TO many, one’s birthday is a time to rejoice for another year in his lifetime.
But, Short Cuts has another view.
To him, birthday is to reassess and reexamine one’s past.
This is done if only to have a firm and solid foundation for one to succeed in life. If the past year was a failure, one has to work hard for the succeeding year. However, if it was a successful one, he must not be satisfied nor contented with such success. It was only an initial one. Go for another year.
GO BEYOND!
It is Short Cuts’ understanding that if one believes otherwise, he has no business staying alive for some more days.
So that in Short Cuts’ birthday celebration yesterday, he had to reminisce his past.
It was full of memories. It was full of ups and downs.
And, here it goes . . . .
Short Cuts is the fourth In a family of six, with the eldest as an accountant, second to the eldest as a retired RTC judge, third to the eldest as a retired land surveyor, Short Cuts’ younger sister as retired DepED Supervisor, and Short Cuts’ younger brother as retired engineer at NAPOCOR.
Including Short Cuts, all of them graduated college degrees as working students. Their father was only a Grade 1 completer and their mother a Grade 2.
Short Cuts was only in Grade 3 – at age 9 – when he volunteered to his father to tender the family-owned male carabao. It was on that specific young age also that Short Cuts’ love for pet animals began. Therefore, other than the male carabao, he also grew chickens.
The raising of chickens, to Short Cuts then even as a young child, had a purpose.
He planned to use the same for his birthday celebration!
And, was Short Cuts’ purpose in raising chicken fulfilled? Definitely, NO. The reason or reasons?
Almost all of Short Cuts’ two dozens of personally raised roosters and chickens were used by his parents in serving guests in a baptismal party of Short Cuts’ youngest brother. This was done without the knowledge of Short Cuts as the grower.
Short Cuts was terribly shocked to know the incident. As a consequence, he left the parental house for one day. For three successive meals, he opted to be away from his parents. He stayed with his uncle. It was only when Short Cuts’ mother approached him with teary eyes that Short Cuts returned home.
The incident gave a lesson to Short Cuts and his parents.
It was never repeated!
The second memorable incident in Short Cuts’ life was when he graduated
his secondary course in 1958.
Short Cuts was alone during the Graduation Ceremony. Although, he graduated with flying colors, none of his parents, brothers and sister and relatives ever attended his graduation.
What made the event very memorable was the fact that upon his arrival from the affair he received the worst GRADUATION GIFT from his mother.
Instead of saying, “CONGRATULATIONS, my son”, she said`: “Dionisio ayaw` baya pagto-u nga maka – eskwela ka sa kolehiyo. Unahon nato ug pa kuha sa Bar Examinations ang imong maguwang”. (She was referring to Short Cuts’ 2nd to the eldest brother who graduated his Law Course that year.)
And, who could that ambitious young man that could not be disheartened by such a statement?
So, apparently challenged by the most discouraging and irritating statement of Short Cuts’ mother that particular evening, he requested his parents for a breakfast meeting the following day.
“Nay ug Tay, mosugot kamo ug dili, mo-eskwela ko sugod karong Hunyo pohon”, was Short Cuts’ opening statement in that meeting.
However, Short Cuts’ strong determination met an equally strong statement from his mother.
For three occasions she said: “Asa man ta ug kwarta?”. But for three times also Short Cuts had to counter by saying, “Basta, mosugot mo ug dili Tay ug Nay, mo eskwela ko karong Hunyo pohon.
Then silence followed.
Maybe convinced by Short Cuts’ firm determination to go for college education despite the family’s dire poverty, his mother’s only answer was her tears. She sobbed for some minutes.
If only to provide solution to the problem, Short Cuts had to suggest.
“Nay ug Tay taga-i na laman ko ug kuwarta para akong ipamilite ngadto sa Cebu kay adto ko mangita ug amo aron maoy mogasto sa akong pag eskwela sa kolehiyo. Apan ayaw pagdahum nga kanunay pa kita magkita kay anha ra ko mo-uli dinhi sa ato kon maka gradwar na ako sa kolehiyo.”
Short Cuts had the honest belief that with the suggestion, his parents would be relieved of the problem.
But Short Cuts was totally wrong. Instead, his mother cried to her utmost.
How about Short Cuts’ father, what was his role in that breakfast meeting?
From the start of the huddle, his father was as silent as the Morning Star. He was speechless.
Then, suddenly Short Cuts’ mother, maybe revived from the ordeal, came to her senses and said: “Na sigue, ako kang dad-on sa Tagbilaran aron mohangyo sa akong so-ud nga amigo nga nagtrabahho sa usa ka kolehiyo sa Tagbilaran nga pasudlon ka pagka working student.”
True to her statement, Short Cuts finally enrolled in a college degree program as a working student. It started in the Summer Term of 1958.
For lack of material time and space, Short Cuts sincerely requests his valued readers for him to finish the episode by next Sunday.)
