Mean Meanings

"What does extinct mean, papa? What are extinct animals?"

"Animals that lived many, many, many years ago and are no longer around today." I explained.

"Oh, I see," she seemed to understand. "So papa, what dinosaurs were alive when you were a kid?"

Mahiwagang Sinigang

Pati ba naman sa pagsulat ng tula 

Ito ang napili mong paksa

Ano ba talaga ang hiwaga ng sinigang, anak?

E kulang na lang tumayo ka't pumalakpak

Mom

It's truly a day for thanksgiving. It's my mom's birthday!

Thank you, Monina Mercado, for showering us all these years with your love and support. You've always had our back. And this we truly appreciate.

You had a stellar school record - accelerated twice, valedictorian and magna cum laude. You were already a successful journalist. You were working for a newspaper in San Francisco, even covered the funeral of JFK, when Dad called and asked you to marry him.

And you did! You gave up a promising career, came back to the Philippines, married the man you loved, and began building a family and raising seven kids.

You stood quietly behind Dad's back, supporting him in his career, providing for his needs, keeping his house in order. You definitely took the back seat, which I am sure was difficult at times, but you embraced this new life with love. This was your vocation and you learned to live and love it.

And even if from the very beginning Dad asked you not to take on a regular job, you managed on your spare time to build a great career as a writer, editor and publisher. Up to now you continue to work. I so look forward to your book on Lucban!

You took charge of us kids, making sure we always had what we needed. You chose schools where you thought we would flourish and involved yourself actively in the schools' development and growth.

This you always did quietly, without fanfare. (Although I do remember the time you stormed into our school to complain about the corporal punishments we boys were subjected to. A practice that was instantly stopped after your visit.)

I thank you, mom, for always being there behind all of us. Your example, love and quiet support is what keeps us all standing.

My wish is that we, your kids and grandchildren, can now give you the love and support you have given us. Let us take better care of you, mom. It's your turn to be up front. We've got your back.

Love you, mom!

HGO

On this ThrowbackThursday, I honor a great man, Herminio G. Ordoñez, who passed away early this morning.

Minyong Ordoñez or HGO as he was fondly called, was my late father, Tony Mercado's partner for many years in Basic Advertising and all its subsequent permutations.

He was a great man, a creative genius who was responsible for so many successful advertising and marketing milestones. But I will remember him most as a simple, caring, down to earth man whose smile and snicker always put people around him at ease.

He stood as my godfather during my confirmation almost four decades ago. As the ceremony was winding down, he bent over my shoulder and snickered, "O, sasampalin ko na ba ikaw? Yun ang inaantay ko e."

Once in the early 2000s, when I had already left the industry and was stationed in Forest Club in Laguna, a staff member came up to me and said: "Sir, may tao sa gate, malaking tao na may magarang motorsiklo. Kung puede daw siyang mag swimming. Kahit ten minutes lang daw ho."

It was HGO. He took a joy ride on his bike from Majayjay to take a dip in the pool. So we swam, just the two of us, and just talked about anything and everything. After about an hour, he got out of the pool and quickly said goodbye.

"Oh sige, babalik na ako. Baka hanapin na ako ng asawa ko?"

"Hindi ka ba nagpaalam?" I was horrified.

"Hindi na. Ikaw naman ang kasama ko e," he snickered.

The last time I got to chat in length with HGO was sometime in 2013. We both arrived early for a meeting and took advantage of the time waiting for the others to arrive by catching up on each other's lives.

"May picture ka ba ng mga anak mo?" he asked.

"Uy, ang gwapo at ang ganda nila!" he said as I showed him photos of my kids. Then he smiled, and snickered. "But na lang talaga maganda ang asawa mo."

In his 27 October 2013 Gut Feel column that appears in the Inquirer, HGO spoke about watching Tita Tinette, mother of Karen and Claudine, die in his arms in 1984:

"I told the doctors I wanted my wife all to myself. I wanted my wife to die in my arms. I hugged her and put my head on her chest and stayed glued there, listening to her heartbeat—beating, beating slowly, beating weakly, beating faintly until it stopped.

"Then I looked at her face, and I saw the tension and suffering in her countenance disappear in slow motion. I saw her face clear up slowly, gradually regaining her youthfulness and beauty, until what I saw finally was the beautiful face on our wedding day.

"That facial transformation was, for me, the most beautiful and haunting visual experience I’ve ever had in my life. It was a face that dwelt in heaven."

As HGO passed away at 3:17 am this morning, surrounded by the love of his family, I am so sure he too had that face that dwelt in heaven. And perhaps with a smile and a snicker to boot.

Second Date

"Can I be dropped off at your office and have lunch with you?" Bela called after being picked up early from school. "It'll be like another date."

