What do I remember about Daddy?
When I was young, I remember his room outside of Lolo and Lola’s house in Cubao. I remember going there and seeing his wall to wall displays of all his LP records. Sometimes, I would sneak by before knocking and would hear him, in his DJ voice (pretending to be one), introduce his next set of songs. I remember listening to Ann Murray, John Denver, Linda Ronstadt, The Kingston Trios, Harry Belafonte, Dolly Parton and singing with them the songs that would define my childhood…”Jolene,” “Matilda,” “The Banana Boat Song.” “Day-O,” “Blue Bayou,” “Where Have All The Flowers Gone,” “Take Me Home Country Roads,” “Annie’s Song,” “Leaving on a Jet Plane,” “Rocky Mountain High,” etc.
I also remember being afraid of going there to his room at night because of the Capri that he said lived in those coconut trees outside of his room.
I remember, in his younger years, how he kept himself busy cleaning and taking care of the different houses from Cubao, to Ponco to Minnesota, etc. and how I went with him a few times and learned how to “siga” or burn trash to use as fertilizer.
I remember during my elementary years…how I spent time with Daddy Dalmy watching shows about science and nature and how fascinated I was about God’s creations and how I wanted to learn more about them. We would sit in front of the TV in the living room for hours just absorbing as much as we could.
I remember when Matthew was 3 yrs old and we visited PI. Daddy was the first one who introduced video games to him and got him hooked. He also played basketball with him in the area between Lola’s house and Tita Glo’s house.
I remember his video game rental store in front of the West Point house and how proud he was of his tiny store.
I remember his stamp collection. He would give me a few every time I visited but I never quite knew what to do with them.
This last time with him, I remember sitting around Tita Glo’s dining table and spending hours looking at family pictures on facebook until he couldn’t open his eyes any longer and turned in for the night. During the day he brought out his collection of old pictures and reminisced about the times when we were younger. He was so proud of all his nieces and nephews. Oh how he wanted to have a reunion.
He was also quite the architect and I remember asking him to draw for me a landscape design for our backyard now and how he was so willing, yet struggled with his thoughts on how to do it. However, he did show me pictures of Tita Marita’s house in Cavite that he designed and even tried to re-create it on a piece of paper.
But what memory of Daddy will be complete without mentioning his love of Coke. Coke was what defined Daddy. From the time that I can remember to the last time I was with him, he always had his 2 liters in his arms. Now, whenever I see Coke memorabilia, I can’t help but think of Daddy.
Thank you Daddy for all the beautiful memories you gave us, for giving us the best childhood experience we can have, and for exposing us to the world from the loving spaces you called home.
On my way back to the airport on my last visit, I couldn’t understand why tears suddenly started flowing down my eyes. I guess because, without knowing then, it would be the last time I will see him.
To Daddy…as we say “Jamaica Farewell” to you, know that you will always be the “Sunshine on (our) Shoulders”.
We Love You!!
Noreen
