Dumpsite

A Lucrative Gold-Mining Endeavor

"Just drop me off by that yellow post up ahead, 'nong." I yelled over the engine's noise as I rummaged in my wallet for a twenty-peso bill. With his face remaining completely blank, the driver sent the tricycle careening across Osmeña Street for a few seconds then made it skid to a stop in front of the yellow post.

"Thanks," I said as I handed my fare to the driver. I stepped out of the tricycle and walked over to the decrepit red gate that lay a few feet behind the yellow post. Heaving out a sigh, I opened the gate, which let out a loud metallic groan. I trudged through the now-open gate and, before closing it again, swept my gaze across the elementary school in front of Tita's house, the palm trees lining the street, and the resplendent bougainvillea that wreathed one of the walls surrounding a nearby house. The sky was almost devoid of clouds, so everything was currently bathed in the sun's tawny, warm light.

The beautiful sight enchanted me, and if the circumstances were different, I would definitely spend the whole afternoon feasting my eyes on it. But I didn't leave the comforts of our home and come here to do that-although that would have been nice-but to accompany my grandmother who had been bedridden for eight months now. And so, taking off my sandals, I shuffled to the front door, opened it, and entered the living room. All of the windows in Tita's house opened either to another room or to a portion of the moss-covered wall (which was too close to her house) that encased her property. Which was why the inside of her house was perpetually dark and suffocating. Which was also why coming here was not something that I particularly looked forward to.

To be frank, I'd groaned silently earlier when Lola had called me on the phone and said that she was all alone at Tita's home. She didn't explicitly ask me to accompany her today, but I'd decided to spend the whole afternoon here anyway because doing the opposite would only make me feel like the most selfish person in the world. And so here I was, padding across Tita's living room, which, just like the other parts of her house, was perpetually dark and suffocating.

When I entered Lola's bedroom, she was lying on her bed with her eyes staring languidly at the ceiling. She looked more tired and fragile than last time, and immediately, deep gloom enveloped me. To catch her attention and to break the depressing silence, I knocked on her bedroom's door twice. With surprising swiftness, she turned her head in my direction.

"Hi, there," I chirped as soon as our eyes met. I walked to her bed and bent down to give her cheek a kiss.

"Oh, my apo is here?" she said weakly, her eyes widening in surprise.

"Of course," I replied, caressing her wrinkly hand. "So, how are you?"

Lola let out a tremulous sigh and said, "My thighs and my back always hurt-I can't even go to the bathroom next door to pee, so I always have a diaper on. I also find it hard to fall asleep at night. Last night, did you know? It took me until one in the morning to finally fall asleep."

I didn't know what to say in response to what she'd just said, so I asked her, "Have you been taking your medication regularly?"

"Well, of course. There's no chance I'll end up skipping it because your tita is hell-bent on making me take it on time."

To which I chuckled and replied, "That's a relief, then."

Lola shifted uncomfortably in her bed and stared at me with her rheumy eyes. "Oh, totô," she said, "what should I do? I don't think my situation will ever change. My body hurts every time I move-I'm practically stuck here in my bed. I-I don't want to be a burden to your tita and her family anymore."

Despite my will to appear brave and hopeful to Lola, sadness wreathed my face; and not so much because her confessions depressed me, but because I didn't know what to say to comfort her. The inability to comfort those who confided in me had always been one of the things that saddened and frustrated me.

I suddenly found it hard to breathe, so I sat on the edge of Lola's bed. "You've no reason to feel bad, 'La," I began, "you're not being a burden to Tita. What child doesn't want to make sacrifices for their parents, anyway? Besides, haven't you done a lot for her and Mama? Had it not been for your and Lolo's hard work, they wouldn't have become professionals. Right now, Tita's simply repaying you for everything you've done for her."

"Oh, you think so?" Lola replied, her face relaxing a bit-to my relief.

"Yes."

Letting out a sigh, Lola asked, "Well, how's your mother?"

"She's busy as usual, but she's doing okay-slimmer, too."

"Ay, maybe she lost some weight because of stress."

"You sure? Maybe she's gone on a diet to make her and Papa's marriage spicier."

To my surprise, Lola let out a hearty laugh. I studied her face and saw that her eyes, which had looked weary just a few seconds ago, were now aglow. Her uneven white teeth even showed. I didn't know how my silly remark managed to extract such a loud laugh from her; it wasn't even that funny in my opinion. Regardless, relief filled me. Until now, I'd found it too laborious to breathe, and that was why I'd been anxious to leave and go home. Now, however, air entered and exited my nostrils with ease.

Lola placed her hand on mine and said in between chuckles, "Just tell your mother not to become so thin."

"I'll make sure to tell her that." I replied as I took in her wide smile, which emanated a golden glow.

Glossary:

LOLA - means "grandmother" in Hiligaynon

'LA - clipped form of Lola

'NONG - clipped form of Manong, a Hiligaynon word which is used to address one's elder brother or an older male stranger

TITA - means "aunt" in Hiligaynon

LOLO - means "grandfather" in Hiligaynon

TOTÔ - a Hiligaynon word used to address a younger boy

APO - means "grandchild" in Hiligaynon