Brrr … Ah, September… The first “ber” of the ’ber months. In the Philippines, September 1 is known as the start of playing Christmas songs to kick off the Christmas season. In the United States, this is the month kicking off the transition to winter, and it is called Autumn. Autumn—when the days get shorter, the temperatures start to get cooler and the leaves begin to brown and slowly fall off the trees. It is such a beautiful time. Nope, not in Hawai‘i. It is still blazing hot as heck! Temperatures are still rising, and air conditioners working all day and even into the night for some.
The ocean waters are warm, bodies are sticky thirty minutes after you shower, and we are in the middle of hurricane season which means stocking up on supplies, and fires. Of which, there were fires on Maui every week for the past few months or who knows how long. As miserable as that sounds, Maui is still nō ka ‘oi! I still cannot imagine anywhere else I would rather be but right here on Maui.
Shout out to all the September babies! We have the most birthdays this month! Do you know why? Because it’s cold in December when they were conceived … Happy birthday to Keilah and Deja (1st), Mana (6th, our fur baby) Velma Coloma (6th), Arissa Kira (7th), my cousin Mando Domion (13th), Ferdinand Cajigal (15th) Debbie and Julia (17th), my Aunt Imelda Ulep (18th), to my mom, Dolly (21st) Didi Hamai (22th), Gil Keith-Agaran (27th) and Rhea Botuyan (29th). Pada-pada kam nga kumablaaw ti naimbag nga panagkasangay yo amin! (Happy birthday to all!)
Happy, Happy birthday to you! Maligayang bati sa inyong kaarawan! (Tagalog) Naimbag nga panagkasangay mo! (Ilokano) Makapagayaya nga aggaw na nikeyana mu! (Ibanag) Masayang kebaitan queca! (Kapampangan) Masadya gid nga adlaw sa imo pagkatawo! (Ilonggo)
Let’s see what’s going on with our story this month and where Michael and Angel will be going next, shall we?
“She’s your daughter?” asks Katherine who also has her mukha (face) plastered with disbelief now.
Ray does not deny nor confirm. There is no answer from him.
“Is she?” Katherine asks again.
Still no answer from Ray.
“Are you serious, Ray? How did that happen?” asks Katherine.
Still no answer from Ray. He cannot stand the look Katherine is giving him so Ray looks down and puts his kamay (hand) on his head and then messes up his buhok (hair) for he doesn’t know ano (what) to say or do now. He can feel Katherine is still staring at him, waiting for his answer even if he is not looking at her.
He slowly stands up, walks slowly towards the ridaw (door) and doesn’t say anything to Katherine.
He just leaves her there, sitting, with a lot of questions in her mind.
Flashback
Ray was trying to maintain his balance when he was going to the arubang (front) pintuan (door) of his sister–in-law’s balay (house). He had too much to drink tonight. He made a few friends while he was on vacation with his brother Robert and wife Mila, in the Philippines. Filipinos are really generous and very friendly. Very friendly that when he met a new person, they handed him a bottle of San Miguel beer. He tried to say “No, thank you” a few times but he was not successful. He just found himself drinking beer after beer.
He tried to open the lukub (door) but it was locked. He gently knocked hoping he would not wake his sister-in-law who would make a big deal about his drunkenness. A few more gentle knocks and then the ganhaan (door) finally opened.
“Sir are you ok?” said one of the maids in the balay (house). She is the youngest amongst the maids and who had the sweetest pahiyum (smile) whenever he saw her. The other maids are older and always have a “mad” face when they saw him.
“Salamat (Thank you) for opening the pasbul (door),” he said in a slur. He leaned on the puwerta (door) when he felt he was about to fall. He felt the room was spinning.
Luckily, Lena caught him and helped him to get into the bale (house).
“You are so heavy sir. Can we walk slowly so we don’t fall?” said the maid so carefully helping him to get to his room.
Ray turned to Lena and said, “Did anyone tell you that you are napintas (beautiful)?”
Lena blushed and said, “Sir, you are drunk. Please itigil (stop) saying nonsense. We are going to …” She didn’t finish what she was saying and they hit the lamesa (table).
“We are going to hit the lamisaan (table),” Lena said it quietly but loud enough for Ray to hear it.
Ray laughed so loud. He hit his knee on the coffee lamesa (table) and he laughed instead so he could not feel the pain. They almost fell on the floor. It was a good thing Lena leaned on the wall.
Ray regained his balance and put his arm around Lena.
“What is your name, maganda (beautiful) lady?” Ray asked with a big yuhom (smile).
Lena avoided his question and continued to help him walk towards his room.
“Makasta (Beautiful) lady, what is your name?” Ray repeatedly sang those words until they reached his room.
Lena slowly helped Ray to lay down on the bed. She was about to leave when Ray pulled her, which caused her to fall onto him. Ray hugged her tightly and fell asleep.
Lena tried to get out from the tight hug of Ray but every time she tried to get out the tighter the hug.
“What am I going to do?” thought Lena worriedly. “I don’t want anybody to see us like this. They might think something is going on with us.”
She tried to get out of Ray’s arms when she heard footsteps.
Someone is coming, Lena said to herself.
Who could it be?
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 the owner of Maui Balsamic Vinegar and is a licensed Resident Producer of Life Insurance with World Financial Group and an Independent Consultant of Saladmaster. She is a 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.