Thursday, February 18, 2010

At 60

Not knowing where to find it, I approached my father.
“Pa, have you seen the flashlight?” He gave me a blank stare which means I had to repeat my words.
“Pa, the flashlight, have you seen it?” I rephrased.
“You’re looking for the plies?” He responded.
“No Pa, flashlight, I’m looking for the flashlight. You know the one you use when it’s dark?" Then I had to act with my hands as if I’m holding one.
“What are you looking for?” He asked with creased eyebrows. I almost give up.
“F-L-A-S-H-LIGHT Pa,” I spelled, teary eyed.
With the newspaper on the chair, I picked it up, rolled it like a cone and from the smaller hole I bellowed.



Seeing my full effort, father laughed at me and the most appropriate thing I could do is to laugh with him. By then I got the answer needed. He just turned 60, the age for a privilege of 20% discounts as a senior citizen and 50% hearing deterioration. These are the days when megaphone becomes a necessity.

I’ve grown up with a father who gives dedication to his job. For so many years of working, I once asked “Pa, how many times have you been late?”
“Once” He answered. It amazed me. It’s amazing for someone who’s always late in school.
“Aren’t you tired of what you’re doing? I mean, doing the same thing over and over?”
“Sometimes, but that’s how I could make a living, I’ve known the ins and outs so well and it’s much harder going back to zero.” That explained well. So I guess nothing could be tiring for something you love.

As a child, I always look forward for Saturday, the payday when father is expected to bring bags of groceries. Dangling sound from the key chain on his bag would be our cue. “Papa’s here!” good news cascaded. All of us would rummage through those groceries and ask for a penny to buy candies but there’s one condition, someone has to prepare him a cup of coffee.

If my mother is a ferocious tiger, my father is a meek sheep. That disqualified him to be the disciplinarian. He’s the most patient person I’ve ever known. A father who went through a lot of disappointments and burdens but never held grudges. You could easily tickle his bone, an incurable giggler. He loves chocolates and my Aunties would tell us how he would fight over a piece of Chocnut when he was a kid. He hates Philippine government as much as local movies. He loves music but rarely sings. He hardly remembers all our birthdays so he keeps a record of it on a piece of paper. Simplicity is his middle name.

So time came when we no longer hear the key chain’s dangling sound. Father won’t be late again, at 60, he went through retirement. He had left the job he loved. I felt his fear, not about having no regular compensation but about doing nothing. He’s not used of being idle for a long period of time. It’s like work-home-work-home and then suddenly he had to adjust to home-home-home-home. It’s not going to be that easy. I would remember those few nights when he’s asleep and I would tiptoe downstairs handling ensaymada (a sweet bread with butter and cheese). Carefully, I would unzip his bag and slip the bread into it. The next day he would ask who put it in his bag and I’ll just prompt the question “How does it taste Pa?” Then he knew it’s me. Sometimes it could be a piece of apple. But now, that bag is just hanging over the door knob and I hoped I could have slipped a lot inside prior to his retirement. Slip things more surprising than ensaymada or a piece of apple, like a crawling crab or a turtle maybe.

He began staying at home, became abreast of the latest shows on TV, enjoyed playing with his grandchildren and spent more time chatting with neighbors. One afternoon he called my name and handed a familiar silk cloth. He didn’t say a word. When I sprawled with my two hands I took aback, father stitched my bathrobe which was torn below the armpit. I stood still asking my self “How many fathers on earth would be willing to stitch his daughter’s bathrobe?” So I guess I’ll be the first one to make statistics for that. I don’t have the figures yet but my father is counted.

So we had plans for him, we can’t let him sit there because we know that’s not him. Treating him like a King is something that won’t make him happy, just a cup of coffee will do. The plans went through, father is now busy. He thinks, he moves, he earns. Doing it lightly and we’re always here keeping track and backing up.

As I wrote this post I had to leave my computer for a while. I stood, passed to my father’s bed and stared to his face with traces of wrinkles where his smiles usually rest. I’d like to hug him but I’m afraid that will wake him up. Just like other fathers, he has shortcomings but those are not enough for me to stop adoring him. So all of us will always have a new chapter in our lives. The age 60 is good one because challenges and blessings never stopped from old age.

In his deep slumber, he has no idea I was writing about him. But I’m not sure if he has an idea how much I love him. If given a time I utter and let him hear those words, I would be more than willing to spell it...a million times…

Regards to your father. :)

13 comments:

Magyar said...

Some young folks say.
__Old people know nothing of life, and need to be taught. "I, then, am ready to learn."

__This, a grand tribute to your Dad; I'm sure he knows how fortunate he is. _m

Unknown said...

Brilliant post Iriz... conveys a lot. Oh and it was your comment that finally compelled me to 'update' my blog.

Hope all's well with you.

Cheers.

polona said...

what a lovely tribute to your father... you are lucky to have such a fulfilling relationship and i'm happy for you...
*sigh*

goatman said...

Many thanks for your regards -- A beautiful writeup for your father.
The problem of staying busy and interested after retirement is age-old and world-wide. My father is also retired and the best I can do is encourage his garden work and try to get him involved with others in neighborhood or at church or old-age home. Where ever others in the same condition can meet.
Pretty soon he will falter and need more medical care. Probably his body will fail and all we can do is hope for a peaceful exit.

Iriz said...

MAGYAR
for me it's a humble act to live your life gaining more knowledge and yet always ready to empty your cup. a good soul is like wine, it just tastes better by time.
glad to meet you! see you around :)

J
im not even sure if i conveyed it right. lolz. sometimes i feel like im talking too much. thanks for passing by. see you by strike two. :)

Iriz said...

POLONA
oh that sigh, thank you so much for reading it through. all of us must have something fulfilling in our lives, whatever it is in your life, im happy too. :)


GOATMAN
we have to understand them by all means. your father is fortunate to have an encouraging son like you. i fear the last part of what you said, i don't even want to think about it. but yeah you're just getting the real point.

thanks! :)

goatman said...

And so it is!

Iriz said...

goatman...i feel sad about that...

goatman said...

I hope that your pa is still giving you a chuckle (laugh) now and then. He seems a gentle person.

Thanks for your words.

Grace Flores said...

very well said and lovely story, advance Happy Father's to your Dad/And all the fathew out there. :) i miss you, would you be kind enough to pm me your cp #, we need to at least say hi okay,,, LOL.. i'm waiting..

Iriz said...

hala...i thought cath just gave you my number. thanks for the greetings by the way. well that's enough to put guilt on me. lolz.we need to catch up on my many things. you know i miss you too. okay i'll pm you my number.:)

Keshi said...

I miss my Papa..I wonder how far is heaven..

*HUGZ*
Keshi.

Iriz said...

Hi keshi! he's not that far... surely, he's within your heart.
*hugz*