UNEARTHED

i went through my really old emails (450 emails at that) to look for my old old resume. And look what i found? Bones from the past. Notes from ex-lovers. Old jokes. Mansanas' rants about law school. My letters to Poodrahbel 6 years ago when he left us. This one i particularly wrote to him October of 2000.

What was it like living without Papa sa bahay:

1. you don't wake up hearing his nose blowing so hard

outside. (parang lalabas pati utak)

2. we can get to watch some of the TV sopas operas

starred by the equally pathetic Judy Ann Santos and

Claudine Barreto

3. we don't get to hear much of those U2 and Queen

sounds.

4. no one calls at the jalousy saying " POdying..,

Bilog?" at 1 am.

5. we can always use the computer, play inhumane

flesh-abusing games that were installed.

6. we don't eat decent, all-original food ( as in

gulay, ampalaya, etc.)

7. i get cravings for the pipino concoction papa made

( since wala siya sa bahay, pano ako gagawa non?)

8. i don't have a living tagalog-english dictionary

around (that means i really have to whack my brains

out and spend 8.00 to call a classmate on what's the

tagalog of chalk,snow etc.)

9. no one stays up late in the night to watch tv.

10.i don't know where to find a blasted book,(since si

papa lang naman ang nakakaalam non)

11. lagi na lang mainit ang ulo ng mga tao sa bahay.(

walang shock absorber, kasi si papa lang ang

complacent)

  to be concluded, yan pa lang as of presstime.

ilove you and i miss you!

geng

And this was his reply:

Recipe for cucumber salad: peel,cut medium-size cucumber in fine

wedges; arrange in a bowl. in separate bowl, combine two-three tablespoons

sugar, a cup of white vinegar, a pinch of salt, and some black pepper powder.

the vinaigrette mixture ought to be mixed according to your taste, then,

pour over cucumber wedges; refrigerate; enjoy after a 30-minute chill.

The frequent bouts with colds were, wouldya believe, a result of

stress? Ah, another one of my peers bit the dust only last week-- someone named Val who had terrible eating and drinking habits-- no physical regimen. I won't miss him and I won't emulate lousy diets; I still do every other day

work-outs... I'll outlive 'em all and write masterpieces before I meet my MAKER.

Ah, you only get to appreciate someone/something when it's no longer

there. So, take care and be good. God bless you all.

PAPA DONG A.D.

** Poodrahbel came back in the household 2 years ago