Chapter V
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| The Orphan (age 10-11 & 1/2) Chapter V |
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| Thanks to couple Mengay and Diosdado who voluntarily offered some help to us.� Now we live in a bigger house (camalig).� I helped my stepfather in maintaining the farm cleaned during no classes.� Since my mother was advised to take good rest due to her health condition, I did the housekeeping in her behalf.� I swept the floor, washed the dishes, cooked the food, washed our clothes, pitched a gallon of water, and more.� I used to wash our clothes inside the cave. | ||||||||||||||
| It's a school opening again; my mother enrolled me at Mauswagon Elementary School as grade IV.� Seems like our life turned good now.� My friends grew in numbers in school and I managed myself to participate in baseball play in our school. | ||||||||||||||
| I almost forgot to tell you that my stepfather was very strict.� When I reached home from school, all my actions are numbered.� Every single mistake I may committed would be equivalent to one paddle as my punishment.� If ever we have visitors at home, I should be somewhere out from the visitor's sight.� I should never be late in going home from school and no time to play.� So, I followed all his house rules. | ||||||||||||||
| I felt happy when I received compliments from any visitors in our house.� They wished to have a son as good as me, as respectful as me, as polite as me, as hardworking as me.� Sometimes, they offered to my mother a financial assistance for my school tuition fee and my mother just returned them a sweet smile then said in a humble tone voice, "No, thank you." | ||||||||||||||
| One time, there was a group of American explorers who went to our school.� They wanted to sponsor some less fortunate children in all school fees and they were interested to support me.� They talked to my mother and initially she accepted the offer from the American sponsor.� The American knew the condition of my mother's health.� So they supplied us with medicine, food, and other.� However, when the American sponsors suggested to take me with them to United States for a special surgery operation in my left neck, my mother refused the offer.� She doesn't want me to be away from her.� So, the American Sponsor flew to America and left me in my mother's custody. | ||||||||||||||
| In 1983, my mother's health became so weak.� She could no longer walked and she always lying in bed.� I always served her food (lugaw).� It lasted for a month until one night, she told me (in a very soft tone saying) "Dan, my son, you must be strong with your faith, if ever I will not be around by your side, will you still be in good faith to GOD?" so, I gave her my yes answer, ("yes mama, I will").� Then, she said, "Will you please show me your happy and cute smile? Then I smiled at her.� She hugged me and said, " I really love you son.� Don't forget all what I have told you, be strong and always be in GOD side".� Then she asked me for more food.� I thought, her appetite came back again and I was so happy.� I gave her more food and there was no left over from the food I served.� Lastly she said to me, "My son, go sleep early and if ever everything happened, please be strong and don't cry". I answered, "Yes mama". | ||||||||||||||
| I did'nt understand what mama really meaned about what she was talking that time. At around 9:00 in the evening, my stepfather awaken me and told me that my mother was already dead.� He left me alone in the house with my dead mother that night and went to other town to inform some friends about the death of my mother.�� I cannot believe what my stepfather said.� I stirred at my dead mother lying in her bed from head to foot.� Looks like she was just sleeping.� I tried to touch her but she was not breathing anymore.� So, I just stayed beside her and remained sleepless untill morning.� Now I understand why she told me all those words. | ||||||||||||||
| After my mother's burial, my stepfather in-trusted me to the owner of the farm for custody.� He said that he would be going somewhere for a job and he will take me back soon. | ||||||||||||||
| The couple treated me well as their own son.� Mrs. Mengay had became so closed friend to my mother and she made a promise to mama that she would took good care of me.� So, I continued my study as Grade VI and I remembered always all my mother's teachings to me. | ||||||||||||||
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