No MGC yet, but Lola is in

Finding M.G.C. Project finally commenced June 2, 2007 by embarking myself to a four-day stay in Pangasinan's San Carlos City. The mission: to re-establish contact with the Cayabyabs and understand my paternal origin.

Initial phase of this personal project involves identifying relay contact persons who happen to live near my mother's birthplace (see redmark129). One of them was MGC's first cousin who brokered a meet up with my father's oldest aunt who now lives in Dagupan (redmark005-010).

The aunt, 70, who asked to be called Lola provided limited, but nevertheless a wealth of information about MGC. It's unfortunate though that MGC is currently out of the country. Still, the conversation was indeed a turning point in my life.

Lola also got to meet my mom (redmark015). She later revealed she herself had already made steps similar to my project. Since we have to consider certain factors involving characters in the project, Lola agreed to deliberately help me once MGC comes back to the country. "Be prepared. You're just a call away," she said.

No sappy melodramas here please. But in the mean time, abangan na lang ang susunod na kabanata as I wait for that important phone call.

For side trips, below are other images that made my stay colorful, a glimpse of simplelife in the barrio.

It happened one night

A study of emotions as a family awaits its first apo. Baby Nashley Garcia Cayabyab was born August 8, 2007 in Marikina. And so are single-mom now a lola, a kuya now a tatay, and a bunso now a tito.

Say hello and welcome to soon-to-be in laws.

Patak ng ulan

Aking isinulat at pinag-isipan noong August 8 kung paano ko pupunan ang bakanteng gabing yaon. Na bagaman umuulan, inisip ko na kailangan may "importanteng mangyari" sa naturang petsa.

Makakahanap lang pala ako ng kasagutan sa aking pag-uwi. Wala ang aking ina, maging ang aking kuya at ang kanyang nobya. Isang kapirasong papel ang bumati sa akin na nagsabing nasa ospital silang tatlo dahil ipapanganak na ang aking unang pamangkin.

Nung gabi ding iyon, isinilang ang isang malusog na babaeng sanggol na tatawag sa akin ng Tito Tet. Bumubuhos ang ulan, gayundin ang aming kaligayahan. Kasabay ng mga patak ng ulan samu't-saring pagninilay para sa aming hinaharap.

Domeng - Arlene wedding

upload in progress...

Finding M.G.C.

M.G.C. has been an enigma for almost 25 years of my existence. His bloodline runs on my veins. People concerned at a recent family affair told me I look very much like him. And so I also bear his name. But none of these seem to satisfy my understanding about M.G.C.. Except that he's my father, as printed on paper,  I can't grasp the sense of the whole thing.

As I embark on my life's first quarter, I'm putting down all my cards. I will pack my bags to Pangasinan in my mission to put a meaningful face behind the name M.G.C..

It's time to put some redmarks on some of my life's gray areas.

 

-May 28, 2007