23 Years Ago, This Weekend Click left side of photo to go to previous entry/ Click the right half of photo to go to the next
Weekend! But Not Weakend Mississauga, Ontario I was awakened from my regular siesta. I could hear the mah-jong pieces being shuffled and the sound of ivory banging to another ivory was all too familiar for weekends like these. Then everything stopped and the only thing I could hear was the sound of the newscaster on TV. And then someone tried to speak but stopped to a grinding halt in the middle of a shout. A mid-scream. Everyone was tonque tied and was just listening awaiting what could be an image of a man in white, being dragged like a pig from the ground to a waiting van with the letters AVSECOM on the side. While another man was left lying there, the truck sped away to wherever, with whomever was in it. When everyone left to where they were prior to the newscast, I was still in front of the TV - stunned to realize - what happened and who was this man? That day, 23 years ago, was the start of a 3-year revolt ending in February 1986 with the EDSA People Power Revolution. It was the day Ninoy Aquino was assassinated. It was also the same day that from a regular 14-year old boy with more zits than cares, with more heart than weight, I became a concerned individual. The next day, I, with 5 of my friends were the first ones to wear, "Hindi Ka Nag Iisa, Ninoy" black pins to symbolize our journey from regular teeners to a more concerned citizen of the country. ******* So where were you on August 21, 1983? ******* I was up and about last Friday. It's as if my body knew it was already the weekend! Saturday was packing day, realizing that in a week's time, all our 2 years in Canada will be shipped in boxes. Unlike leaving Switzerland in 21 boxes, and Manila in 4 ones, this one is right in the middle, but with bigger pieces such as a bed, a love seat, a TV, and a dining set. You don't realize how much one can amass in 2 years until you sort them out and know that there were things that didnt matter at all and you've still kept and there are things that you thought you kept - that now matters. << |
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