Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Lolo goes to the US…and back to Pinas!

Four decades and a half after the war, Lolo Badoy pledged allegiance to the American flag. He was one of those veterans granted US citizenship. He can’t read and write. His conversational English is quite funny. But he’s good at memorizing the American anthem and the pledge. We’re really surprised coz that's what all it takes for him to get by.

My mother wanted to accompany him to the US, but was denied at the embassy. So Lolo traveled alone. He’s such an adventurer that he was not afraid of the long flight and of the things to do while in the US.

For many months, he lived in a home for the aged and war veterans. He said he got bored, but did not mention missing his family. He said he was tired of seeing old and sickly people. He wanted to play checkers and he boasted that none of the residents can beat him. He wanted to see a cockfight but there was none nearby. So he sneaked out one day with another fellow and visited Las Vegas. That was the start of his new activity. A few dollars on a night per month didn’t do a lot of damage to his pocket. He’s a prudent gambler. (As if there’s such a thing.)

But one night, Lolo got into thinking. Since Lola died a few years earlier, he wanted to remarry. He wanted to come back to the Philippines. With the approval of a new US law, he could already receive his veteran’s pension while in the Philippines, though at a lesser amount.

Who wants to marry septuagenarian? When he arrived in his hometown in Misamis Occidental, he was eyeing his widowed neighbor. Her grandchildren already called him Lolo. Perhaps she was a decade younger. But it does not matter when they already got the wrinkles.

“Oh no! Not her pa!” my mother complained. “Her grandkids will compete with yours. Find a younger one.”

Lolo just grinned. The idea of finding a younger one might have delighted him. My uncle, (the one I mentioned in my previous post), suggested to take Manang V as his wife. She’s the one who took care of Lola for many years and was like an adopted sister to my mother and her siblings. She’s in her mid 30’s then and never had a boyfriend since birth.

So the courting began. It was still the old-fashioned manner. He was told to ask permission from her parents. Ok, fine. Lolo agreed and took both my parents to accompany him to some hinterland in Bohol. The parents of the bride-to-be were shocked. Lolo is very much older than them. But they can’t ask her to find a younger one.

The weakened knees suddenly found a new reason to be alive. Lolo got himself a new wife and he was all smiles in his wedding barong.

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

kuya, this reminds me of my great grand lola who passed away. wala lang. haha. hard to explain. :)

zherwin said...

napangiti naman ako dito. love chooses no one, nor age nor time. best wishes kay lolo. :)

tina said...

age doesnt matter :P well... at least your lolo was happy :)

vernaloo said...

omg! your lolo's wife is from Bohol? Baka relative ko pa yan! hahahaha

Anyway totoo nga sabi nila...it's never too late.

Anonymous said...

ang kyut naman ng lifestory ng lolo mo! congrats at gudlak sa kanya :)

Francesca said...

Young at heart si Lolo!

The thing is, is not the age, its companionship and blending of hearts and minds of the couple!

Pwede na balik Lolo sa las vegas with Lola new bride...

Anonymous said...

pam, mabait siguro lola mo.

zherwin, in love ang lolo ko. he he he.

tina, happy talaga sya. None of his children disapproved. They know the wife kasi.

Anonymous said...

verns, she's from balilihan. baka nga relative mo. yep, it's never too late. Lolo's father got married thrice. Siya twice lang.

melai, salamat!

francesca, masaya na si lolo sa asawa nya at sa weekly cockfight and the daily dama (checker) game.

jho said...

Awwwww. Im deeply touched. That's what you call true love.

tin-tin said...

sweet...
mid-30's lang? wow naman!
buti tumagal lolo mo sa states kung sa home pala sya tumira

Tinunuy said...

Ahahaha! Your lolo is really unique. I wonder if he's still living.

Anonymous said...

not too late to be happy... :-)

mabuti ampasa sa mga inlaws he he

Anonymous said...

wow bilib naman ako kay lolo, nadain pa ako ah. congratulations sa kanila at sana magkaanak pa sila. bata pa rin naman kasi ang napangasawa niya diba?

Wil said...

Sounds like a better life than living in a retirement home. Who wants to play checkers all day when you can be living a 2nd life in the Philippines. ;-)

Abaniko said...

In the end, it's really love that counts. All the best to the couple!

Anonymous said...

Hanep ang buhay ni Lolo. Napaka makulay!

Anonymous said...

jho, love is still love even for older people.

tin-tin, ayaw na ni lolo doon sa home for the aged sa states kaya siya bumalik sa pinas.

tin, alive na alive pa si lolo. Nagsasabong pa tuwing weekends.

Anonymous said...

bingskee, pumasa naman sa mga inlaws. The new wife is even younger than lolo's youngest daughter. pero ok lang naman sa lahat.

iskoo, hanep si lolo sa mga chicks. I heard na chicksboy daw to nung bata pa. Pero salamat na lang never nya iniwanan family nya.

Wil, sabi ni lolo, di daw sya tatagal if he'll live in the home for the aged.

abaniko, you're right. It is love that counts.

Fedz, colorful indeed. Dami pa ako kwento about lolo. That would be another entry.

Anonymous said...

lolo's diary? hehehe naa unta pic ni lolo =)