Sunday, August 13, 2006
Gil: Leaving on a jet plane
By Sandy Gil
Sunday Dunes
SO SHE has finally left the nest, the home that protected and shielded her from harm for twenty-two years. Ella, my eldest daughter, left last week on a jet plane to Singapore... although we all know that she will be back again. In what state is as good as anyone's guess!
-o0o-
I had flown to Manila a few days before her flight, on the pretext of assisting Ella in packing her bags. But the truth was that I was fearful that she would pack the ref into this enormous red (yes, ladies and gentleman - RED!) luggage she had purchased. She had also been nonchalantly hinting that, should she leave without much pocket money, it would be easy for her to sell one of the kidneys of her 14-year-old sister, Toni. Or perhaps the brain of her 18-year-old brother, Diego? Truly, Ella is capable of anything.
I had no choice but to fly to Manila just to make sure that my two other children and the ref were intact.
-o0o-
So off we went to the airport -- Diego and Toni with their father and me -- to see Ella off. At random, last minute reminders were flying inside the car. Ella, who was dealing with a gamut of emotions and thoughts, had no choice but to listen (hear?) to all the advice.
Do not chew gum in Singapore, lest you be fined. Do not litter in Singapore. Do not smoke in public (Ella has asthma so she does not smoke). Do not drink alcohol (Ella has a weak tummy so she does not indulge in alcohol). Cross on pedestrian lanes. Take the bus at the proper bus stop. Always line up (queue up, they say there) whether it is to register at the university or to take the elevator (the lift, it is called there). If you break rules in Singapore, you will surely get arrested.
Suddenly, Toni blurts out, "Can Ate wear her tank top in Singapore?" Silence.
Then Diego replies, "No, she can't or she'll end up in jail." And we all end up in stitches.
Ella, Diego, Toni and I finally decide that Ate should not even move or breathe when she gets to Singapore to avoid military confrontation.
-o0o-
Then I remembered Ella's enormous red luggage -- so big I could probably fit in it. I reminded her to get a porter at the airport to assist her in lifting to check in her stuff. Then my thoughts continued... Who will help my baby get her enormous red luggage off the carousel at the Singapore airport? There are no porters at the Singapore airport!!!
Diego innocently queries, "Singaporter?"
Toni quips, "No Singaporter at the airporter?"
Of course, we could not neglect Harry Porter.
-o0o-
By the time we reached the airport, our tummies were aching with laughter. I was no longer in the mood to dramatically perform the role of a stage mother, seeing her eldest off to an alien land. I hugged Ella tightly with all my might. So did Diego and Toni. Then group hug!
Finally, her father hugged her -- long and tight. He had tears in his eyes. I was afraid that he would never let go of Ella, that I might have to call security to extricate him from his daughter, lest she misses her flight.
-o0o-
As it turned out, Ella's flight was delayed for three hours. She spent her time watching "this cute American guy who was also on his way to Singapore" walk back and forth in front of where she was seated. I told her to play with her laptop (whom my children named Leandro, after a porn star or something) instead. She said that she did not want to look like a saucy domestic help with an Apple notebook.
I am certain Ella will survive this new chapter in her life. Last I heard from her is that she decided to get lost for a day in Singapore.
-o0o-
In the meantime, we all went to the mall for a sumptuous lunch and to go shopping.
So much for separation anxieties...
For Bisaya stories from Davao. Click here. (August 13, 2006 issue)
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