Stories from the past

Last Friday, my family had a small get together after the daily Novena for tito Dondi. This time we went back to my aunt's, tita Ivy's apartment.

I've always liked the thought that as long as you remember a person, they will never truly die. And it proved true last Friday as I was listening to all the stories about my uncle.

Ever since I've known him tito Dondi has always been this quiet reserve man which was why I was really surprised to hear that when he was younger he was far from quiet and reserved. Back when he was younger he earned the nickname, Dennis the Menace because he truly was.

I didn't know that when he was younger he used to get into so much trouble, like when he was tasked by my grandmother to go to Baguio, which was the summer capital of the Philippines located up in the mountains. He roped in his younger cousin tito Jet, and they drove to baguio for six hours, after paying my grandmother's association dues tito Dondi promptly decided to celebrate by going to the casino. Tito Jet had some luck and won himself P200, my uncle proved that he hadn't any but as all first time gamblers thought he was. He immediately placed their whole money on a 'sure thing', tito Jet looked on in horror as their sure thing transformed into absolutely nothing.

Tito Jet was panicking at this point, after all they only have half a tank.. they had no money and they hadn't even eaten yet. Tito Dondi didn't panic, he waved his hand to stall tito Jet's panic saying he'll think of something... which... he actually did. Tito Dondi and tito Jet walked all the way to relative's house, knocked on the gate and informed their hapless aunt that they were just passing by, during lunch just to say hello.

My great aunt was charmed, she invited them in for lunch and somehow tito Dondi managed to sweet talk her to lending them P100. Obviously from their it should be smooth sailing... heh.

So, they went all on their merry way back to Manila, cruising down the mountain, budgeting the hundred pesos: P75 for gas and P40 for the toll. They were solved, unfortunately tito Dondi loved to overtake. So there they were cruising when they happen upon a very slow car, tito Dondi impatient guy that he was back then, swerved the car to the right just when a large bus was using the lane. Tito Jet went into immediate panic mode, gripping on his seat for dear life, shouting on the top of his lungs... 'we're not gonna make it!'
Tito Dondi would have none of that. They were going to make it, and to prove it he stepped on the accelerator more... alas tito Jet was right and tito Dondi saw it too late. The bus was looming in front of them, the car they were over taking just right beside them, so tito Dondi had no choice but to swerve to the left... into the rice fields. The car ended up rolling down the path, on its side, on its roof and finally, amazingly back on its tires.

The two cousins sat on the car in total silence and shock, until finally, shakily, tito Dondi stepped out of the car and found it still intact. A crowd had gathered around them asking if they were alright. Titos Dondi and Jet assured them, tito Dondi smiled at the crowd and enlisted for their help.

Then as one of the farmers began to push the car back to the road, just as he was about to touch the tail light his fists went right through... and like a domino effect things began to fall...

A murmur rose in the crowd, tito Jet watched things... fall and Tito Dondi tilted his head and saw the tires were not aligned and said... 'huh.'

By this time tito Jet was beyond inconsolable... after all he was only 17 years old and he had almost died, but once again tito Dondi took control of the situation, instructed tito Jet to watch the car and said he'd get a mechanic.

An hour and a half of waiting and wondering later tito Dondi returned with a mechanic. Tito Jet stood up and greeted tito Dondi and stopped. Not only did tito Dondi bring a mechanic... he was also drinking Pepsi.

"What's that?" tito Jet asked with a feeling of tepridation.

"What?" tito Dondi lifted the softdrink. "Oh, this? I got thirsty."

Tito Jet could feel his whole body twitch. "What about the budget?"

Tito Dondi grinned, his mischivious grin. "Don't worry, I'll think of something."

Tito Jet almost groaned.

Two hours later the mechanic managed to have the car up and running... and demanding they pay him P350. Tito Jet almost poked tito Dondi on the ribs when tito Dondi crossed his arms, frowned and said, "Hmm."

Then tito Dondi went to the trunk of the car and brought out a pair of jeans. "How about if I give you this?"

Tito Jet squinted. It look familiar. The mechanic shook his head. Tito Dondi took out a shirt and offered the jeans and the shirt. Tito Jet squinted some more, until the clue by four hit him on the head and his jaw dropped. Those were his clothes tito Dondi was batering with!

The mechanic said no to both offers, then he spotted the spare tire and pointed at it. "I don't need the clothes, maybe you can give me that?"

"Um." Tito Dondi walked to the steaming tito Jet. "Wait, we're just going to talk about it."

Eventaully they both decided, despite their luck, to brave the chances of losing the spare tire. The mechanic happily took the tire. tito Dondi got into his car, started the engine and moved a meter away, when he stopped, rolled down his window, poked his head out and said: "By the way, can you spare us a fifty for the toll?"

The mechanic pursed his lips... and gave the fifty to my uncle!

Tito Dondi turned back to tito Jet. "See?" Then turned the car back in gear. Amazingly they reached Manila with only half a tank by not using hte airconditioner and running on neutral most of the time. Then as soon as they hit the toll, the two cousins celebrated by rolling up the windows and turning on the air condition.

Some months after that, tito Dondi once again shadowed tito Jet's doorstep with his very clunky and dying car. tito Dondi once again roped tito Jet to accompany him to the talyer (mechanic shop). They reached the talyer, and watched as their car got put together.

They were having fun, drinking beer and talking shop wiht the mechanics... until the mechanic billed them. Tito Dondi patted his pockets, turned to tito Jet. "I seemed to misplace my wallet, can you pay for me? I'll pay you back."

Tito Jet sighed, wondering how in the world tito Dondi almost always gets him into trouble and brought out his wallet and paid the bill. Two days later Tito Dondi returns, smiling. "Here you go." Tito Jet automatically took the package. "My payment for last Saturday."

Tito Jet opened the package and found... that he was looking at a pair of levi's... :-)