by Telly G. Ocampo
The Bedtime Stories of My Lola Danday
(Part 1)
I find myself very fortunate to grow up with my
grandparents: Juan and Alejandra Villamor
Calizar. I was born just immediately after the war in
- We did not have, then, the pleasure of
electricity. So we had the kingkilya prepared early
in the afternoon so that at angelus time, we were
ready for prayers and, thereafter, our simple dinner.
As I could remember, we only had 3 bedrooms: one
for my parents, another one for my grandparents
and the small room was for our household help. But
the bedroom is just a repository of our banig, unlan
ug habol. We had our mats in the living room and
after our meals, ibuklad dayon ang banig andam
sa pagpangatulog. Our groupings at bedtime were:
my elder sister with my Lolo Ado, my younger
brother with mama and I was with my grandmother.
Yes, I was with my Lola Danday since I was
”deposited” to the karaang balay just across our
house – and to my Lola Danday’s younger sister,
Graciana, during the daytime. My Lola Danday was
always engrossed with the daily household chores
and it seemed that there was no end to that role
since my mother was busy with work as a public
school teacher. So my Lola Danday had to be
Mama, while mother was away.
It was like this until our Manang Asiang (Graciana)
got ill. I was then 5 years old.
At bedtime, we were always excited to the stories
our Lola Danday would share with us. We had
longer stories during the entire cuaresma season.
The season would last for 40 days of tingpugong:
no radio. no piano. Radio was available only in the
50’s and it was only from 6pm to 6 a.m.; so the
stories put me to slumber.
Those stories made me know my Lola Danday’s
close relatives from the Villamor, Iyog, and Buhion
side.
(To be continued)