"Sure," I said. "But get food for yourself because I already got a plate of spaghetti for myself."

"Okay. I'll just ask mommy if we can get Jollibee drive through. Then just pay us back, okay?"

So she came. With a smile. And a two piece chicken with rice meal. And large fries. And a yumburger with cheese.

"I brought my own food!" she proclaimed. "All mine!"

Wow. What a high maintenance date, she is.

Getting Comfy

Oftentimes my daughter wakes up in the middle of the night. She walks to our room, hops into our bed, snuggles herself in between Patty and me and falls back to sleep. In the morning we usually wake up with her head on our tummies and her feet on our faces.

"Why do you do that?" we teased her one morning. "You have a nice big bed and soft sheets and pillows. Why do you have to force yourself into our crowded bed?"

"It's more comfortable here," she said with a naughty smile.

"Your stomach is softer than goose down!"

Puppy Love

So how does my son care for his dog?

Aside from feeding, cuddling and cleaning up after him, Gabi also writes him poems.

My dog is sleepy

And also flabby.

He likes to party

And is always hungry.

He is always happy

Because his master's Gabi.

My Date

Her Kuya was still finishing something in school so Bela and I decided to wait it out in this fast food place nearby.

"Is Mommy going to join us?" my daughter asked as we sat down to eat.

"No, Bela," I said. "She's in Bulacan doing an errand."

"So, it's just the two of us?"

She then smiled and said, "Wow, it's like a date."

Always Prepared

With the sun finally out Bela gets on her bike and heads for her cousin Luccio's.

"And why are you bringing your travel utensils," I wondered pointing to the plastic box wedged under the bike handles.

"Oh, just in case I get invited for lunch."

Awww!

A beautiful though rare sight. Brother and sister holding hands on their way home from soccer practice. 

No bickering. No fighting. No pulling of hair.

Not yet, at least.

Lost for Words

I had to take the two kids and three of their cousins to the mall this evening to run an errand. 

I took the chance to remind my 5 year old of what to do in case she got lost.

"I will shout your name and not 'papa' or 'mommy' so you know it's me calling," she said proudly, remembering instructions we gave her months ago.

"And if I don't hear you?"

"Ah," she struggled. "I know... I will Facetime you!"

What a Feat!

My daughter spent the afternoon in the office measuring all sorts of things with a ruler.

"Your pencil is only 4 inches long, Papa. And your pen, 5."

And she went on and on, measuring everything she could get her hands on.

Wanting to test her knowledge in measurements I decided to quiz her.

"So how many inches are there in a foot, Bela?"

She then put the ruler beside her shoe and started counting.

Jolly Be Good

Since she was game enough to accompany me at work today, I decided to surprise her with lunch from her favorite fast food chain.

"Wow, Jollibee!" she exclaimed, staring at the feast of 3 pieces of Chicken Joy, a platter of spaghetti and large fries.

"Thank you, Papa," she gushed and then asked suddenly with a look of concern.

"But, Papa, what will you have for lunch?"

Missing You

"Where's mommy?" my daughter asked as she entered the room this evening.

"She went out to run an errand," I answered. "She should be back in a couple of hours."

"Aww," she whined, obviously disappointed. "I really miss her."

"Don't worry she'll be back just before your bedtime," I said, though my answer obviously did not pacify her.

"Okay," was her long-faced answer.

"Papa?" she then smiled after a long pause. "But do you know where she keeps her iPad? I just wanted to borrow it from her."

Kuya?

We always insist that our daughter address her brother as "kuya," as a gesture of respect.

"Your brother is older, more mature and you should honor him with the name," I told her this morning.

"Nah," she replied after some thought.

"I think I will just call him... 'dude.'"

Stickers for You

Bela showed me two heart stickers she put on opposite thumbnails.

"The left one says 'I love you, Papa' and the others, 'I love you, Mommy,'" she declared.

"How about for Kuya," I ventured to ask.

"Oh I don't want to waste my stickers for him."

For No Particular Reason

Now that she is more confident with her writing and spelling skills, 5 year old Bela always leaves notes for Patty or me. For Christmas, for New Year, for Patty's birthday, even for Valentine's.

Yesterday she gave me another note. And when I asked her what the occasion was, she smiled.

"Nothing. It's 'Happy Everyday' Day!"

Eating Me Out of House and Home

These two shared a spaghetti platter, a three piece chicken order, a bowl of almondigas soup and a waffle each.

I don't need education plans for them. I need meal plans!

Ang Sinigang. Bow.

Kahit saan. 

Kahit kailan. 

Kanin at mainit na sinigang 

Ang sa kanya'y nagbibigay kaligayahan.