Mom's Evening in the South Pacific

  Bacolod City, Philippines
Sunday, December 30, 2007

Hawaiian grass skirts and dances were in vogue when I was a kid a long time ago. So when Mom said that for her 80th birthday, she didn't want the guests to be in formal attire or in Filipiniana, she wanted then to be in Hawaiian attire, the children were aghast. "Let's have 50's," Sophie suggested. "Most of the lessons that we learned from Mom were values of the 50s." I said, "50's will be good as the 50's was a significant decade for Mom - finished pharmacy, passed the board exam, got married, had 4 of her 10 children." We asked her, "Mom, what are your favorite 50's songs and dances?." She couldn't remember. "Basta, I like South Pacific and other broadway musicals."

How could we refuse? There was less than a month to go and no time to waste. Practice was 2 or 3 times a week. Attendance was never perfect and sessions never started on time. Children below 7 are not easy to manage and dogs can get underfoot. Rene Hofilena managed, his patience admirable.

The big day came. When Mom arrived for the thanksgiving mass, Sugarland's poolside was filled with guests in floral clothing and leis. As usual, we had reason to be late. Before we knew it, the guests were eating and it was time to make sure everyone knew where to get his or her candle for the opening number.

After the young pharmacists presented a dance and one of Mother's friends sang one of her unforgettable songs (she sings this song all the time), the lights were dimmed and the the sound of ocean waves came with Sophie's promise we'd bring everyone far away. Celebrant and guests were then whisked to Balihai by a solitary dancer (Krista).

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The audience applauded as soon as the others - little kids: Geo, Jet, Ally, Ernest, Kat-Kat, Gabby; big kids: Josephine, Sarah, Hervie, Mark, Christopher; parents: Julie, Ray, Pons, Pines, John, Bambi, me - our faces glowing from excitement and the reflection of the candles we carried, entered in solemn procession from the wings and from the front of the hall. Amazing that so simple a dance could be so moving but we were applauded several times.

After the last "Balihai," the last offering of the lighted candles, Julie, Bambi, Alfonso, John, and I scrambled to change. Meg joined Pines and the others to sing of dreams and talking of things we like to do. "Happy Talk" brought back memories of