DAY OF THE DEAD
Neil Gaiman wrote an episode of BABYLON5 where the dead came back and spent a day with their loved ones. I forgot the details of the story, but each crew member of Babylon5 was only visited by one person from beyond.
Which makes me wonder who will come and visit me if that strange cosmic event ever happened on Earth.
So, let me take the time to remember three people on this day.
BUDDY TAN: That’s what a lot of people called me dad. I wonder if his mother ever called him “Salvador!” when he was being naughty or disobedient. A lot of people also called him “Boss.”
When me and Brandie were still kids, we used to sleep in between my mom and dad. When we got too large to fit in one bed, we started sleeping in the other room with my mom. My dad would make me stay with him. He’d tell me that the aswang might come and he’d need me to stay and protect him. Now that I think about it, knowing that an aswang would come should’ve scared me more and made me run to the other room.
We eventually got used to that sleeping arrangement: I’d sleep with my dad and Brandie would sleep with my mom.
My dad had the habit of reading before he slept. Since he kept a reading lamp on, I kept my reading lamp on as well and read my comic books while he read his magazines and books. It’s a habit I still have today.
ROG ACUNA: His was born Rogifort. His parents and teacher called him Rogi. We called him Rog. He was my classmate in high school and he was one of my best friends. It was through Rog that I met Bow, Taps, and Dang. They are probably the best bunch of storytellers I’ve ever met. The thing about them is, they love conjuring these tales of fantastic worlds and brave adventurers, but rarely did they ever write them down. We did get to do this story about a brigade of soldiers who traveled through time, but we never got to finish it.
Before we could give it a proper ending, Rog died. He died saving his kid brother. A freak accident caused their water heater to conduct electricity. His mom was giving his brother a bath and they would’ve been electrocuted if it wasn’t for Rog.
He ended up taking the brunt of the electrical charge which sent him into a coma for seven days; a coma which he never woke up from.
After college, me and the guys put together COMICS 101. Couple of nights after we got the printed copies of the comic book, I dreamt that Rog was reading a copy of it. After reading it, he stood up and gave me hug and said I did a good job. I woke up, smiling, and crying at same time.
ENRIQUE GARCIA: I called him “lolo” even though I have no memory of him. In my grandparent’s house, there’s a picture of me with my grandfather. We’re in the garden. He’s wearing this brown polo with a funky 70s pattern and brown flaired pants. He was also wearing this big shades. I was seated on his lap, in diapers and a white sando. I think I was smiling in the picture, although I looked like I was wincing because the sun was so bright. Lolo died when I was still a baby. They say I was spoiled when I was with him.
May the Good Lord bless all our dearly departed.
May perpetual light shine upon them.
May they rest in peace.
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Neil Gaiman wrote an episode of BABYLON5 where the dead came back and spent a day with their loved ones. I forgot the details of the story, but each crew member of Babylon5 was only visited by one person from beyond.
Which makes me wonder who will come and visit me if that strange cosmic event ever happened on Earth.
So, let me take the time to remember three people on this day.
BUDDY TAN: That’s what a lot of people called me dad. I wonder if his mother ever called him “Salvador!” when he was being naughty or disobedient. A lot of people also called him “Boss.”
When me and Brandie were still kids, we used to sleep in between my mom and dad. When we got too large to fit in one bed, we started sleeping in the other room with my mom. My dad would make me stay with him. He’d tell me that the aswang might come and he’d need me to stay and protect him. Now that I think about it, knowing that an aswang would come should’ve scared me more and made me run to the other room.
We eventually got used to that sleeping arrangement: I’d sleep with my dad and Brandie would sleep with my mom.
My dad had the habit of reading before he slept. Since he kept a reading lamp on, I kept my reading lamp on as well and read my comic books while he read his magazines and books. It’s a habit I still have today.
ROG ACUNA: His was born Rogifort. His parents and teacher called him Rogi. We called him Rog. He was my classmate in high school and he was one of my best friends. It was through Rog that I met Bow, Taps, and Dang. They are probably the best bunch of storytellers I’ve ever met. The thing about them is, they love conjuring these tales of fantastic worlds and brave adventurers, but rarely did they ever write them down. We did get to do this story about a brigade of soldiers who traveled through time, but we never got to finish it.
Before we could give it a proper ending, Rog died. He died saving his kid brother. A freak accident caused their water heater to conduct electricity. His mom was giving his brother a bath and they would’ve been electrocuted if it wasn’t for Rog.
He ended up taking the brunt of the electrical charge which sent him into a coma for seven days; a coma which he never woke up from.
After college, me and the guys put together COMICS 101. Couple of nights after we got the printed copies of the comic book, I dreamt that Rog was reading a copy of it. After reading it, he stood up and gave me hug and said I did a good job. I woke up, smiling, and crying at same time.
ENRIQUE GARCIA: I called him “lolo” even though I have no memory of him. In my grandparent’s house, there’s a picture of me with my grandfather. We’re in the garden. He’s wearing this brown polo with a funky 70s pattern and brown flaired pants. He was also wearing this big shades. I was seated on his lap, in diapers and a white sando. I think I was smiling in the picture, although I looked like I was wincing because the sun was so bright. Lolo died when I was still a baby. They say I was spoiled when I was with him.
May the Good Lord bless all our dearly departed.
May perpetual light shine upon them.
May they rest in peace.
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