Live for Love: Remembering Lolo Gerry

LOLO and the little ME

At five years old my mornings were greeted with AM radio station and with the sound of you scrubbing the floor with your bunot (coconut husk used for polishing wooden floors). I have known you as the BOSS of your barbershop. Your senior citizen barkadas were starting to arrive by 8 am for your daily dose of men's chikahan. You were always wearing your white v-neck Crispa shirt and goes for a ride on your red vintage bike for your morning exercise. You dropped me and picked me up at school everyday. Asked me to take a nap at 1 pm after lunch. In the afternoon, you let me play in front of the shop with my playmates. At 6 in the evening we go home and have supper. We have two TV's one was colored and the other one was black and white. You loved watching PBA basketball but I used to cry because I wanted to watch my kiddie shows in the colored TV so you ended up watching at the old black and white TV. I believed that at five I was the boss being your first apo (grandchild). Every night I slept in the middle between you and Lola. My childhood was indeed PERFECT and it's because of you and Lola Ely.

My cousin Paolo with Lolo

Lolo, I miss you terribly! I miss your unending stories of Japanese era! I know that when I was 23, you asked me when I am getting married because you want to see your great grandchild from me and I could still remember what you said, "Siguro pagkatapos 'nun pagnakita ko na yung magiging anak mo pwede na akong mamatay." (I think when I get to see your baby I can go.) When I got married I was thinking of you because I was so sure that you're going to be the most excited one.

My cousin May with LOLO

My cousin Nadine with Lola Ely and Lolo Gerry

We have many reasons to miss you, your music, your sweetness and your love... You were a great man, a great father, a loving husband, and a sweet grandfather. But most of all, for each one of us you're an ANGEL who filled our lives with wonderful memories. WE LOVE YOU LOLO!