My Story

This happened while I was in med school.

It was during the end of our second year.

I was hoping I could go home for the vacation. We had a tight schedule since the next school year was expected to start early and our grades weren't released yet. Then it happened.

I was able to go home. Most of us passed. :)

***

The night before my travel back home, I called my mamang. I told her I'm going home, of course. She said Okey.

"Magluto ko'g alimango". She told me, "Dugay na man ka wala kakaon ug alimango no?", of course. I said Okey.

I went home the next night.

The travel was long. This is the usual route I follow going home. From Cebu, we would stop by Dumaguete then arrive at Dapitan Port the next morning. Then I take the tricycle ride going to Dipolog. That's 30 minutes of sitting on a vibrating piece of metal covered with a thin foam and some synthetic leather. Most of the time my butt would feel so numb that I can't even feel I have a butt. It's like Lidocaine drip localized on your ass. If you're unlucky enough you'd end up sitting at a back of the driver with your hand holding on to the tricycle roof, in one position!

Now that would be general anesthesia.

That position was set when the tricycle wasn't traveling yet. It's like playing "P.S. I love You" and no one tags you to say "I Love You" for 30 minutes while sitting on traveling motorcycle, holding on to dear life with a vibrating metal under your ass when you'd start going on your way to another City.

Oh, did I mention about the baggage? Yep, your baggage would be safe and sound on top of the roof or at the back of the tricycle provided it was held secure by plastic rope, and if you're unlucky enough, by a plastic straw. Then it would be like playing "P.S. I love You" and no one tags you to say "I Love You" for 30 minutes while sitting on traveling motorcycle, holding on to dear life with a vibrating metal under your ass while saying please don't fall again and again with eyes focused on your bags as if you have telekinetic powers to keep them from falling. :)

The travel would also be different if you take a hired van going home. It's an air-conditioned van with broken air-conditioner, so all you'll get is a high setting from a broken fan. Can't choose where you'd be seated since you're in a hurry and most travel only when full. That is what we call "alas puno". This is also the time when human beings are equal to baggage. You'd be shoved wherever you'd fit inside the van. Together with your baggage, of course.

Then I traveled home.

I took the bus after the motorcycle ride.

Three hours later, I was home.

My older brother welcomed me literally. He had posters saying Welcome Home! It was a corny day. Then I saw my papang. "Amin ko be" I said. He stretched his hand and I made "amin".

"Asa si mamang?"

"Tua sa kusina". Papang answered. So I went there.

"Hi mamang! Amin ko be"

She smiled and stretched her left hand. "Naunsa man nang imong kamut?" as I was referring to her right hand. "Ay!, nasamad, gamay ra gud."

"Okey. Gidressingan man kaha na nimo?"

"Oo." She said.

I was so tired from traveling so I slept the whole afternoon that day and woke up by dinner time. "Timing":)


***

"Hala, kahumot sa alimango!"

It was dinner time!

I sat on the dining table where my mamang and papang with my brother were, of course, then started eating. I saw the crabs!

"Naay alimango o." my mamang said.

She gave me the best looking piece.

It looked different.

New recipe, I guess. It had dessicated coconut stuck underneath its shell and it was bathed in coconut milk. "Wow!" I took a look at it then shoved it aside.

Then my mamang asked, "Di ka ganahan?"

I replied,"Yaaak, Okey ra unta to kung walay sapal!" smiled and ate the prawns.

I failed to mention, "Lokon" (those big black prawns) was also served.

"Kato lang unta simple pagkaluto mang. Mas ganahan ko ato" I added.
She smiled and said, "Sige ugma, magluto ta ato."

We ate and talked a lot. Well, I didn't eat the crab, of course.
Mamang finished eating first. She always does. I intended to finish last. She silently sat on the chair where she usually sits after a heavy meal and watched T.V. We have cable. Remember?

Then I took my last bite.

The crabs were still there. Untouched.

I sat face to face with my mamang's new recipe. It smelled good, looked delicious, and I was wondering how it tasted, since I've never seen crabs cooked that way before. It doesn't looked like it was cooked with Alavar's sauce or something, but it looked special. Besides the stuffing, it looked like the shell was tied back to the crab. The whole thing was intact- with pincers and all. I even wondered how the coconut get stuffed inside the shell. It must have been a painful experience trying to stuff a live crab with coconut. You have to open it alive and try hard to stay away from those pincers! I smiled at the idea. I was about to take a piece and start eating, again, but I made one big excuse. I was full.

I was about to stand when my brother told me, "Di ka mukaon sa alimango?"

"Ugma nalang, Initon ra nato na." I said.

Then he told me. "Si mamang baya nagluto ana. Wala gani mi nakakaon diretso ana ganina kay gihulat ka nga mukaon".

I was lost for words. I didn't know what to say.

"Kabalo ba ka gi unsaan na pagluto ni mamang?"


My mamang cooked me a special recipe.

It was prepared that very night after I called I was going home. She asked my brother to buy the crabs that evening even when all the stores were already closed. He had to ask his friends for help just to get the fattest and tastiest crab there is because his little brother is coming home.

My mamang spent the whole night preparing those crabs. She took the shells off while the crabs were still alive and fresh, stuffed the dessicated coconut in each of the crabs shell and tied the shell back. That was just how that dish was made.

I sat down and looked at the crabs.

My tears started to fall. I had no right to hold it back.

My mamang just sat there. She was watching T.V. We had cable. Remember?

I sat beside her.

She noticed me beside her so she looked me.

"Okey ra anak." she said. "Magluto ra ta sa imong gusto ugma."

I held her hand. My tears fell.

There was nothing I can say to take back what I did.

All I could do was hold her hand.