryo bossing. ewan ko ba. parang walang point to go there when most of the people are there. kaya magka pederasyon tayo. yung dad ko rin ay nakalibing sa holy cross sa novaliches. bihira ko siyang puntahan kaya sa panaginip na lang kami nagkikita.

{illyria} said...

EBs are always awesome if the company proves to be more fantastic in real life. glad you had fun, rolly.

Anonymous said...

Tito Rolly, I don't go to cemeteries on Nov. 1 too - not just because my parents and brother are buried in Manila - but because the last time I went, the entire cemetery was like a carnival - music, some people even dancing, balloons, cotton candy, mahjong and all the works. :( I doubt if some people were there to pray for the dead or to enjoy the reunion with friends and other relatives.

rolly said...

marhgil Uy, a fellow scouter. I used to recite the scout oath and motto by heart until I got to college. And that was a long, long time ago. Besides, I think they chnaged it.

pepseeh too bad, we don't have that thing in school nowadays. Boy Scouts used to be big. I'm sure your father was not just bragging.

AnonymousM If I remember correctly, my scoutmaster said we used the American way of ranking before. And he was an Eagle scout. They changed it during my time. You started with Tenderfoot and worked your way towards higher ranking by earning badges in camping.

Hey, maybe you'd like to identify yourself the next time.

Darlene Oh yes! We had a lot of fun.

Jet I think we do but not as active as we were back then. I don't even see girl scouts, much more, brownies, anymore.

joyce Ay oo nga, ano? Akala ko kasi busy ka e. Sayang, nag-enjoy pa naman kami ng husto. hehehe, maiinggit ka na lang.

Batjay Hindi ka na pwedeng mag-girl scout. Lampas ka na sa age requirement e.

Yes, especially when you see that nobody seems to be serious about the purpose of going there. Might as well see a concert, diba? My father's always in my heart, though. Yeah, I've always felt we're kindred spirits.

Transience I know it would be awesome if I can have an EB with you and shake your hand. I'm an avid fan of your writings, you know.

bugsybee It's so nice to know I'm not alone. I always feel I do things differently. Well, I married into a devoutly Catholic family and I have received sneers and scoldings from my wife when we don't see eye to eye over traditions.

Yes, they've turned all soul's day into a carnival. And I hate being with too many people around. Too close for comfort.