The Bird Cage

On my way to office, I saw a bird cage… bird-less.

That’s how our bird cage looks like…

When I was still young, we used to have a pet… a Bato-Bato… actually it was our Lolo’s pet….

it was given to us by my Grandma’s cousin. 

I grew up hearing the hum woot-woot-wooot sound of it (100x) every 5:30am) that has become our alarm clock.  When it fails to wake us up, “may tantrums” hehehe … There’s nothing special about the bird… It hums beautifully just like the other Bato-Bato that we know.

That bird has been a Kapamilya for several years.  We fed him/her (sorry hindi ko alam ang gender) everyday with señorita… (the small banana).  I got scolded when my Lolo saw a piece of munchkin and a glass of orange juice inside the cage.

Ama Turing:          “Hindi kumakain ang ibon ng donut.  At lalong hindi umiinom ng orange juice. Gusto mo bang mabilaukan yan.”

Sheggz:                 “Gusto ko lang matikman niya ang donut.  Para malasahan niya.  Kawawa naman kasi laging saging at tubig.  Tsaka hindi niya naman malulunok yan… tutukain niya isa-isa.  Hinimay ko na nga ung konti eh.”

I winked at the bird… I was the first conniver, isn’t it?  I just assumed that the bird knew what I was saying.

One day, I woke up… hearing no sound from the bird.  That was summer, I think.  I saw my Lolo and Lola in the terrace…  My Lolo was the one holding the cage.

Sheggz:               “Ay.. asan na po ung ibon?  Nakaalpas ba?”

Ama Turing:        “Hindi.”

Sheggz:                “Eh asan po?  Pinaliguan ninyo?”

Ina Minting:          “Hahahahaha hindi.”

Sheggz:                “Asan nga po?”

Ama Turing:         “Pinakawalan ko na.”

Sheggz:                “Ay sus… bakit?  Kaya nga inilagay sa hawla para hindi makawala.. pinakawalan ninyo naman.”

Ama Turing:         “Matagal na natin siyang kasama.. bata ka pa noon.  Matagal na rin siyang nakakulong diyan sa hawla.  Matagal na panahon na din tayong inaliw ng ibong iyon.  Naisip kong pakawalan na.

Mas magiging masaya siya pag malayang nakakalipad at hindi sa maliit na space lang ng hawla.  Nakita ko nga siyang lumipad eh…

Ina Minting:           “Noong pinakawalan namin, ikot lang ng ikot dito sa terrace.  Pumasok pa jan sa loob ng bahay.  Hinabol lang ulit ng Ama mo ng makalabas na.  Noong andito na sa terrace, noong lumipad na.. parang lumilingon pa dito.  Para ding tao.”

Ama Turing:          “Nakakalungkot pero kailangan din nating pakawalan.  Mas magiging masaya siya pag malayang-malaya.  Marami pa siyang magiging kaibigang ibon sa labas.”

Sheggz:                 “Eh bakit kayo malungkot.  Pinakawalan ninyo tapos malungkot kayo.”

Ama Turing:          “Antagal din nating inalagaan iyon eh.  Siyempre, nakakapanibago din na wala nang iipot jan sa terrace.  At ikaw na lang ang kakain ng señorita.”

Sheggz:                “Hindi naman kaya ako ibon.  Nakakainis naman kayo.  Pinakawalan ninyo pa.”

Ama Turing:         “Ang ibon, para sa kapwa ibon… nagpapasaya lang sila sa mga tao.  Pero hindi kailangang habambuhay, ganoon na lang lagi.”

Sheggz:                 “Hindi ninyo man lang ako ginising ng makita ko man lang umalis ung ibon.”

Ama Turing:         “Para ang maalala mo na lang ay ang huling magkasama kayo.  Para masaya at hindi malungkot diba?”

At that time, I cannot fully understand the reasons behind the reasons given at hand.  I was just forced to accept it because I’ve got no options but to…

This is just one of Ama Turing’s great shares of wisdom.