Halos binalot ng nakasisilaw na liwanag ang fastfood center nang siya ay bumungad. Sa bukana pa lang, nag-uumapaw na sa mukha ni Impong Tasyo ang nagniningning at sobrang saya. Mayroon siyang anunsiyo: “Mga katoto, spring na!”
“Wetaminit, kapeng mainit!” dighay ni Tiyo Pilo. “Naghahanda ka na naman ba sa darating na winter?”
KJ talaga itong si Pilo, ‘di ba? Kaya dinukot ni Impong Tasyo ang cellfone sa likod ng pantalong maong. May tinawagan. Pag harap sa barkada, ungos ni Impong Tasyo: “Alam n’yo ba na Dig Out Volunteers Day ngayon? Kaya na-mobilize ko ang grupo para hakutin ang natitirang snow at yelo sa Toronto at itambak ito sa bakuran ni Pilo! Wala lang kaming mahiram na groundhog para senyasan si Pilo kung kailan darating sa kanila ang spring.”
Umabot din ng mga sampung sandali ang masayang hagalpakan.
Sa kabilang mesa ay naulinigan: “These fellows are always happy and smiling when they meet every Saturday. I can just imagine what they go through the rest of the week.”
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Para bang nahimbing, biglang tumahimik ang paligid. Kumbaga, para bang may dumaan na nakabibighaning anghel, na may dalang iced coffee at blueberry muffin.
Katulad ng marami sa Canada, hindi maiaalis sa umpukan ng mga Ageing Gracefully ang mabilis na paglalakbay ng kanya-kanyang diwa. Spring na, at maraming tanong ang dapat sagutin, maraming gawain ang dapat pagka-abalahan, maraming pangako ang dapat tuparin at maraming masasayang pagsasama ng pamilya at kaibigan ang dapat planuhin.
Malamig-lamig pa rin ang panahon (isang sweater o jacket nga lang ba ang kailangan?). Aba’y fashionable pa rin naman ang tungkod at walker, ‘di ba?
Umuwi kaya sa Pilipinas (sobrang init naman daw duon; may paalala pang huwag lilipad sa Max 8)? Mag-cruise kaya (ikaw din, baka ma-Viking Sky ka)? Mag-road trip sa bandang timog (sige, ikaw ang mag-drive at gigisingin ka na lang pagdating sa pupuntahan)?
Aysus! Sa bahay ka na lang kaya, maraming pinggan pa ang iyong mahuhugasan. Bukod duon, maipapahinga mo pa ang iyong mga tuhod at kasu-kasuhan sa ibabaw ng sofa o sa kama. Abot na abot mo na ang iyong mga gamut, kasama mo pa si Misis habang sa panonood ng Korean telenovela at Ang Probinsyano bago ito mag-ending pagkatapos ng eleksiyon sa Pilipinas ngayong darating na Mayo.
Tapos na ang spring break. Kung may balak i-treat sa labas ang mga apo, hintayin ang weekend o ang mahaba-habang summer break. Don’t expect nga lang na sabayan ka nila sa pamasyal sa mall (mabilis silang maglakad at medyo nahihiya kapag inaalalayan). Dalhin mo na lang kaya sa paborito nilang fastfood o restaurant (hehehe, baka kapusin naman ang pension, OAS at GIS!)
Nadulas na naman si Tiyo Pilo: “Hoy! Gising! Wala na ang anghel!”
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Wala na nga ang winter. Spring na, dumating eksakto 5:58 p.m. ET nuong ika-20 ng Marso. Kinagabihan, may full super moon. Mas malaking tingnan ang buwan dahil malapit-lapit ito sa Earth (huling nagkasabay ang spring equinox at full moon 38 taon na ang nakararaan). Mabuti na lang at hindi naglipana ang mga luko-luko.
Ooops. Meron konting pahabol si Old Man Winter. Wala pang 18 hours of spring, akalain mo bang nag-snow? Sinabayan pa ng malakas na icy gusts! Naman, naman, naman! And then, lumabas in full blast si Haring Araw at madaling tinunaw ang puting kumot.
Si Impong Tasyo, may anunsiyo again: “Sa ika-21 ng Hunyo, Biyernes, eksakto 11:54 a.m., summer na!”
Tunay na naalimpungatan ang grupo. Ngitian at tawanan na naman.
Mula sa kabilang mesa: “The positive outlook of these guys never fails to amaze me. They make Atlas, said to be the image of human endurance, look like a small ant carrying a big ball of cotton up a wall.”
