[Hi guys, I wrote this story in 2004, I have translated it in English for our foreign audience. My grandpa actually hails from Santo Tomas, Batangas - a province one and a half hour South of Manila where this story was based.]
Candido
Ala e ako nga po pala si Candido, tubong Santo Tomas sa lalawigan ng Batangas. Ala e kalaki pala nireng Menila, anong tataas ng gusali, hindi tulad doon sa amin na puro kalabaw at bukid laang ang masisilayan mo e. Ala e meron nang katagalan nang ninais-nais ko na mapunta dine sa Menila dangan nga lamang e me karukhaan ang aming buhay. Ala e kalaki ng aking utang na loob sa aking Inang e dahil sa handog niyang ire sa akin sa aking ika-dalawampu't isang kaarawan.
Ala e kaya lang e hindi man laang nasagi sa aking isipan na kasama ng ugali ng mga tao dine sa Menila e. Ganire po ang nangyayari. Ala e ako baga po e naglalakad nang meron akong nakitang malaking retrato ng aking idolong si Efpeejey, kasama ang isang dalagang mapupungay ang mga mata na wari bagang nang-aakit sa akin. Ala e kagyat akong pumasok sa loob at isa pala ireng teatro na nagtatanghal ng mga pelikula e. Ala e maganda naman ang kahera at nababanaagan ko ng konti ang kaniyang mga hita, ala e kaputi naman. Ngunit kapangit naman ng inasal niya nang punitin ang aking tiket e. Ala e ako e labis na nagdamdam at hindi ko na hinintay ang kaniyang paliwanag at walang lingon-lingon akong lumabas.
Ala e dala ng aking kagutuman e naghanap ako ng makakainan at ako nama'y pinalad na makahanap nire sa isang malamig na lugar na nakaguhit ang larawan ng isang kulay pula na bubuyog. Ala e ganire pala dine pati bubuyog kinakain. Hindi naman ako pihikan e kaya naisip ko na ring kumain dine, sa amin nga e pati ahas at bayawak kinakain. Ngunit bago ako pumasok e hinubad ko muna ang aking pares ng tsinelas gaya ng ginagawian sa amin. Ala e mabait naman sila at panay ang Gud Murning sa akin. Hindi naman nila ako pinilit kumain ng bubuyog at nabusog naman ako sa manok nila, kinamay ko pa nga e. Ngunit sa aking paglabas ay hindi ko na maapuhap ang aking tsinelas. Ala e muli akong nalungkot at tahimik na tumalilis.
Sa di-kalayuan e meroong nagtitipon na karamihan. Sila ay meroong mga bandila, may sayawan, kantahan at sigawan. Kinawayan nila ako at ako e naeenganyong makiisa at makisayaw, makikanta at makisigaw. Ala e siyang-siya ako ng ibigay sa akin ang mikropono at lalo akong ginanahan. Masaya na sana ako dine e, kapiling ang aking mga bagong kaibigan nang biglang dumating ang kapulisan at pinagdadadala kami sa piitan. Ala e ako ay nalungkot at aking naitanong na lamang, Ganire baga talaga dine sa Menila, kalupit ng mga tao e? Tinanong pa ako kung militante ako e kagagaling ko nga laang sa amin.
Ngayon nga e pinalaya na ako. Naisip ko e umuwi na laang dala ang aking mapait na karanasan. Ngunit hindi, hindi ko ipapaalam ire sa Inang. Ang mahal kong Inang, ala e ayokong maisip niya na nasayang ang mga pinaglaanan niya sa akin. Tama, iyon baga ang aking gagawin. Paalam na, malupit na Menila.
Candido
My name is Candido, grew up in Santo Tomas in the province of Batangas. These buildings in Manila are so tall compared to our town in which you only see carabaos and farmlands. I have been wanting to get here in Manila but because we are poor I cannot afford it to go here. I really appreciate it that my Mama gives me this present in my twenty-first birthday.
However never did it entered my mind that people in Manila have bad attitude. Here is what happened. When I boarded out of the bus, I saw this big picture of my idol action star FPJ, together with a lady with tantalizing eyes that seems to seduce me. I immediately entered the enclosure and realizes it is a theater which shows shows. The cashier is beautiful and I can see her legs which is white okay. But what bad attitude she has when she teared my ticket. I was extremely hurt so I did not wait for her explanation and I went away not looking back.
I was hungry so I looked for a place to have food and I am fortunate to have found one in a cool place where there is an image of a red colored bee. So this is how it is in Manila, the local people eats even the bees. I am not picky so I was not discouraged to enter. In our province, we even eat snakes and lizards. Before I passed the entrance though, is I removed my pair of slippers which is the custom in our province. They seem nice because they greet me Good Morning a number of times. They did not force me to eat bees and I am quite satisfied with the chicken, I even eat it with my bare hands. However when I went out, I cannot find my slippers. I was saddened once more and quietly went away.
Not so far away is a crowd that is gathering. They have flags, dancing, singing and shouting. They waved at me and I am encouraged to join them in dancing, singing and shouting. I am ecstatic when they give me the microphone so I am all the more energized. I am already happy in the company of my new friends when the police came and hauled us to prison. I am sad and questioned myself - it is really how it is here in Manila, they are bad people? They even asked me if I am member of a militant group when I only just arrived from the province. Tsk tsk tsk.
So now they set me free. I thought I just go home with my bitter experience. But no, I will not tell Mama about this. My dearest Mama, I do not want her to know that all what she worked for in giving me a present went for naught. Absolutely, that is I what I do. Goodbye now, cruel Manila.
