“Paying It Forward” Part VI. Lolos & Lolas at the Old Age Home

Lolo Carding recited Rizal's “Huling Paalam”, in its entirety to the students. To uphold UP's honor, recite ko rin ang “Ultimo Adios” but could remember only up to “Nuestro perdido Eden”. My Spanish professor mother must have been squirming in her grave. Lolo Peping crooned “You're the best thing that ever happened to me, Frank Sinatra style. This is the ritual of our visits to the Old Age Home, Lualhati ng Maynila, it is officially called.

VISITING AT LUALHATI NG MAYNILA

Preparing the students for these visits to the Boystown Complex and especially to Lualhati, I tell them that the residents and I belong to the same generation, except that my hair, light mahogany chestnut (courtesy of Herbatint color), & Olay make me look decades younger. So, I sternly admonish them, “When the dance music starts, no Lola who can walk or dance should be a wallflower”. We so dreaded being wallflowers at the “Monthly Socials” in our time.

THE LOLOS & LOLAS PERFORM FOR THE STUDENTS.

So these boys and girls bravely boogie and cha-cha and flail wildly to 60's dance music. Me too. This is my opportunity to show them that their professor is not only glamorous & youngish but a good ballroom dancer as well. Ahem.

The interaction pays off. The kids are appalled that the families of these elderly folk have abandoned them. Through the semesters they have been moved to repair the Physical Therapy Center, many comfort rooms, repair rusty broken down beds and replace their palletas gone rotten from the occupants' incontinence. They have also replaced the ancient dining tables' disintegrating formica tops, all with Engr. Bong's unfailing support.

They have also donated sound systems for the residents' entertainment.

Mrs. Leonie Borja very competent Lualhati Officer-in-Charge briefs the students on the heartbreaking case histories of some of the residents. She and Boystown management welcome without much bureaucratic “eck eck” donors & visitors. Many come, especially during Christmas time though the staff wishes more, bringing cheer, song, prayer, food and apparel would visit before and after Christmas.

My sister and I got introduced to the Old Age Home, cause our mother dragooned us into carrying kettles of pancit and whatever to serve the residents. All these while being threatened that since we were disobedient bad daughters, she would not live with us in her old age but move to this Old Age Home. All I can say is we did not enjoy those visits.

So our semestral jam session with the Lolos and Lolas is over. We go home and they settle back to dozing off idly waiting; for nothing but the next meal.