MANOK, MOTORSIKLO and WATUSIS

"Mommy, when are we going to the manok?" "Manok" is my son's byword for my parent's home in Bulacan. They practically enjoy chasing my father's chickens and roosters around. They like very much feeding them too. Ama gives Yno and Deen the chicken feeds, they throw the feeds on the ground, and suddenly, all the chickens are huddled together around them. I can hear my sons laughing as they throw more feeds in different directions.

Recently, Yno has discovered a new interest. He loves riding Ama's motorcycle. Before, he is too afraid to ride on it, now he is too excited! Ama and his grandson Yno have found a bonding time in the motorsiklo as they slowly and steadily roam Malibo for errands and for visiting Yno's Ninang Marlyn last Christmas. It is a surprise for me that I feel less danger in Yno riding the motorcycle with Ama than when we all ride my husband Dino's Innova! Aside from the seatbelts, we have to hold the hand rails as Dino speedily curves through the streets of Manila and then suddenly screetches with the brakes! With Ama's motorsiklo, there is no seatbelt, no handrails; nonetheless, I feel that Yno is safer riding on it, just as I felt safe then riding on it when I was still a child.

Gone were the days when trompillos, fountains, luces, roman candles, five-stars, bawang, baby rockets, whistle bombs, watusis and the likes are fads during New Year's celebration. When we were kids, we were already delighted at the sight of a fountain in our midst, or a trompillo that is fast turning round and round in a wooden pole. A bonfire is usually lit in a vacant lot where we throw 5-stars and other types of "labintador" (per dino) or "rebentadors" (as I knew it). We cover our ears everytime there is a sporadic explosion of firecrackers but enjoyed the smell of dust and the reverie. We even delight in the simple "harmless" watusis, except that one time our little brother Rey swallowed some of them and we all panicked! We observed Rey after swallowing the watusis (we don't know how many) but when he appeared normal, we proceeded to again scratching the watusis on the ground and watch them sparkle to oblivion. My sister Ellen, on the other hand, after that particular New Year, gathered the dusts from all the luces, formed them into a volcano, then lit the mound with a matchstick. There was an explosion and after it cleared, we saw Elen covered with smokedusts, with her eyebrows burnt and her fingers with blisters. She cried aloud upon realizing what happened. I wondered what Inang could have felt then upon finding her daughter in the middle of an explosion. I never saw Elen touch a Luces after that.

Nowadays, the fireworks are quite different. Last night, when we gazed at the city's facade, the skies abound with all sorts of pyrotechnics and displays of lights and colors. Only few have fountains; we only saw one trompillo and watusis are absent! We can hear continuous explosions of labintadors lasting for 30 minutes or more. The endless parade of fireworks in the skies is a source of amazement to everyone. Yno and Deen would clap their hands each time a nice display flashes in the sky. As for Dino and I, for the first time in years, we didn't buy any of those firecrackers; not even a simple luces. That's a drawback in condo living. No space, no space. Without the simple bangs, we felt that New Year is not the same. Maybe we will try anew next year.

A PROSPEROUS and HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OF YOU!