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| My Ate Mencie loved snacking on Clover Chips and Coke. |
We Filipinos recently observed All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day (November 1 and 2, respectively) and most, as tradition dictates, went to the various cemeteries to visit the tomb of our dearly departed. My eldest sister, her son, one of my kids and I were among those who trooped to the cemetery, bringing flowers to offer at the final resting place of our beloved sister, Mencie (Menchie to her friends). Visiting her tomb and afterwards, the house that she and her husband built in the late '90s in Antipolo, sent me temporarily sinking into the blues as I remember how good a sister Ate Mencie was to me.
She was 11 years older than me, the bunso (youngest) of five children, all girls. Growing up, I wasn't close to Ate Mencie or aware of how kind and generous she was because it was our eldest and second siblings who took care of me. Our parents have lived in the province for all my life, coming to Manila to visit us kids only every now and then. I practically was raised by my sisters with the help of two grandmothers who were my mom's aunts.
When my eldest sister decided to join our parents in the province for good because she was having respiratory problems in the big city, and the next sibling left to work and live in the US, it was the turn of Ate Mencie and the sister next to her to take care of me. I was then a teenager attending high school and a rebellious one at that. Ate Mencie and I would sometimes argue because when she berated me over something, I would talk back. I was quite the "bad girl". But my nasty nature didn't deter Ate Mencie from taking good care of me. When I got into college at UST, there was one school day that was particularly rainy. As you may already know, UST is notorious for getting flooded on rainy days. On that day, because I didn't want to be absent and classes were not suspended, Ate Mencie accompanied me to school, as she worried about me wading in the flood. At least, I did not have to wade alone, I had a sister braving the flood with me.
When my eldest sister decided to join our parents in the province for good because she was having respiratory problems in the big city, and the next sibling left to work and live in the US, it was the turn of Ate Mencie and the sister next to her to take care of me. I was then a teenager attending high school and a rebellious one at that. Ate Mencie and I would sometimes argue because when she berated me over something, I would talk back. I was quite the "bad girl". But my nasty nature didn't deter Ate Mencie from taking good care of me. When I got into college at UST, there was one school day that was particularly rainy. As you may already know, UST is notorious for getting flooded on rainy days. On that day, because I didn't want to be absent and classes were not suspended, Ate Mencie accompanied me to school, as she worried about me wading in the flood. At least, I did not have to wade alone, I had a sister braving the flood with me.
Two years later, I transferred to another school, the College of the Holy Spirit (where I finished Fine Arts) and by this time, I was into rock music. I adored the Pinoy rock band The Dawn and was always present at their mall shows and concerts. When the band's famous guitarist Teddy Diaz died and a concert was held to pay tribute to him, Ate Mencie accompanied me to watch it even though she disliked rock music (she was into the classics), because my friend who was my constant companion to The Dawn shows could not make it that night. During the show, I danced, jumped and sang into each song and naturally, broke into a sweat (the Metropolitan Theater was the venue). Next thing I knew, my Ate Mencie was slipping a hankie on my back under the shirt so that I would not catch a cold from all the perspiration soaking and drying into my skin.
Meanwhile, my birthdays were always special. In those mornings, I would wake up, but not make it obvious, as my Ate Mencie sneaked into my room before she went to work, to leave a present for me. On my first birthday after her passing, I "waited" for her to "do" this. I wished I'd see her tiptoe into my room to again leave a present for me.
When I got married quite early the same year I graduated from college, my hubby and I experienced financial difficulties as we both had not yet had decent and stable jobs. Thankfully, my Ate Mencie and our sibling after her were there to help our young family, especially when kids came one after the other.
Sadly, in year 2000, Ate Mencie was diagnosed with breast cancer and she passed away in 2002. Now, 10 years later, tears would still sometimes well up my eyes whenever I think of my sister. I still miss her. We all do, my mom even more, I'm sure. We are only consoled by the existence of the two rambunctious but intelligent boys (they're as smart as their mom, who ranked No. 10 in the CPA Board exam in the late '70s ) who she left so suddenly when they were still very young. I guess one would not forget a sister as good and giving as my dear Ate Mencie. Not all sisters are as caring, loving and generous and I was fortunate to have her, albeit for a short time.
Meanwhile, my birthdays were always special. In those mornings, I would wake up, but not make it obvious, as my Ate Mencie sneaked into my room before she went to work, to leave a present for me. On my first birthday after her passing, I "waited" for her to "do" this. I wished I'd see her tiptoe into my room to again leave a present for me.
When I got married quite early the same year I graduated from college, my hubby and I experienced financial difficulties as we both had not yet had decent and stable jobs. Thankfully, my Ate Mencie and our sibling after her were there to help our young family, especially when kids came one after the other.
Sadly, in year 2000, Ate Mencie was diagnosed with breast cancer and she passed away in 2002. Now, 10 years later, tears would still sometimes well up my eyes whenever I think of my sister. I still miss her. We all do, my mom even more, I'm sure. We are only consoled by the existence of the two rambunctious but intelligent boys (they're as smart as their mom, who ranked No. 10 in the CPA Board exam in the late '70s ) who she left so suddenly when they were still very young. I guess one would not forget a sister as good and giving as my dear Ate Mencie. Not all sisters are as caring, loving and generous and I was fortunate to have her, albeit for a short time.
;)
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