dad

Happy father's day to a dad who:

• put himself through school by selling newspapers on the streets.


• was a 16-year-old waiter in the Ateneo canteen.


• is proud to have children graduate from and a grandchild currently studying in said school.


• quit his regular job, borrowed money from the bank and set up the first pawnshop in Daet. This move allowed his family to move into their own house and eventually have a better life.


• started smoking at 16 and quit cold-turkey in his 40s.


• has beautifully dark skin, married to a part-Spanish tisay. Growing up, his daughter had issues about her dark complexion she inherited from him (it didn't help that her 2 kuyas had light complexions). But now, she loves her brown skin and can't imagine herself any other way.


• is a walking encyclopedia.


• has tried to be a Buddhist, an Atheist and a Catholic. Now, he just calls himself a Believer.


• never knew his father's relatives, including his lolo and titos and titas. When his dad was 16 years old, he was a stowaway from Capiz and somehow ended up in Zambales.


• plans to make a roadtrip to Capiz someday and visit his relatives, thinking maybe he'll understand himself more.


• wants "NO REGRETS" to be inscribed on his tomb.


• treadmills or walks briskly 1 1/2 hours a day, making him the fittest member of the family.

Thanks :-)