Wonderful mom.

(From Philippine Daily Inquirer)

Byline: Sarah Celino

IN THE movie house with my mom and brother-brought there by the talks about Alexander the Great being gay, we watched the previews of the Filmfest entries. One of them was set during the Japanese occupation. As scenes from the movie were being shown, an old, kundiman-sounding song was played. In her seat, mom began to sing. I prayed for the song to end immediately, hoping that if any more song came up, it would be one that my mom wouldn't be familiar with. Please, please, or the movie house would turn into one gigantic videoke bar.

My mom loves to sing. She sings in the car, she sings in an FX, she sings while watching TV, she sings while slicing onions, she sings while wrapping Christmas gifts. I bet she even sings when she delivers her patients' babies or reads ultrasounds.

Next to singing, my mom enjoys talking-with her co-doctors, distant relatives, my high school barkada, cab drivers and tiangge tinderas. I don't think there's anyone my mom wouldn't talk to. She talks with enthusiasm, effortlessly capturing her audience with vivid portrayals and exaggerations. "Daddy, tikman mo 'tong mangga. Napakasarap! Ang tamis tamis tamis! Eto talaga ang hindi kinalburo. Akala mo green-green pa, 'yun pala matamis na. Bigay ito ng pasyente kong sampu na ang anak. Aba, e pinagsasabihan ko nga 'yon at ayaw mag-family planning. Daddy, ang tamis talaga. Iinom na ako ng gamot ko sa diabetes pagkatapos ko kumain nito."

My mom has also an unusual way of attributing things to people. For example, she would tell my brother, "Din, I-drive mo naman kami ni Sarah sa Megamall, at may titingnan daw siya." (She'd say that in my absence.) As my brother changes clothes in his room, my mom would then tell me, "O, Megamall na lang daw sabi ng kuya mo."

As we walk to the car, my brother would ask me, "Anong titingnan mo sa Megamall?"