MOUNT MARY (DANNY)

Post 23: Lolo Ramon's Story

"Hoy Igoy!" never failed to make my ears hot when I hear it from my classmates before at SLU Boy's High. Its true I am one but they say it like its a disease. The distinctive height, the way we dress or maybe, how we talked made this imaginary bold letters, "IGOROTAK" written on our forehead." my Dad expressed.

"During flag ceremonies, usually the first seven boys in the line are full blooded Igorots. We were the easy prey for the bullies. If not because of my free schooling I would have joined my cousins and friends going to the public schools, the treatment might be different there. Most of the rich kids were mean and so with the other half breed Cordillerans who think they were the 'improved race'. But I would say, being a "native" made us knew each other. It bonded us and taught us to be tough."

"I was always fighting other's fight before. If an Igorot was bullied, they come to me and the feeling of being the defender made me rush to their rescue specially when I was in my junior and senior years. I find it funny when I think about it now - "the valor of being young or the gallantry of youth". Danny said as he grins. "Oh, it will change as you grow older."

"Alex came to me during a recess and he was crying. His classmate Anthony punched him and had done it so many times before for no reasons. I went to see this boy and asked, "Sino ti Anthony ditoy?" (Who is Anthony here?). Then a tall big built almost a man answered, "Siak, Apay ya pandak?" (Me, Why you shorty?). My he was big and I almost regretted Alex was my brother. "Apay nga dinanug mo ni ading ko?" (Why did you punch my brother?) I said. Then he asked me if I wanted two more of what he gave Alex. With so many students listening, I will not hide my tail. I told him to pick a place and time for us to fight. "Sport ta!"(let's fight) were our term for it. "Mount Mary's, 'nu bigat, nu' dismissal!"(tomorrow, at Mt. Mary's after class) Anthony answered and I left while we stared at each other like hawks."

"The duel was spread all over the campus. A cousin told my father and the next day I found him in the convent during my lunch break. He asked me about the fight and I told him everything. "It will be at 3 PM this afternoon." I said.

"Then Papa told me, "I bought you some chicken from the restaurant. Before you eat, I'll give you a massage first." and my father did."

"He asked if he could come and watch me take this boy and I told him he better not. He is a parent, a mayor even and it was just not right for him to be there which he also agreed to. "Well, I'll wait here till you get back from your fight then." he said.

"Before I left him, he made a fresh beaten egg mixed with milk and I drunk it all even if the taste made me want to throw up."

"3 PM, on my way to Mount Mary's, I saw my much older and goon like cousins, Pangkoy and Joseph. They told me that my father asked them to be around in case my opponent will also have his escorts. When we got there, almost all the students of Boy's High were already on their most comfortable side to watch the action unfold. There were also teachers and priests who were pretending not to be there."

"The fight ended and left Anthony with a bloody face. I defeated him and even me, was amazed how I did it. Alex told me that I was like a speeding crazy bull throwing punches every where."

"When blood was starting to show on Anthony's face, the teacher's and priests hurriedly left." Pangkoy added.

"It was true, my father waited. As I got in the Father's Convent, he was so elated upon seeing his son. He came to me putting his arms around my shoulder saying, "Ket kumusta?"(So how was it?). I told him how it went and he was so happy and proud. He can't take off the smile in his face and it was the loudest laugh I heard from him when I told him about the teachers leaving."

"When he left, I can't contain my tears anymore and I let it go. I kept saying to myself, "he is going to walk home because of me". Picturing him walking from Acop to Ambassador because he missed the last six o'clock trip(bus) for Ambassador and he will be home by nine in the evening made me sob more".

"That day I came to understand my father. He may have his strange ways in showing his affection but the warmth, the massage, the drink and his protection made me feel so secured. How it gave me the strength and the power to believe I can be a 'Superhero'. Hayyy, Papa did love me after all."