I'M AT that stage in my life when it's no longer my friends or my cousins who are in the marry mood, instead it's my pamangkins who are getting ready to take the plunge.
So when my sister-in-law told me that Ned and I were to be the Ninong and Ninang of our eldest nephew and our charming soon-to-be niece, I took it calmly, matter-or-fact lang. I no longer reacted in my typical forty-something," I'm too young to be a Ninang sa kasal!" mode. It was her next words though that had me in near hysteria, "Si Naki abay din ha......"
And the memories came rushing back. While I may have only been a flower girl two or three times ('yung isa pinilit ko pa), my Juan and only son was quite popular in the coin bearer-ring bearer-bible bearer arena. Whether in barong or silk Prince Charming regalia, we would troop to Pampanga, Bataan, Tagaytay, Bulacan and various parts of Manila to escort our little alalay to the bride and groom.
Those weddings became very memorable, not just because of our favorite couples getting hitched but, because we always had some sort of drama going on. You see, bartering with a little boy is not an easy task. You have to consider several factors: Factor No. 1 -- his walking down the aisle in front of many people. Factor No. 2 - his wearing a scratchy barong or silky Sto. Nino-like costume for no less than five hours. Factor No. 3 - his staying still and not walking around while the wedding is going on. Factor No. 4 - his not screaming, "''Nay, matagal pa ba?" Factor No. 5 - his agreeing to have his hair combed and styled and Factor No. 6 - his walking alone and not clinging to my leg, and not being dragged down the aisle. So what does a Nanay do to get her son to do all those things? Bribery is the key. :)
During the years of his coin bearer-ring bearer-bible bearer career, we accumulated several dinosaurs in all forms and shapes, Power Rangers (blue, green and black; again, in all forms and shapes) and a countless number of books in all shapes and sizes. No, our son's being a member of the entourage did not come cheap, at all.
Well, except for the one time when his Tita/Ninang Bloom and Tito Marvin were adamant that he and his Kuya Phollox would not only be ring and coin bearers but serenade them with the song, "I Will" at their wedding. Since he was already in the fourth grade by then, I told the soon-to-be-weds that it was their turn to do the cajoling. Naki's battle cry was, "I won't!" and he was determined not to do it. The two tried every emotional trick they could think of to convince him but he remained firm. That was until, Naki declared defiantly, “You’ll have to pay me to do it!” The two caved in saying, “Magkano?” The answer? “Piso?” That was probably Marvin and Bloom’s cheapest wedding expense and, a warning to me that my son would never a good businessman make. :)
My trip down memory lane was cut short, however, when Juan and Only came home from school.
Super excited, I greeted him with a big smack on his cheek and by announcing that he would be a groomsman in his Kuya’s wedding.
“What are the requirements?” he asked.
“Wear a barong and comb your hair?” I answered.
“Well, that rules me out,” he smirked and then raised his eyebrows when he saw my crest-fallen expression.
“Sige na, anak!” over-sentimental mother me said, “Ang laki-laki mo na talaga. Remember when you were just a ring-bearer. Ngayon, groomsman ka na."
Still trying my best to convince him, I hugged him tight and added, " Naalala mo when your tatay, manang or I would wait sa dulo ng aisle with a Power Ranger of dinosaur just to get you to walk?”
“Sige, ‘Nay. PS3 naman para maglakad ako ngayon..”
Ngwek ngwek, ngwek……..
Posted on Facebook, March 2011
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