Ala e ako nga po pala si Candido, tubong Santo Tomas sa lalawigan ng Batangas. Ala e kalaki pala nireng Menila, anong tataas ng gusali, hindi tulad doon sa amin na puro kalabaw at bukid laang ang masisilayan mo e. Ala e meron nang katagalan nang ninais-nais ko na mapunta dine sa Menila dangan nga lamang e me karukhaan ang aming buhay. Ala e kalaki ng aking utang na loob sa aking Inang e dahil sa handog niyang ire sa akin sa aking ika-dalawampu't isang kaarawan.
Ala e kaya lang e hindi man laang nasagi sa aking isipan na kasama ng ugali ng mga tao dine sa Menila e. Ganire po ang nangyayari. Ala e ako baga po e naglalakad nang meron akong nakitang malaking retrato ng aking idolong si Efpeejey, kasama ang isang dalagang mapupungay ang mga mata na wari bagang nang-aakit sa akin. Ala e kagyat akong pumasok sa loob at isa pala ireng teatro na nagtatanghal ng mga pelikula e. Ala e maganda naman ang kahera at nababanaagan ko ng konti ang kaniyang mga hita, ala e kaputi naman. Ngunit kapangit naman ng inasal niya nang punitin ang aking tiket e. Ala e ako e labis na nagdamdam at hindi ko na hinintay ang kaniyang paliwanag at walang lingon-lingon akong lumabas.
Ala e dala ng aking kagutuman e naghanap ako ng makakainan at ako nama'y pinalad na makahanap nire sa isang malamig na lugar na nakaguhit ang larawan ng isang kulay pula na bubuyog. Ala e ganire pala dine pati bubuyog kinakain. Hindi naman ako pihikan e kaya naisip ko na ring kumain dine, sa amin nga e pati ahas at bayawak kinakain. Ngunit bago ako pumasok e hinubad ko muna ang aking pares ng tsinelas gaya ng ginagawian sa amin. Ala e mabait naman sila at panay ang Gud Murning sa akin. Hindi naman nila ako pinilit kumain ng bubuyog at nabusog naman ako sa manok nila, kinamay ko pa nga e. Ngunit sa aking paglabas ay hindi ko na maapuhap ang aking tsinelas. Ala e muli akong nalungkot at tahimik na tumalilis.
Sa di-kalayuan e meroong nagtitipon na karamihan. Sila ay meroong mga bandila, may sayawan, kantahan at sigawan. Kinawayan nila ako at ako e naeenganyong makiisa at makisayaw, makikanta at makisigaw. Ala e siyang-siya ako ng ibigay sa akin ang mikropono at lalo akong ginanahan. Masaya na sana ako dine e, kapiling ang aking mga bagong kaibigan nang biglang dumating ang kapulisan at pinagdadadala kami sa piitan. Ala e ako ay nalungkot at aking naitanong na lamang, Ganire baga talaga dine sa Menila, kalupit ng mga tao e? Tinanong pa ako kung militante ako e kagagaling ko nga laang sa amin.
Ngayon nga e pinalaya na ako. Naisip ko e umuwi na laang dala ang aking mapait na karanasan. Ngunit hindi, hindi ko ipapaalam ire sa Inang. Ang mahal kong Inang, ala e ayokong maisip niya na nasayang ang mga pinaglaanan niya sa akin. Tama, iyon baga ang aking gagawin. Paalam na, malupit na Menila.
Candido
My name is Candido, grew up in Santo Tomas in the province of Batangas. These buildings in Manila are so tall compared to our town in which you only see carabaos and farmlands. I have been wanting to get here in Manila but because we are poor I cannot afford it to go here. I really appreciate it that my Mama gives me this present in my twenty-first birthday.
However never did it entered my mind that people in Manila have bad attitude. Here is what happened. When I boarded out of the bus, I saw this big picture of my idol action star FPJ, together with a lady with tantalizing eyes that seems to seduce me. I immediately entered the enclosure and realizes it is a theater which shows shows. The cashier is beautiful and I can see her legs which is white okay. But what bad attitude she has when she teared my ticket. I was extremely hurt so I did not wait for her explanation and I went away not looking back.
I was hungry so I looked for a place to have food and I am fortunate to have found one in a cool place where there is an image of a red colored bee. So this is how it is in Manila, the local people eats even the bees. I am not picky so I was not discouraged to enter. In our province, we even eat snakes and lizards. Before I passed the entrance though, is I removed my pair of slippers which is the custom in our province. They seem nice because they greet me Good Morning a number of times. They did not force me to eat bees and I am quite satisfied with the chicken, I even eat it with my bare hands. However when I went out, I cannot find my slippers. I was saddened once more and quietly went away.
Not so far away is a crowd that is gathering. They have flags, dancing, singing and shouting. They waved at me and I am encouraged to join them in dancing, singing and shouting. I am ecstatic when they give me the microphone so I am all the more energized. I am already happy in the company of my new friends when the police came and hauled us to prison. I am sad and questioned myself - it is really how it is here in Manila, they are bad people? They even asked me if I am member of a militant group when I only just arrived from the province. Tsk tsk tsk.
So now they set me free. I thought I just go home with my bitter experience. But no, I will not tell Mama about this. My dearest Mama, I do not want her to know that all what she worked for in giving me a present went for naught. Absolutely, that is I what I do. Goodbye now, cruel Manila.
