*Note this story is in Bicol-Naga
“Papa, oya na naman siya!!!”
Kuminiling sa tuo si Danilo asin naheling niya ang saiyang agom turogon pa, ang manga hibe kan saindang aki dae man naka-purisaw sa nangingi-turugan. Nagtingdog si Danilo asin naisip ang sinabi kan psychologist.
Natapos ang lubong magkaka-duwang bulan na ang naka-agi pero manga pila nagu-unog pa. Ini-isip ninda na ang singko aῆos na si Maine akion pa para maintindihan ang manga nangyari.
Alagad makatapos nin perang semana, nagpasing-tabi si Miss Grace na kaulayon sinda manungod sa gibo-gibo ni Maine sa klase.
Ang dating neneng na madunong y pano nin enerhiya nagging mamundo asin mayong girong.
Asin iyan suway pa sa manga drawings.
Na notisya ni Miss Grace ang enot na drawing ni Maine magka-perang aldaw pakatapos ilubong ang lol ani kaine. Kan enot inisip niya na eto paagi nin pag-atubang. Siguro gusto ni Maine na maging medio ang saiyang lola asin iluwas sa kinaban ang saiyang manga namamatean.
Dangan naheling ni Miss Grace ang pag-gamit ni Maine nin madidiklom na kolor, pirmeng pula asin itom; ang kalmado, maataman na lalaogon kan babaye nagiging mas abnormal, sa huring manga drawings iguang naka-nganga asin halabaon ang dila.
Kan hinapot si Maine kung ano ang pigdro-drawing niya ine ang simbag, “Sa banggi pirme na siya na hi sakuya. Pagpig-parong nina Mama asin Papa ang manga ilaw, naheheling ko siya sa may bentana kaya sinabii ko sainda na ilawan ako sa cuarto para dae ang babaye makarane sako.”
Ni-rekomendar ni Miss Grace sa family na magpaheling si Maine sa psychologist para matabangan alpasan ineng oras nin kadeficilan asin ine inuyonan kan manga magurang.
Nagtoktok si Danilo sa puertahan kan aki asin naghapot kung puedeng mag-laog.
“Daddy ang ilaw dae nag-gagana asin naheheling ko siya.”
Totoo na ang nightlight sa may katre ni Maine may diperensya asin itom-kadiklom ang cuarto. Nagtukaw sa gilid kan katre si Danilo asin naghapot kung ano ang problema, mariparo siya sa gamit nin klarong tataramon para maintindihan kan aki.
“Habo ko saiya. Nakaka-takot siya,”
Garo takot na takot talaga si Maine asin kinugos ni Danilo ang aki. Sa oras na ine suminipa ang advice kan psychologist. Ranga, karinyo, asin asertasyon ang mga simbag niya sa takot ni Maine. Hinapot niya ang aki kung ine talaga manungod sa babaye sa may bentana, asin iniba niya ang urulay para sa lola.
“Pig-istoryahan man ako ni lola kaidto manungod sa babaye. Sabi niya na pagparong ang mga ilaw asin bukas ang sakong manga mata, maheheling ko ang babaye.”
Aram-araman na ni Danilo ang istorya, ta ine bara-banggi nire-repitir ni Maine magpuon na nagadan ang lola niya. Balik si Danilo sa advice kan psychologist. Inihatag sa sayod ang manga mate kan aki, ginigimata na aram niya ang namamatean kaine na pagmundo para sa lola, asin ang orog na pagmamahal saiya kan gabos. Sinabi ni Danilo na si lola habo na matakot siya. Nagtukaw sinda asin nagulay-ulay manungod ki lola, ni-recuerdo ang mga maogmahon na naka-agi para mabuhay ang manga positibong kamatean.
Pagkatapos pag-girumdom naheling ni Danilo ang kapagalan sa manga mata ni Maine kaya oras na para magpahingalo.
Tuminango ang aki asin sinabi, “Okay daddy, pero paki-bukas kan ilaw. Habo Kong maheling siya.”
Nagtango si Danilo asin binukas ang puerta para maglaog ang liwanag kan ilaw hale sa kasunod na cuarto. Nai-intindihan niya na kaipuhan ni Maine ang panahon para marahay asin magigin pasensyoso siya para sa aki.
Total iyan ang magi-ginibo kan mga magurang.
=——————————————————————=
“Daddy! She’s here again!!”
Danilo looked to his right and saw that his wife was sound asleep, the cries of their child ineffective against her current dream. He stood up and thought about what the psychologist said to say.
The funeral had been finished about two months ago, but the scars still lingered. At 5 years old they thought that Maine was too young to understand what was happening.
But a few weeks after, Miss Grace had asked to speak to them about what Maine was doing in class.
The little girl that was so bright and filled with energy had become despondent and silent.
And that was separate from the drawings.
Miss Grace noticed the first drawing a few days after they buried her lola. At first, she thought that it was a way of coping. Maybe Maine wanted to channel her grandmother and tried to put those feelings out into the world.
Then Miss Grace saw Maine use darker colors, always red and black.; the calm, caring face of the woman in her drawings becoming more grotesque, the later ones having a gaping jaw and a long tongue.
When Maine was asked what she was drawing the girl would just reply, “She always says hi to me at night. When Mama and Papa turn the lights off, I can see her by the window so I told them to give me a light so she can’t go near me.”
Miss Grace recommended that the family see a psychologist to help Maine get through this difficult time and her parents agreed. They took the words of the psychologist to heart and memorized how they should talk to their daughter.
Danilo knocked on his daughter’s door and asked if he could come in.
“Daddy the light isn’t working and I can see her!”
Maine was right, the nightlight by her bedside was pitch black and definitely broken. He sat by her bedside and asked her what was wrong, carefully remembering to use clear words to let her understand.
“I don’t like her. She’s scary.”
She did seem scared and Danilo took his daughter in his arms. It was at this point that the advice of the psychologist kicked in. Responding to her fear with comfort and reassurance. He asked her if it was really about a woman in the window, and changed the topic to her lola.
“Lola used to tell me about her. She said that if the lights were off and if my eyes were open, I could see the woman.”
Danilo knew this part of the story well enough, it was something that Maine repeated every night since her lola passed. He returned to using the psychologist’s advice. He put her emotions into words, telling her that he knows she feels sad about her lola, and how much everyone loved her. He told her that lola wouldn’t want her to be scared. They sat together and talked about lola, thinking back to happy memories to activate positive feelings.
When they finished remembering Danilo saw the tiredness in Maine’s eyes and told her it was time to get some rest.
She nodded and said, “Okay daddy, but please put the lights on. I don’t want to see her.”
Danilo nodded and opened the door to let the light in. He knew that it would take time for her to heal from the loss and he would be as patient as he needed to be for Maine’s sake.
After all, it’s what parents do.
=—————————————————————=
*Central Bicol, commonly called Bicol Naga, is the most-spoken language in the Bicol Region of southern Luzon, Philippines. It is spoken in the northern and western part of Camarines Sur, second congressional district of Camarines Norte, eastern part of Albay, northeastern part of Sorsogon, San Pascual town in Masbate, and southwestern part of Catanduanes. Central Bicol speakers can be found in all provinces of Bicol and it is a majority language in Camarines Sur.
Written by Karl Gaverza
Bicol Translation by Patricia P SanJose
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Patricia P SanJose
Inspired by a story told by Teresita Gasga
Kulukupap Illustration by Alvin Gasga
FB: The Art of Alvin Gasga
