By Estanislao Albano, Jr.
DORMANT SAVINGS ACCOUNT.
I accompanied the National Telecommunications Commission team which tested the speed of the Internet connection of the Rural Bank of Tabuk-Dagupan this afternoon. When Manager Mercy Ayang-ang noticed me, she said I should deposit some amount in my dormant savings account to activate it. She continued that at my age, I should really save so that in the future when I need diapers or milk, I would have some place to get it. Heeding Mercy’s words of concern, I took out my wallet and they gave me two forms – the deposit form and the personal information sheet. Mercy said I need to update the latter.
As I came to the blank for the address, I jested that I really needed to update my data because in the existing one, Tabuk may not yet be a city. Tabuk became a city in 2007.
SENIOR CITIZENSHIP IS A BLESSING
Met Ma’am Pacita Sarol, who, if I am not mistaken is now the provincial federation president of senior citizen associations, and another lady senior citizen this morning at the City Hall. After we said hello, I informed her that I am also now a senior citizen. She remarked that that’s God’s blessing.
Of course it is God’s blessing but how I wish I am not yet a recipient
ON SM TUGUEGARAO CITY
Heard that the SM in Tuguegarao City is causing traffic.
NO TO SM IN TABUK CITY!
(I was just joking but some friends thought I was really objecting to the entry of the SM in Tabuk City if ever that time comes in my lifetime.)
Naiyalisen kano ti Buntun, gagayyem. Idiayen kano SM ti pakabunBuntunan ti tattao idiay Tuguegarao.
OF FRIDAY IN BAGUIO CITY
Remember my joke yesterday that Friday could study in Baguio City because he likes sayote tops? (Posted with photos of Friday eating sayote tops.) While he was again eating sayote tops just now, here was the conversation between Florence and me:
Me: Ti next nga ipasidata ken Friday ket patatas.
Florence: Apay met?
Me: Wen a tapno maamuan no talaga nga agbiag idiay Baguio.
WRONG PLACE?
Florence was viewing Eat Bulaga singing contest.
I was not impressed with the voice of the singer so I told her: Baka imbaonda idiay market dayta ngem napan nakikanta.
Florence: Agtatalnaka. Awan ti karapatam agsao ti kasta.
ON NAMES OF PLACES
While traveling to and from Alaminos City, Pangasinan, some of my officemates and I tried to find something hilarious about the names of places and here are the results:
Alaminos City
Based on the group’s experience in buying fish in the coastal place, Edjop Gacuya said that Alaminos is living up to its name. He explained his remark as follows: in Tagalog, “ala” is also “wala” which is “none” in English and “menus” is “deduction” or “discount” ergo Alaminos is “no discount.”
Agoo, La Union
What illness is rampant in Agoo?
Cough or “uyek” — as in Agooyekda
Bauang, La Union
Bauang has claimed the nickname “Fruit Basket of the North.”
Just when did Bauang (garlic) become a fruit?
Bukod, Benguet
If you want to marry somebody who would keep his or her marriage vows to the end, marry someone from Bukod.
“Bukod” is the Ilocano word for “sole ownership.”
DRINKING DOES NOT SHORTEN LIFE?
When I went to the wake of the late Winnerfredo Cruz, I happened to sit with two men who were discussing the question of whether or not drinking shortens life. One of them who said he was 69 said that there is no guarantee that those who do not drink live longer than those who do. He then proceeded to prove his contention by relating one story after another of people he knows including some friends some of whom took care of their health through sports and exercises who died young. The other who was younger than I am also contributed stories of drunks who lived to old age including one who at his death bed still asked for a San Miguel gin bottle. He was 70.
At one point, the older man declared: “Dakami met a mangnginom laengen ti nabatbati.”
HOW MUCH TIME LEFT
I just came from a visit to a cooperative colleague. After disposing with business, we had some light talk part of which was as follows:
Him: Addaka met la ditoyen, dumagaska dita balayda _____ ta natay isuna.
Me: Ania impatayna?
Him: Insardengna ti imminum ket isu metten nakatayanna.
Me: Mano ngay tawenna?
Him: 64
Me: Mayat metten daydiay nga edad a pakatayan.
We both laughed when as an afterthought, I continued: Ngem no matayak iti 64, ay ket tallo laengen a tawen a nasurok ti biagko. **
