A Fancy and Colorful Umbrella

Last night it rained here once again. It rained hard and in waves, for awhile I thought perhaps a typhoon had hit our fair city Danao. No it wasn’t a typhoon. A few years ago we were on Camotes Island for a short visit when a typhoon did hit. Since the outrigger ferry from Danao City had stopped running because of rough seas our short visit lasted for about one week. I now recall everything at the San Francisco public market and the local sari-sari stores quickly became short of food – the shelves soon became empty. On one miserable rainy day my wife determined we were running on food especially rice. I along with my wife’s Uncle Pee Pee and her cousin Jesus - we all three hopped on and rode her cousin’s habal-habal motorcycle to public market. No he didn’t drive his motorcycle at unfaltering break neck speeds. Once we arrived in San Francisco I found the market full of people looking at almost empty stalls. And then I spied Beng’s aunt walking bare foot ankle deep in water in the rain. She was soaked and she was even not carrying an umbrella to keep the rain off her head. To me it was an unbelievable sight and a bit funny to me. Once we recognized each other, I asked her laughingly, “Where are your shoes?” And she replied with a smile, “There on my fishing boat.” On the spot I decided to do something nice for my wife’s in high spirits aunt. I knew I couldn’t anything about the street rain water being ankle deep but I could do something to keep the rain off her head. Immediately I take her by the arm and headed to the nearest little stall and to her delight I bought a fancy and colorful umbrella to give her. As I handed her new fancy and colorful umbrella a big smile broke out on her face. Shortly we parted and turn each to go on their errands, and later from a distance I watched her still bare foot walking in the rain while holding her new umbrella to keep the rain off her. Mr. Chuckchuck