What pranks or jokes did you pull on your sibling, friend or colleague this year? Was it a unique one or did you copy it? April starts off with the joker in all of us and if you got fooled, I hope you didn’t take it personally or too hard. After all, it’s just April Fool’s day. If you didn’t do anything or got pranked this year, I hope next year you will be prepared and brave enough to do a prank on your siblings, friends or even your kids. Do you have any great pranks to share? Share it at www.facebook.com/filamvoicemaui, I would love to hear it!
Shout out to all the April babies especially to Daisy Butay Hayes, Norma Butay Aurelio, Albert Quemado and Carmelita Quemado. Happy, Happy birthday to you! (Tagalog) Maligayang bati sa inyong kaarawan! (Ilokano) Naimbag nga panagkasangay mo! (Ibanag) Makapagayaya nga aggaw na nikeyana mu! (Kapampangan) Masayang kebaitan queca! (Ilonggo) Masadya gid nga adlaw sa imo pagkatawo!
Let’s see what’s going on with our story this month and where Michael and Angel will be going next, shall we?
Angel takes a deep breath and wipes her nawong (face) using the back of her kamay (hands) and quietly says, “I saw Uncle Billy pull out a gun from the glove compartment of the sasakyan (car).”
“Pasensya na, (I’m sorry) I closed my mata (eyes) and that is why I did not see the incident,” Angel says and starts sobbing again.
“I used my kamot (hands) to block my rupa (face) to protect myself,” Angel explains.
She continues, “When the lugan (car) stopped, they told us to get down and run to the tall grasses and save your own life.”
Angel reaches for the tissue on the lamisa (table) and wipes her tears rolling to her nawong (face).
“I grew up in the province so I am used to tall grasses and fields. I saw a bunch of leaves with twigs and broken trees and I hid myself there until it got dark. When there were no people around that area, I walked towards the highway,” Angel says in between sobs.
“I kept walking and walking until I saw the ocean. Near the ocean, there was a park. I saw people in the park sleeping. I slept in the park restrooms because there were men who would like to do something bad to me. I hid there and just came out when the park opened. I hid whenever I saw police officers,” Angel remembers the first few days she arrived in Hawai‘i.
“I have not seen Uncle Billy and the men who picked us up at the airport since that incident. I don’t have any information about him. I don’t know if he tried to find me or not,” she continues.
“How did you meet this guy?” Michael asks her.
“My Inahan (mother) was the one who introduced him to me. I don’t really know him,” Angel answers.
“I remember my Nanay (mother) was all pahiyum (smile) when she heard I accepted the job. She met Billy from her kaibigan (friend), whose daughter is also working abroad. Billy gave her a job and now their family was able to build a bahay (house) and even have plenty of sasakyan (cars).” Angel reminisces the last happy moments she had with her yena (mother).
“My Nanay (mother) said she heard from her gayyem (friend) Billy is mayaman (rich) man. He wears a lot of thick jewelry and is always visiting the Philippines. I think he recruits young ladies and brings them here or in California,” Angel says.
Uncle Ray is taking notes on the things Angel is telling them.
All mata (eyes) are on her. Everyone is quiet and listening to what she is telling them.
“Do you know what his last name is?” Uncle Ray asks her.
Angel shakes her head.
“Can you find out?” he asks.
Everyone looks at him and say “How?” all at the same time.
Angel looks at Uncle Ray with wide mata (eyes).
“Her Ima (mother),” he says casually.
Everyone is quiet. There’s not a sound in the living room where everyone is sitting.
“Nanay (mother) …” Angel says softly.
Anyways, that’s all I have. Keep an eye out for my column in every issue. I’m Dulce, helping you to master your Filipino Languages. Like always, let’s laugh, let’s makinig (listen) and Let’s Talk Pinoy! Hanggang sa muli! (Until next time!) Ingat! (Take care!)
Dulce Karen Butay was graduated from Maui High School and received her Associate in Arts degree in Liberal Arts from Maui Community College. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, specializing in Accounting, from the University of Hawai‘i – West O‘ahu. She is currently the Administrative Officer at the County of Maui, Department of Finance. Butay is a licensed Resident Producer of Life Insurance with World Financial Group and an Independent Consultant of Saladmaster. She is now part of Saladmaster’s Travel Club and won an all-expenses paid trip to Cancún, Mexico. Butay has traveled to Texas, the Philippines and Thailand as one of the delegates from Island Healthy Solutions, a Saladmaster dealer here on Maui.