Another journey of life commences

Dear insansapinas,

This is the twenty seventh in the series of the Family Tree Project that I launched to leave basic life lessons and work ethics for my grandchildren who would never know how their grandmother, biological or adoptive lived before their birth or age of reason.


He who would travel happily must travel light.



Carrying my heavy luggage, my leather jacket that must weigh another few pounds and my tote bag, I searched for my seat inside the cabin.

Mine was the middle seat, sandwiched between a man and a woman. They must be visiting the extra large section of the department store for their garments' need so that starving them during the whole duration of the flight would save them money from another-lose-20lbs- in- one month diet program. I mentally calculated the flying hours from Manila to Japan where we will be taking a bigger carrier. That was how long I have to endure the mental and physical duress in that cramped space.

I looked at the overhead compartment. Hmm pretty high. I should have obeyed my mother to drink my milk when I was a kid. I realized that being vertically challenged is a disability. I was "disable" to reach the compartment to put my handcarry.

A knight-in-a-shining-armour (not) guy helped me lift the suitcase. He was not doing it to help a lady in distress. He was in a hurry to put his-- a backpack.

" Did you bring Manila Cathedral with you. It must have weighed more than a ton." He complained.

"Ow, I did not get the Mayor's nod for the Quiapo Church so I just settled with the cathedral".
I retorted back.

I haven't even warmed my seat when the lady by the window stood up. She's going to the washroom. So I stood up; the man at the aisle seat also stood up.

I waited for her at the aisle because I thought she would be gone only for a few minutes. The clock ticked tocked and I realized that if I have brought a book of Noli Me Tangere, I must have finished the novel before I saw her emerged from the washroom. Did she take a shower or sumtin' ?

The flight stewardess served us peanuts and soda.

After the drinks had been served, the lady stood up again. I just thought if she has a bladder problem , why did she not ask for the aisle seat?

Anyway, so I stood up again and waited at the aisle again. The clock ticked tocked again.
No, I should not be reading a novel while waiting for her. I could have made gantsilyo and finished one bedspread with matching pillow covers for two.

Then we landed in Land of the Rising Sun. First stopover. Got to transfer to another airline.

The knight-in-the-shining-armour-not- carrying- backpack guy grabbed his stuff. It could be my pleading eyes that made him reached for my suitcase minus the sarcastic remark.

Any way I was ready with more names of churches such San Agustin, Baclaran, St. Jude...

Pinaysaamerika