HOME AT LAST

[Lasting memories of December 29, 2012]

Jose Mari Chan had these words he didn’t mince: “Life is a constant change.” Last December 20th we transferred once again back to the green, green grass of my parents’ home. It is where the story of my life all started, where hopefully I should permanently belong.

Old neighbors fronting our house along the then narrow highway were gone. Some of them now entombed, some sought new horizons and other place in the sun. Yesterday, I had to run past several structures first before reaching the shore. Today, only the asphalt separates the sea and our house with some few steps more.

I could still imagine the houses owned by La Bineg and La Reni, La Maring, La Bina, and Nang Jessy. Oh, the house of Nang Jessy, where old songs and music were basking in their fine-tuned glory.

I could still recall the exact words so vividly, and the fresh face so pretty, of Nang Basyon then but later called Sally, which she said amusedly: “Grabe man nga mga sonata ginapatokar kadya ni Bingbing ba! Daw indi Elementary eh!” Which translated roughly, “These songs played by Bingbing are extra-ordinary! He doesn’t seem like [a pupil in] Elementary!”

This was her comment during my first encounter with the vinyl and needle kind or “radio phono,” everytime I dropped by at her sister Nang Jessy’s house adjacent to ours before off to school I’d go. While other kids sang Yoyoy’s “Magellan” when we were about Grade One or Grade Two at the time, I was already bellowing Albert Morris’ “Feelings” and Victor Wood’s version of “Crying Time.”

So, can you blame me if before the advent of karaoke or videoke or any other modern music jam, I had already known those classic, all-time favorite love songs like the back of my palm?

It was more so when Nang Jessy ventured bravely into jukebox business. I memorized their songs before I came to see the artists’ names and faces. Like the way I learned to love Michael Jackson’s songs long before I read and heard about his name. I mean, when his songs then were still “One Day In Your Life,” “Give Love On Christmas Day” and “Ben.”

Before we know it, life indeed amazingly runs fast.  Some dreams had reached goals, some had crashed.  Therefore I am again convinced as I go back to my old pastime of strolling in the sand while gazing at the sunrise:  when the great King Solomon said, “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth” he was very, very wise (Eccl. 12:1).