By Estanislao Albano, Jr.
WHAT WAS THAT?
At Santiago City yesterday evening we met this spectacle on the road.
Florence: Ania ngay dagidiay nagadu a tataao? (What’s that many people all about?)
Me: Isu met daydiay diay Florence de Mayo. (That’s the Florence de Mayo.)
Florence: Wen, kakatkatawa iman. (Yes, that’s very funny.)
RIGHT COLOR OF RICE
I was the one who cooked rice tonight. Some minutes after putting it on low fire, I went back the to kitchen. There was no more fire.
Me: Apay naluton? (Is it cooked already?)
Florence: Ineddepko a ta maangangot met manen. (I put the fire off because the rice was beginning to smell.) (What she meant was that the rice was starting to get burned and therefore smell.)
Me (opening the pot): Ayos met. Puraw met. (It’s okey. It is white.)
Let me explain my remarks. In recent times, the incidence of burned rice in the house is getting more frequent and it is not just me responsible. I guess, age affects the color of rice.
There was one time that when a rice burning incident took place, my brother-in-law Mike Pekas came for something in the house and saw how the surface of the cooked rice turned brown.
Mike: Dayta a ti agluto ti innapoy. Pati rabawna ket agittip. (That’s the way to cook rice. Even the top develops crust.)
MANO MET LAENG AYA TI KANEN TI MANAKEM
(This is a saying among Ilocanos which is roughly translated as follows: “The wise eat sparingly.” They do not gormandize.
I guess it was before supper the other day when Florence and I had this dialogue:
Florence: Umanay kenka daytoy nakilabban ta saanakon agluto? Manganak to lattan ti tinapay. (Will this left over be enough for you so I will not cook any more? I will just eat bread.)
Me: Umanay daytan. Mano met laeng aya ti kanen ti manakem. Uray dita laeng met a ti pakakitaan a manakemak. (That would do. A little food will do for the wise. At least there is one area of life I could be called wise.)
WHERE TEACHERS GO
As usual, although classes were over in March, teachers are still reporting to do a mountain of work in school and then bring home the remainder and do it at home.
While leaving yesterday, Florence lamented: Mapanak manen idiay school. (I am going to school again.)
Me: Ket maestra ka ngarud di school ti papanam. Alangan met a nga engka aglako idiay palengke. (You are a teacher so you go to school. You are not supposed to go and sell in the market.)
Florence: Wen kakatkawata dayta ibagbagam. (Yes what you are saying is funny.)
NOT INVITED
Florence was one of those assigned to share reflections on the Seven Last Words this morning at the St. Thomas Parish Church. I had already ironed my clothes but when I asked her if I could go with her, she said no because, according to her, I might take a photo to post on Facebook and then promptly go to sleep after taking the photo.
Like I told you before, Florence prefers the old to the new. I belong to the Wesleyan Church, one of the churches which trace their roots to John Wesley, the Anglican priest who was dissatisfied with the faith he was born into and founded a religious movement which would be known as Methodism
SOME FUN AT THE LAB
Aglaia was answering a questionaire, a requirement for my MRI procedure. She asked me if I had any metal in my body. I said I have none. It was too late when the right answer came to me: “Adda seguro a ta kunada met a natangken ti ulok.” (There must be because they say I have a hard head.)
Before entering the MRI room, the head technician told me: “Hindi po kayo gagalaw nang 15 minutes. At saka maingay po doon. Parang construction site.” (You will keep still for 15 minutes. And there’s loud noise there. Like a construction site.”
Me: Okey lang yon basta hindi kagaya sa construction site na may mga bagay na nahuhulog.” (It’s okey provided there are no falling things like in construction sites.)
Head Technician: “Wala naman po.” (There’s none.)
APT TERM
What do you call a friend who has become a fanatic of somebody or of a belief?
Closed friend.**
