I thought that I have seen enough of Nanay having known her for a number of years but after having weathered the “monotonous” stories of Loochie and Ivy over a plate of “ginataang halo-halo” . . the more that I admired Nanay. Yes, they were monotonous in the sense that there was only one lead character. . . and that was Nanay Paring. But who cares? She is such a very interesting person and that makes her a superstar in the eyes of those who love her truly and I am no exception.
They never stop telling stories one after another about Nanay. . . . enough to complete a library of short story books about Nanay. And they never run out of stories everytime we meet. . .
And when I started inquiring on the background of those people I met in the wake, one short story led to one another. . . . . all about the greatness of Nanay!
Businesswoman With Excellent PR
Ivy said that Nanay knows how to combine business and “pakikisama.” When young men would make “tambay” in her store to drink beer and the like. . . she would go out of her cashier table and talk to the young lady buyers and in a hearing distance of the girls she would advise the boys not to tease the young ladies. . . . that’s her way of getting sales from the young girls aside from not being afraid to go near her store thus generating more sales. . .
VAP – Very Accomodating Person
Chie would remember the times that their house in Dungo had so many rooms in the ground floor so as to accommodate relatives from Bicol who would love to stay with them and how Nanay had lovingly treated all of them with her own brand of kindness. Some of them were there in her wake like Tio Eli, Tio Ping and his family, Tio Naning and his family, Tio Mer and his family and Tia Sinay’s children. According to Chie, Nanay inspired Conching to study dressmaking while Ate Zeny helped her in her cosmetology course. Nanay would go out of her way to get clients for Conching so she can practice her dressmaking and manicure/pedicure skills . Truly admirable!
The Adviser
She was the adviser of a couple who temporarily lived in a jeepney near their house. . . and everytime they quarrel, they would ran to Nanay for advice who readily patched things up for them. She then offered them a simple decent meal. What a wonderful adviser she was! Her advise comes with a set of meal!
“Para Piso Lang”
She was the kind of “lola” to others who generously gave
one peso daily to a young kid in the neighborhood for his daily ice candy. And there’s another kid who expected a glass of mango shake from Nanay everyday for free and that kid would even invite other kids to ask from her and she would readily accommodate all of them for free. She would say “para piso lang, makakatulong ka pa sa mga bata”
The “Kunsintidor”
Inspite of the objections of Chie re Jun’s smoking and drinking, Nanay would always get her way of sending Jun a bottle of emperador or 2 bottles of San Miguel Beer from her sari sari store to their house’s ref. . . . the bottles will go with a message na “para dalawa lang!” She knows how to meet half way with making other people happy and at the same time being responsible for their actions!
A Mother to Everyone
Emma is one story by herself. Emma stayed with Nanay’s family for a while, sent her to school but finally Emma got married and left their place. When Emma decided to come back, Nanay readily accepted her again and treated her like her own daughter. When Emma made “lambing” that she wants a wallet as a birthday gift , she readily offered one of the wallets that is for sale in her store! No questions asked! Emma loved Nanay as if she was her own too!
