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Parents complain their work is never done; but we know grandparents
never get any rest, too. Their work extends even beyond the grave
because the things they did, whether good or bad, cannot be cremated
or entered with their bones. The family passes on from one
generation to the next stories about their legendary feats.
Some grandparents are famous, other notorious.
Several are ensconced in the history books, and a few have monuments
to honor their memory. Their grandchildren are proud to carry their
names.
Many of us came from simple families and have
ordinary forefathers. Some of us don’t even know our roots. But a
good number have elaborate family trees, and they have photographs
and mementos of the life and times of their grandparents, which are
treasured family heirloom.
Everybody has favorite stories about their lolo
and lola. One man said he has vague recollections about his
grandfather but was told that he was a fearless man. “He lived
with wild animals,” he said. What kind of work his grandfather
did? “He worked in a zoo,” he said.
Why do people have plenty of anecdotes about
their grandparents, and precious little about their parents? Is it
because the time difference gives them latitude to exaggerate a bit?
Some stories are apparently outright fabrications. But nobody cares
because it happened a long time ago.
One radio journalist, who looks like Resty de
Quiroz of DZRH, loves to tell anybody who cared to listen about his
90-year-old grandfather, who lay dying in a hospital bed. The old
man refused to eat. He told his family to let him die in peace. His
children and grandchildren begged him to eat. He was adamant, and
his continuous response was “no.” In exasperation, Resty told
the old man he will bring him a young woman instead and expected him
to say “no.” The old man said: “Ay naku. Susubukan ko.”
Filipino comedians love to tell stories about
their lolo and lola. In one noontime TV show comedians try to outdo
each other claiming their lola is the biggest, bravest and wisest.
They are very creative, and they never run out of ideas. One TV
viewer remarks: “Kawawa lola nila.”
One lola, if she is still alive, should go
underground (not six-feet below the ground). His grandson, comedian
Joey de Leon, told the nation that her lola is a criminal. “Ang
lola ko ay pumapatay ng press people,” de Leon proudly said.
De Leon should receive the joke-of-the-year
award for his brilliant punch line, which drew canned laughter.
Never mind that he snitched on his lola. Will he testify in a Senate
investigation against his lola? If he does, he will be in the good
company of other snitchers.
De Leon’s joke was timely. About 100
journalists have been killed since 1986, and most of the killings
remain unsolved. If police could not get their hands on de Leon’s
lola because she is underground, they must question him instead. If
he resists, well . . . it’s against the law. If it goes out of
hand, investigators can tell him that the investigation was a joke.
Officers of the National Press Club (NPC) looked
morose as a reaction to de Leon’s joke. Do they know how to laugh?
Anyway it seemed they would not laugh even if de Leon’s lola
tickled their ribs with the barrel of a gun.
The NPC called de Leon’s joke as the “height
of insensitivity.” They demanded a public apology, and de Leon was
quick to concede and admit his mistake.
But journalists are not off the hook. de Leon,
the comedian, has apologized. What about Lola De Leon? She has been
deathly quiet. Remember the old saying, “What lola wants, lola
gets? It means: “Patay kayong lahat.”
Should the NPC officers quickly go underground?
Run and hide?
They might end up six feet below the ground if
Lola de Leon lived up to the billing as a ruthless killer.
The journalists can put up a stand and defend
press freedom with their lives. How do you fight a lola? Will you
holster a six-shooter and challenge her to draw?
Maybe journalists should also organize their own
lolas to go after comedians. Tit for tat. If an open war breaks out
among the lolas, the next generation will have plenty to talk about.
palaciosjp@sss.gov.ph
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