Wednesday, August 15, 2007 Rodriguez: Story worth retelling By Fernelle Rodriguez The Mango Generation
ROCHESTER, NEW YORK - Lately, I bumped into a Filipino here. Let's call him "Larry" (to protect his identity). It was David who first befriended him and later learned that he's a Filipino. You know David, he'll scream for my name and introduce me to his new Filipino friend.
Mang Larry has lived in Rochester for many years. His daughter had petitioned for him to live in the US . He's probably in his 80s. I didn’t ask for his exact age not wanting to offend him. He is as tall as my father, probably 5’3”. He stood gallant like a soldier. We shook hands and exchanged pleasantries.
His hand was strong and rough, typical of a man who has experienced life to the fullest. I told him that I work for Sun.Star Bacolod. He said he has been reading its online edition.
After exchanging details as to where we came from we talked about literature, especially Philippine literature! He said he admires F. Sionil Jose's novels, particularly “Ermita.” When I told him that I had met Sir Frankie years ago in a writing workshop in the Philippines, Mang Larry got ecstatic. He said he had been to Sir Frankie's bookstore, Solidaridad, before he came here and he said it was as if he was in cloud nine that time. We, writing fellows, were invited by Sir Frankie to his bookstore. We sipped wine on the third floor of the store. I also take pride when my name was listed in the rooster of contributors to the Philippines FREE PRESS years ago with Sir Frankie heading the list.
Mang Larry also told me he likes reading Carmen Guerrero Nakpil's books and revered Cristina Pantoja-Hidalgo's fiction. I encouraged him to read Bino Realuyo, Jessica Hagedorn and all the new crop of Filipino-American fictionists who are re-envisioning the Filipino spirit in their prose.
I also recommended that he read fiction written by Ian Casocot and Vince Groyon. I would have encouraged him to read Luisa Igloria, Eric Gamalinda, Rick Barot, Nick Carbo but he was into fiction not poetry.
Later he revealed that he is now an American citizen, but he said, "I swore my allegiance to the US , but my heart still belongs to the Philippines .” He looked at me with sincere eyes and added, “Never forget your roots. Until now, I am still a Filipino by heart." His words still linger in me.
I remember one of Sir Frankie’s novels, Viajero (Traveller), which I own and left in Bacolod . I treasure it because it was autographed. The novel tells the story of Salvador dela Raza, an orphan who is brought by an American captain to the United States in 1945. Though raised in another culture, dela Raza went on to trace his roots.
I have read of stories of Filipino women marrying American men to achieve their American dream. Of Filipinos who came here to work as health care workers so that they could provide their families the relief on the burden of life living in a third world. Of Filipino-Americans who want to go back to their native land and trace their roots. And then there are Filipinos like Mang Larry, petitioned by relatives and have stayed in the land of opportunities for good. Though they may have changed their citizenship, they remain attached to their culture, to their roots. I now believe that being Filipino is in the heart.
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Congratulations to Katu Tuboh and Buka Kay! who were crowned as the new Mr. and Miss GAPA at the Gay Asian Pacific Alliance’s annual pageant held in San Francisco Bay Area. They bested 13 other contestants. You can watch the pageant on Youtube. Mabuhay ang Pinoy! Talk to me kid:
fernellerodriguez_calenture@yahoo.com. Visit my blog at http://fernellerodriguez.blogspot.com.
