~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We were complete strangers. We don't even have common friends. We only met them here. Leo mostly picked newly hired Filipinos at the airport. He even picked up my daughter and me at the BWI. Jay flew a month ahead in Maryland to start work right away while my daughter and I stayed for a month in California to spend time with my side of the family.
He took us with them to our first Filipino gathering hosted by the Sandiegos, also in Virginia.
Leo Montalban is the mister's Filipino colleague, and has been in the company for a long time. As I said in a previous post, he was the reason that a lot of Filipinos were hired from the Philippines in the 90s.
He would keep us in mind in these Filipino parties. Although I was really shy and kind of hesitant on going every time, I still did. The Montalban matriarch, Tita Mila is actually very warm and welcoming.
At Leo and the mister's company overnight events, Tita Mila would always offer to look after our human cubs so we could join with all the couples in these bi-annual office gatherings. It was very tempting, but I would always decline. It was my decision as a mother to go when my children were of the right age.
 |
| Lili & the Queen c. 2009 |
4th of July in 2002, at a party in Virginia hosted by Jojo and Dogging Sandiego, Jimmy, another Filipino dear friend, Tita Mila, and I were all seated at the living room after dinner while most of the people were in the garage or outside.
"Dugaya na gyud nakong pinangita sa akong best friend sa college." (It's been so long since I have been trying to find my best friend from college.)
She showed us a faded black and white photo of two ladies. Both had soft curly combed hair, donning beautiful 1950s fashion---short sleeve button down shirts tucked in full skirts worn with belts, and small framed purses on one hand.
She passed the photo to Jimmy. "Kani ang akong amiga nga si Fely" (This is my friend named Fely.), pointing to the lady beside her.
He flipped the photo and checked writings on the back, and he asked where Fely was from. His family was an importer for native products from Bohol, and he said their supplier was named Fely.
Fely is from Bohol, she replied, but unfortunately she didn't remember what part of Bohol she was exactly from, but she added that she's Chinese.
Her last name was completely unfamiliar to me, Fely Chin. I tried to recall my mother's friends, and their friends, but it didn't ring a bell at all.
She said she prayed fervently for so long to find her.
"Ang Ginoo gyud no motubag gyud sa mga pag-ampo, ug gihatagan pa gyud ko ug bonus!" ( God really answers prayers, and plus He gave me a bonus.)
To be continued.
Related Post:
* A Memoriam: Tita Mila (Part 2)
* A Celebration I Couldn't Miss
No comments:
Post a Comment