C'mon, maybe she's just living up to her name -- SERMONia. That's why she has "pampered" us with her sermons. By the way, can someone enlighten me on how the Filipino language (or is it the people? the culture?) tends to negate/contradict the meanings of DEFINED words in the English dictionary (i.e. sermon, salvage)?
Remember how people in school (both teachers and students!) often joke around, tagging our boarding house either a prison or a monastery? Funny, really.
Remember how we often sneak through the gate (after calling a roommate or housemate to unlock the gate, that is) just to keep Mommy Cora from knowing we came home past our curfew, like 7 or 8pm is already late? Was it 6pm, our curfew? Whoah. And by calling, I mean sometimes we really had to shout at the top of our lungs loud enough for someone inside the house to hear but soft enough for Mommy Cora not to hear. Ang labo. Nakakatawa lang. Ang hirap i-describe pero nagfla-flashback ang experience. And just imagine when you're sneaking through the unlocked gate already (not to mention, succeed in not calling the attention of Mommy Cora), that's when Alpo blurts out his revenge. "Holy cow! I've been staying here for years and yet the damn dog still barks at me?!" Mapapaganun ka talaga! Later we've learned that the dog's losing his eyesight (was that Alpo? kung sino man...). But can't dogs recognize people's smell? Oh well, give it a break, maybe it's confused na lang talaga dahil madami tayo. Seconds later, Mommy Cora's on her way out of the sliding wooden door to check up on his beloved dog's outrage. Ayun, in the end, huli ka din lang! A shower of sermon for you.
Remember how Mommy Cora makes rounds at late nights (parang nasa kulungan talaga e, noh?) making sure the lights in our rooms are out? (Shocks, parang nasa kulungan talaga, kulang na lang flashlight. hahaha.) Then, she goes, "SHHhhhhh...sinong maingay dyan?! blah, blah, blah..." when we're laughing our hearts out or when we're chit-chatting. Sometimes we just ignore her (thinking she's gone already) and continue making noise. That's when we'd hear her yet another angry voice saying, "Isa pa, ha, isa pa..." (something like that, I think. I can't remember exactly). And then we'd stop, errr lower our voices a bit. :)
And how can I forget. Remember how Mommy Cora appears with her planggana, collecting our cellphones during exams? This makes me wanna do a "roll on the floor" laugh for real. :D
But like a normal person, Mommy Cora has her soft (cheerful and even funny) side. She'd treat us at times like donating food during our Christmas programs or to her granddaughter's play in Manila (Julia and Amet lang yata to). She'd let us watch TV, too. I remember the shows we used to watch -- Kay Tagal Kang Hinintay with JLC (Yuri Orbida) and Bea Alonzo (Katrina Argos), Digital LG Quiz, Click, MYX, Sarah G's Star for a Night, etc. Mommy also has her pets -- Mommy Cora's pets (like a teacher's pet, you know). Haha. I certainly was not one of the pets, how sad. :D Being the Mommy's pet equates to being a saint. Haha, exagg. Simply put, mga pinakamababait sa aming mga mababait. :)
Remember [insert whatever memory you can think of]?
High school kids that we were, we harbored so much animosity towards Mommy Cora. Now, twenty something's that we are, I think we've come to realize why it had to be that way. Actually, I still don't fully understand why. No pain, no gain? Diamonds are made under pressure? What can't kill you will only make you stronger? [Insert whatever quote you can think of]. Whatever. But I like to laugh about those experiences that I've/we've had.
I somehow miss Mommy Cora now. And Daddy Cora, too. I miss my bed (for 4 years) back then. I miss my boardmates. I miss my roommates (not much, I see them from time to time. haha). I miss high school.
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