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No cutlery, no dishes; ergo, no forks, knives and spoons. But we all had a big hearty meal, in a sit-down family “boodle” at Philippine Islands in Toronto, Ontario (PI In TO) restaurant to celebrate three birth anniversaries: mine on March 12, my daughter Bong’s on March 21 and my grandson Gabe’s on March 22.
Admittedly, the family “boodle” was a far cry from similar experiences I have had as a news agency and newspaper reporter-editor covering an armed conflict and ensuing peace efforts in Mindanao, in the southern Philippines from the mid-70s to the early 90s.
Soldiers on a combined counter-insurgency mission and civil-military operations led by then Central Mindanao Commander Brig. Gen. Jose P. Magno, Jr. (now major general, retired) had to take five. Wary and tired, they had to get that much-needed rest, much more that much-needed repast. The pit stop was at Lake Sebu in South Cotabato, in the not so distant past of the 80’s.
Always on the go, they did not have the luxury of time. With the owner’s blessings, they caught as many tilapia fish as they could at the nearby lake, and had the catch grilled. Some cooked rice in pans they had with them. Others laid out banana leaves on a wooden table and on the ground. I was a witness to “organized chaos.”
When the steaming rice laced with grilled fish groomed the leaves, lake-washed hands of soldiers — standing or squatting around the “boodle” – went to work. A multitude of fingers simultaneously scooped up the rice, pinched a piece of fish meat, as the thumb shoved all into the mouth. The “boodle fight” was fast, as it was furious. With gusto, they ate and rested, rested and ate, shoulder to shoulder. It was over in a few minutes.
On the other side of the fence, Filipino Bangsamoro mujahideen engaged in a principled and protracted war to be free of Manila’s colonial rule would know what a “boodle” was. Always on the run, they partook of nature’s bounty with bare hands in the most unusual spots. After all, the finery of city dining and the comforts of delis (delicacies and deliveries) were distinct anomalies in high places covered by thick foliage.
After a print-broadcast interview three or so decades ago, fellow Torontonian and journalist Serenity and I had the pleasure of sharing a “boodle” of steaming rice, canned sardines and corn on the cob with then Moro Islamic Liberation Front armed forces commander and his men in a makeshift camp at the hilly outskirts of Sultan Kudarat town in Maguindanao province. Today, Ahod Balawag Ebrahim, then known as commander Al Haj Murad, sits as the interim Chief Minister of the government’s newly-formed Bangsamaro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). If ever I would “boodle” with him again, there should be a water pump nearby.
I would never forget these “boodle” moments of eons ago. These were special times when I saw brotherhood and camaraderie rule. It transcended that part of filling up a belly and the burp of satisfaction. It was prime time for cooperative sharing, regardless of who dug in.
Hopefully, now that a big part of the military and the Bangsamoro forces are on both sides of one coin named BARMM, a friendly “boodle” fight should be tabled.
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Many Toronto families and groups with Filipino roots and affiliations have made the “Dig In Boodle” a recurring event in backyards, parks, eateries and the like, especially during summer.
It is not necessarily a craze. It is more like promoting Filipino culture and the tradition of “kamayan” or eating with the hands. Try it. By the way, it only takes 30 seconds to wash and clean the hands and endless time to enjoy food with those close to you. Further, isn’t tissue enough to do “kamayan” with hamburgers and French fries?
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Try the “boodle” at PI In TO, located near the corner of Midland Ave. and Kingston Road in Scarborough. My discriminating taste buds were so satisfied that the circumstance almost made my belly bulge like no other.
I know that your palate is more discerning than mine, a reason why you should visit PI In TO and dig in on their Batangas Lomi and other great food offerings too.
Young couple Evan and Precious runs PI In TO (Please come in!). Both are well-versed in the food industry and business. Evan finished culinary studies. Precious was engaged in a family restaurant partnership business. Like their love for each other that sparked their lives, their shared love for Filipino cuisine opened a door of cooperative opportunity for Evan and Precious to open PI In TO.
Precious shares her mind: Our parents and many other Filipinos ventured off in search of better opportunities for their families. But, they also missed the culture of food they grew up with. Like them, we see PI In TO as another door where members of the community and this Canadian city’s diverse mosaic could sit and relax, eat and enjoy, and feel the Philippines in Toronto.
She continues: When PI In TO opened in fall last year, we saw it as a journey worth continuing. We are sure to come up with more dishes that incorporates Canadian and Filipino flavors and cooking. With summer coming, a shot at the local food festivals is in the offing.
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Dig out winter. Dig in in spring and summer. Ask Tiyo Pilo what comes next. Dig it? #####