(Bahaghari beach - where rainbows dip their multi-colored bows)Off-from-school kids in my neighborhood situated in what has come to be known as Bahaghari place, in the coastal village of Amoingon in Boac, had a lot more energy to spare, deciding to play catch-me-if- you- can, making noise and disturbing the elders in the middle of their siesta hour.
(My Bahaghari)They ran to the beach to play there instead, but almost right beside a nipa-bamboo cottage where visiting friends Nestor and Rudy, and I, were dozing off on the bamboo benches, such that we were simultaneously roused from our sleep.
(Nestor in a pensive mood early in the day of Ninos Inocentes)
Surrendering to the kids’ full-volume shrieks and laughter we ended up joining them with Rudy introducing old guessing games he played as a kid. To add fun, Nestor offered prizes to winners of spur of the moment parlor games and guessing games. Coke and biscuits were offered to everyone when it was over.
“Kailan po uli?”, one girl asked.
“Next year”, Nestor replied, “pagbalik namin pagkatapos ng Pasko, sa Ninos Inocentes (when we return after Christmas on Ninos Inocentes Day).
(One mother took charge of cooking spaghetti with Rudy's help)
That was a year ago. So the kids’ affair this time was done with better preparation and with the support of their mamas and their papas. Some fifty kids 12 years and below were signed up more than a month before the scheduled fun event on Dec. 28. That was more than twice their number then. Another friend, Pilar of Quezon City, thus, generously offered her share of additional cash. Gifts purchased in Divisoria by Nestor and Rudy were delivered ‘door-to-door’ to Rudy’s house. Arriving ahead of Nestor by a week, he was only too happy to wrap and label all those gifts.
(Two siblings at breaktime)
Well, there is a saying that “yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but this moment is a gift, that’s why they call it ‘the present’.
This video records that wondrous gift of that moment.
Boy: “Kailan po uli?”
Rudy: “Sa Ninos Inocentes uli sa isang taon, next year.
(The target shooting team who came with own toy guns)
The Video
