Yuan
Today was pretty spectacular.
My promotion was finally announced and my lola was cleared by her doctors and allowed to go home. "Wala na yung virus. Natural na makulit lang yan si Inay," my mom told me.
Best news ever.
"Sino yan? Si Juan ba yan? Pumanget na ba?" I overheard my lola saying to my mom on the phone.
"Inay! Ako pa ba? Siyempre gwapo pa din ako," I teased.
"Gwapo. Suuuusmaryosep. Magpakita ka ng malaman natin kung gwapo ka pa or dugyot ka na. Nasan na yung gelpren mong hindi marunong mag-mano?!"
I chuckled. Almost two years on and my grandmother still ribs me for being with a girl who had different customs than her. "'Nay, matagal na kaming hiwalay. At saka di ba sabi ko naman sa inyo? Mabait po siya. Hindi lang naka-ugali-an ang pagmamano."
"Alam ko, hijo. Ang sa akin lang, hindi ba niya ako mapagbigyan? Di bale na huwag magmano sa mga tita mong ang babantot ng kamay —"
"Nay naman!" My mom protested and almost fell laughing. I was just glad that my lola was feeling well enough to rant. Malambing naman yun normally, sometimes lang she will say things to get a reaction and we all just laugh.
My lola can complain but she truly was a riot with a mean sense of humor. Need proof? She gave me my name: Juan dela Cruz.
My parents could not agree on what Spanish sounding name they wanted so, after a few days at the hospital, my lola headed to the registry and put it down. "Mga puñeta. Gugulo niyo. Ayan. Juan. Para Pilipinong pilipino. At lagi na siyang babanggitin ng mga politiko sa plataporma nila."
When my parents eventually tweaked it to "Yuan", she rolled her eyes. "Dapat pala, dahil unang anak ka naman, ang inilagay ko nalang na pangalan mo ay ISA."
"Inay, hindi man lang Uno?!"
"Hinde. Puñeta. Pilipino tayo. ISA."
I dropped the call after promising to visit her the very next day.
My friends and I were catching a romcom movie that a female friend chose. As soon as I settled in with my popcorn, I looked at the tub and was choosing where to start when a hand suddenly plopped in.
"Hey-" whatever I wanted to say was cut off by the look on the woman's face.
She seemed sad and they way she was sighing told me that maybe she had a long day and could use a break. So, I just decided to let it be.
She seemed so distracted anyway that I wasn't sure she'd hear me anyway.
I didn't absorb much of the movie. Tawang-tawa lang ako sa katabi ko, especially when she'd mutter, "Bakit ko ba inorder itong flavor na'to."
I saw the moment when she finally realized she was eating my popcorn and how she sank into the chair. I bet kung may eject button, she would've pushed it already.
"It's okay. Kuha ka pa if you're still hungry."
She gave an embarrassed half smile. "Babayaran ko na lang."
"Don't worry about it. It's fine really."
I chuckled some more when she rushed out after the film was done. Hindi pa yata tapos yung credits, tumatakbo na siya palabas.
Ayan. Nalaglag tuloy yung ID niya.
"Aba, may itsura nga si Miss," was my first thought upon seeing the photo. Second, "Ang dami naman nitong pangalan."
Mikaela Samantha Sabrina Ysabel.
Well, let me return your ID then.
