A Day for dear Carol
Carolina Corpus Zapatos succumbed to the big C on Wednesday, July 7, 2021 at her home in Ayala Alabang.
The Catelin: Linda Pamaong Francisco, Carolina Zapatos, Tess Pernia Reyes. Linda and Carol have gone too soon.
It was a shock to all of us her friends. We never had a hunch that she was sick. Her messages were far in between. It was another good friend named Tess who called me up breaking to me the news that our dear Carol had already passed on but with no details except that she is gone.
Some time in the evening, another friend – Gloria – sent a message with the same content. I’m consoled, though, at the thought that Caloy, Dr. Carlos Zapatos, the youngest among the siblings, was always by Carol’s side during her illness. Dr. Caloy is also based in Manila. We learned that in the end that Carol just left quietly in her sleep. Isn’t that our prayer to St. Joseph and the Holy Face of Jesus?
One day in June this year, Carol called up Dory, our common friend, to offer a mass for the birthday of Linda Pamaong Francisco who passed on earlier. She was specific. “Adto ra gyud ni bishop Abet [ang misa],” since she was following the daily virtual mass of the good bishop. Carol continued by saying: “From there, you – Dory and Telly – must have lunch together.” She even sent money for our lunch date with Dory.
From the cathedral, we went to a local restaurant for lunch. Our plan was actually to go to a newly – opened resto at the Ibabaw garden. It was a good thing that we met Fr. J. Darunday who told us that the resto is closed every Monday.
Dory and I thought of giving a special day for dear Carol: imagining that we were there when she was laid to rest in the columbarium at the church of St. James. Knowing her, I am sure that she had everything prepared. Due diligence is Carol’s dictum. This woman who was able to reach the peak of her career at the Development Bank of the Philippines, sat as vice president, a position that allowed her to take full responsibility of wholesale banking. Indeed, she sat in board meetings brushing elbows with top local conglomerates for business transactions and conferences. But when she was with us, Dory and me, she would laugh on the ordinary happy and mundane topics of our youth: like who gets the choice cut of the fried chicken in the homes and gi-unsa pag-apud-apud ang mga pagkaon. She had simple joys, happy disposition, and humble wprds. She was an executive whose feet were always on the ground.
Dory Penales
So, to fulfill our plan, Monday morning of last week (July 12), our date with Dory took place at home. We imagined dear Carol as part of our bonding. I prepared food that Carol would have wanted: sabaw nga dunay bago. Every time she came home before, magdala gyud ug bago si Carol. We shared our penchant sa nilaw-oy nga dunay bago. Lahi ra man gud ang init nga mosud sa kotokoto. She craved for everything fresh especially isda ug utanon freshly plucked from the garden. One time when she came for a visit, I cooked sabang saging nga gisipe. Kon ako man gud an moluto ug saging, sinepe gyud. Mahinumdum gyud ko sa Tacloban. Sa laray nga lechon, apil gyud ang gaway, saging sinepe nga mapalit uban sa lechon. I brought the kustombre here. And Carol was happy with that.
Dory and I also had dinuguan, a leftover from mama’s birthday. Diha poy pasayan that Monday, but septuagenarians like us mura ug molikaylikay na ani nga mga pagkaon. Carol appreciates little things and simple gestures. Linda and Carol joined Ino Manalo’s guests at my pagatpat haus years ago. The guests were the wife of Jose Marie Chan and the wife of Jim Paredes: Alabang girls, too. Sinugbang nokos akong gipinaypay. Usually I separate the tinta when I cook nokos. And to Carol’s delight, her appreciation was extended to Tess who was not with us then.
Our group members share our pains as well as our joys! Uban pud mi nga mapungot ug dunay kapungtan sa usa. Mura mi ug mubati ug tumang katiguwang ug naa mi kapungtan. Pero, mura jud mi ug mga bata sa among mga sugilanon nga makalipay. But most of the time we feel young all over again.
Carol, how can we ever forget you! Sangko sa langit among pasalamat. You extended help to us, when we needed the money most. Mabayaran ang utang pero dili ang kaboboton. It’s that kind of friendship that we share: Tess, Linda, Carol and me – from high school to college to our retirement years. Dory came to our lives when we were towards our retirement years. We were like the Catelin: Carol Zapatos, Tess Pernia Reyes, and Linda Pamaong. We were neighbours in the old Tagbilaran when they were just within the sitsit of their mothers. With carol and Linda gone, Tess will be with Telly and Dory.
Suddenly, during that Monday bonding between Dory and me, both of us became silent. Dory closed her eyes, just as I did close my eyes, too. I know, what we both were thinking of. I know that we let go of the tears rolling down on our face. We were already crying.
Carol, “What is to die? To die is just too far away.” And you are just that my friend!!! You are just too far away.