Sealing Friendship with a Bottle of Tanduay
Rain. It finally comes. Pagasa predicted early in May that June will definitely be a rainy month. It was not, at least not until today. My neighbor, Damulot, expressed his gratefulness out loud: "Hay, saeamat! Makabawi pa ma't a kara ang tanum!"
"Hay, saeamat man sa ing Tanduay.", his drinking buddy answered. "Matubod man ra siguro ay maeamig ro tiempo."
"Hala sige, basta, hin-aga, sagibinan mo ako sa ang eanas ha."
"No problemo." Totog replied, grabbing the glass half-filled with rum. He held it for awhile talking his mind out of the possibility that his landlady might need his services now that the rain has come. Damulot was silent, his eyes focused on the TV screen yet his mind wondered far into the small ricefield that he tilled on leasehold. He worries of the grim possibilities of having a bountiful harvest and the commitment he made of repaying his debts come the harvest season. His attention was called when he heard his buddy spoke in finality. "A, bahala t'a maw don, basta hin-aga, masagibin t'ang kimo, pareng Damulot." The glass still half-filled in his left hand.
The farmer smiled at his tipsy friend. He ordered Totog to swallow his rum and the latter finally did as commanded. Then he grabbed the glass and filled it with Tanduay. He took it and unabashedly made a grimace. "Bah! Mabuot ma't a ing ama a. Gina-euyaw ka man lang nana ay gapinadungoe ka." He jested at the revelation of Totog and stood up, also with finality. He bid the household of his friend goodnight and traced his path towards home where his wife awaited his already delayed retirement.
As he laid his back on his sleeping mat, he thanked again his unknown benefactor: "Saeamat sa uean. Saeamat man kay Totog. Kabay kunta nga hin-aga, indi imaw pag-obligahon ku anang ama. Agahon pa kami masagibin agud matapos eagi. Sa hapon, mahapit lang ako it Tanduay sa baraka. Pasaeamat kay Totog sa anang bulig. Saeamat gid..." And Damulot fell asleep without his noticing it.
"Hay, saeamat man sa ing Tanduay.", his drinking buddy answered. "Matubod man ra siguro ay maeamig ro tiempo."
"Hala sige, basta, hin-aga, sagibinan mo ako sa ang eanas ha."
"No problemo." Totog replied, grabbing the glass half-filled with rum. He held it for awhile talking his mind out of the possibility that his landlady might need his services now that the rain has come. Damulot was silent, his eyes focused on the TV screen yet his mind wondered far into the small ricefield that he tilled on leasehold. He worries of the grim possibilities of having a bountiful harvest and the commitment he made of repaying his debts come the harvest season. His attention was called when he heard his buddy spoke in finality. "A, bahala t'a maw don, basta hin-aga, masagibin t'ang kimo, pareng Damulot." The glass still half-filled in his left hand.
The farmer smiled at his tipsy friend. He ordered Totog to swallow his rum and the latter finally did as commanded. Then he grabbed the glass and filled it with Tanduay. He took it and unabashedly made a grimace. "Bah! Mabuot ma't a ing ama a. Gina-euyaw ka man lang nana ay gapinadungoe ka." He jested at the revelation of Totog and stood up, also with finality. He bid the household of his friend goodnight and traced his path towards home where his wife awaited his already delayed retirement.
As he laid his back on his sleeping mat, he thanked again his unknown benefactor: "Saeamat sa uean. Saeamat man kay Totog. Kabay kunta nga hin-aga, indi imaw pag-obligahon ku anang ama. Agahon pa kami masagibin agud matapos eagi. Sa hapon, mahapit lang ako it Tanduay sa baraka. Pasaeamat kay Totog sa anang bulig. Saeamat gid..." And Damulot fell asleep without his noticing it.
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