Pat’s grandson just made a fearless forecast: “Winter will be back … after fall.”
So it was said, so shall it be.
Pat asked him back: “Now, why are penguins unafraid of walking barefoot on ice?”
Without batting an eyelash, he said with conviction: “Because they have happy feet.”
*****
No, Pat disagrees with the view that his grandson absorbed and digested too much audio-video animation.
Chances are, the young lad had outgrown the ice cream truck, and has since loved homemade halo-halo.
Whatever, after hearing Pat’s narrative during a Saturday Seniors’ Table Discussions (STD) at a mall, I wished that I could ably replicate a penguin’s happy feet so I could:
Make that first step up to the plate;
Walk and slide over any cold cut or shoulder that comes my way;
Step over the shadow of any and all mistakes of the past;
Trod the whole nine yards and still have strength to throw in an extra mile;
Walk my talk, barefooted or in the shoes of others; and
Have real fun dancing.
*****
How about you? Don’t you like the idea to be like a penguin with happy feet?
Social media enthusiast Roger says he has been reading a lot of posts on the better uses of happy feet; as he enthuses that kicking butts would be an absolutely useless and a very harmful skill.
As he revealed one by one what he read, medical or not – e.g. the feet carry the body’s weight; the feet have pressure points linked to making the heart, the gizzard and the intestine free from aches and pains; the feet normally have ten toes; etc. — he only heard from us the unison “We know!”
But of course, we all lied.
Admittedly, we really do not know everything related to the feet; and we may never know why Roger always refused to take off any of his shoes or socks.
Once, curiosity took the better of Henry, who shyly asked Roger about this still unknown information.
Roger replied slowly but firmly: “I do not want to get caught flat-footed. Whether my feet are on the ground or finally going into the ground, they really feel and look good with shoes and socks!”
Roger, truly, never had a need for shrinks. He’s a happy man.
*****
Here is another Curious Henry remark: “Any sighting of Big Foot must be huge news. Imagine, it must have rocked the world of precise measurements by showing that its foot could be more than 12 inches!”
“We know!”
*****
It really did not bother Rey that he had to join a long queue and had to wait a long time to be served fried chicken, spaghetti and peach mango pie at a newly-opened renowned Filipino fast food franchise in Scarborough.
Rey said he even enjoyed every tick of being with many compatriots who openly shared memories and stories of priceless togetherness with family and friends while savoring the smell and taste of familiarity.
Back in his apartment and as soon as he laid the feast on the table, Rey began raving about the good old days and the great moments – the birthday and anniversary celebrations, meet-ups of friends and workmates, class reunions, and just plain taking a bite — that kept racing in his mind.
Like everyone else, ecstasy and nostalgia filled his being.
Then he caught the eyes of his grandchildren, all exhibiting wonder while staring blankly at the food boxes, as if silently asking: “Has Lolo dismissed his favorable outlook of the colonel, the nemesis of Brutus, underground trains, etc.?”
To show the way, Rey picked a chicken leg, dug into it, sipped soda, cleared his throat, and buzzed: “Of course, you were all born here.”
Excusing his self to take a quick TV peek to know how the Raptors were faring against the Wizards, Rey returned to the kitchen, only to find a table already cleared of every leftover bone, crust and strand, all of which were shoved into the depths of a recycle bin.
How Rey loved the leftover moment and memory; and he never had to put his foot down.
Just like back in the day, while his tummy rumbled, his heartbeat in fulfillment.
Glad, happy and jolly, Rey told himself: “Today and tomorrow begins with the past.”
*****
Seriously, have we really seen the last of winter? No kidding.
I hope that the weathermen would not have to change their storylines every so often.
Signs of spring have finally sprung – the mercury rising to over ten degrees Celsius, more and longer appearances from Mr. Sun, intermittent rain showers, greener grass, and people beginning to dress in shorts and tees.
The birds have started to visit and perch longer on the tall pine tree that beckons at our apartment’s seventh floor window; and flowers have been planted and may be blooming sooner.
Wait! I still have to see and marvel at the field of gold that dandelions create.
Short lived it may be, it is Nature’s work of art, simply beautiful.
No matter how badly and weedy some see it to be, I believe that the dandelion is a God-given floral ornament, notwithstanding its medicinal values and special mission to keep the earth healthy.
Let no feet stomp on it!
*****
“For where two or three gather in My name, there is love.” Matthew 18:20.
Not only love. There is also togetherness, strengthening bonds and relationships and happiness.
From August 17 to 19, I will be attending the 48th high school graduation anniversary of the University of Santo Tomas-Education High School (UST-EHS) Class of 1970, to be conducted here in Toronto with visits to Niagara Falls and Niagara-On-The-Lake.
Oh, the sights and sounds of Ontario and Canada will always be here.
What amazes me is the thought that I look forward to see and be with my classmates and batch mates again, after four years of high school life with them and after nearly 48 years of not seeing and being with most of them.
There will be lots of stories about the great moments we had in high school.
Expected are a lot of narratives too about life and experiences after high school.
A lot of keeping up with the times, as bonds of friendship are renewed and re-affirmed, will fill up the table.
Life is really good to all of us, as we also look forward to attending the class golden jubilee in Manila, the Philippines in early 2020.
This is to invite fellow students and graduates of UST-EHS to join the Class of 1970 in this momentous event, the first Class of 1970 reunion to be conducted in Canada. butchgalicia@yahoo.com
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