I'm Older than My Dad!

What? No 29th this February? Everyone felt sad. Heck I was just a kid. That meant Dad would have no
birthday this year and every non-leap year. What a disappointment. Oh can't we reform calendars? We were up in arms, bring back the solar calendar. Bring back the lunar! Sorry, there are only 2 famous calendars, namely Gregorian and Pirelli!:)

Wonder how Dad felt cheated a day by Gregorian. Did he consider it an emotional threat which often deprived him of an important ritual event from the day he was born? Was he glad as he felt younger not having to celebrate birthday yearly; wow..technically each cake candle represented 4 years.

We are the only family who celebrated a leap year, often finding ourselves drowning in hot mami noodles and choking on siopao at Ma Mon Luk's restaurant. Bless Ma Mon Luk, a Chinese immigrant who left a lasting legacy to generations of chopstick-clicking Filipinos.

I only have a monochromatic picture of Dad probably taken by my uncle. This was Escolta in '48, a year before I was born. That's the old Escolta bridge with a blurred Regina Building in the background. Dad was trying to catch up with my mum rushing towards a big shoe sale.

God, how I miss Dad, he died in 1998. He enjoyed life fully and never wanted to go overseas. He had lots of friends from all walks of life. For us his children he made sure we went to school and has guided us without interference. He was Barangay captain, basketball coach, drove the first Mercedes Benz Golden Taxi Cab just after the war, drove a lorry for Caltex, drove for executive businessman Mr.Yuchengco and drove us mad when he can't be bothered while running through racing tip papers that filled up his filing cabinet.

I love you Dad. Happy Birthmonth.