Chapter 8

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8 – Unusual Way of Living

Tammy was occupied the whole day in helping Aling Simang manage the dormitory. She learned how to do household chores in this era and consequently realized that household chores in the modern times were easier compared to this time.

How she missed using dish-washing liquid in washing plates, glasses and cooking utensils. For now, she had no choice but endure washing stuff using common soaps as she poured water on the basin from an earthen jar. She was glad that at least Aling Simang was there to assist her. The old lady was pretty strict when it came to the thorough cleanliness of the place. Tammy could only listen well to learn.

“I’m relieved we managed to finish everything. You move slow, but learn fast,” said Aling Simang to her.

“Thank you po. I’ll do my best next time,” answered Tammy.

“Very well, you can go and rest. Later we will still have to cook dinner. And by the way, I forgot to give you clothes. Come with me to my place.”

Tammy obeyed Aling Simang but stayed outside when they arrived there. The old woman entered her room and when she exited, on her hands were some folded garments. On top of the clothes, there was a small comb, a payneta, and a round object which seemed to be soap.

Payneta: an ornamental comb, mostly used as hair decoration

“You can now wash up in the bathroom. There’s clean water and a pail inside the big jar. Use the soap to clean your body. There’s also a towel and a bottle of gugo, which is for your hair. However, I strongly advise you to not come out of the bathroom wearing only a towel,” the old woman warned to her.(TN: alternative for shampoo, something used for washing hair and for hair tonics)

“Yes po, Aling Simang.” Tammy reached out for the stuff on the other woman’s hands. Her eyes went to the round soap and noticed the paper serving as its wrapper. There was a picture of a woman drawn on it. “Where did you get this soap?”

“My daughter who has become a lawyer in Spain sent this to me from there. She already has her own family there. She seldom comes back here, only when she has time to spare. Sigh, children really tend to forget their parents faster than anything once they have their own families!” Aling Simang complained with sorrow.

“Perhaps she still sometimes remembers you,” Tammy consoled her.

“I hope so, hija. Anyway, go take your bath. I still have to look for more clothes for you after I have my afternoon nap. It’s quite fortunate that we’re of the same body size.”

The older woman laughed while she went inside her room.

Once Tammy was by herself, she headed to the bathroom to wash up. As the sun was still up, she didn’t light the small lamp that was situated next to the door. There was an open window high up on one wall of the bathroom and it was what was letting the light in.

The said bathroom was like a small stall back in her real time. Instead of a shower and toilet bowl, a huge earthen jar was what occupied the right side. On the opposite was the toilet reminiscent of the current times. It was made out of wood with a huge hole in the middle.

Tammy locked the door by fastening a block of wood to a smaller piece of wood. She left her clothes and towel on a small table. After more or less twenty minutes, she had finished freshening up by using the clean water in the jar and the smoothened and processed coconut shell. It was not very different to her bathing routine in the modern times since it was the same pour water – apply soap – rinse pattern. She was just not accustomed to using gugo for her hair and to scrubbing her body with only soap and with no face towel. Fortunately, at least the soap given to her was to her satisfaction.

Imported things are unexpectedly already a trend.

A smile appeared on her lips as she ran the soap over her entire body. After that, she once again poured water on herself and repeated that for several times. The sensation of water coursing through her body felt good. Finally, she had taken a bath. She finally felt relaxed after one and a half day of living under fear, insecurities and worries.

She dried herself using the towel and put on the clothes given to her. Once she donned the white kamisa and white blouse with long sleeves, paired with a saya which reached past her ankles, Tammy couldn’t help but feel joy. She combed her hair and then exited the bathroom.

Here, I finally look like someone from the 19thcentury Philippines, she smiled to herself.

She went into her room and took a nap. She woke up when Aling Simang’s knocked on the door.

“Hija, we have to prepare the snacks.”

She opened the door and answered, “Yes po, I’ll follow.”

They both ascended the stairs. Aling Simang fetched a stack and rack of saucers and glasses from the sink and walked towards the dining room to arrange those things on the big table.

“Where are the kakanin?” asked Tammy.

Kakanin: native delicacies made of glutinous rice, which comes in two varieties: the first-class variety that is sweet, rounded and white and the regular variety that is longish and translucent

“Be on standby at the backdoor. Later, the one peddling the kakanin will arrive. Here’s the money. Go and buy some for this dormitory’s occupants. Most of them are surely on their way back from their classes.”

Tammy obeyed the old woman. Surely before long, a female with a big basket in tow passed by.

“Ate, let me buy some!” Tammy called out.

The young woman turned to her and showed her the contents of the basket. There were bibingka, halayang ube, sapin-sapin and puto. Tammy chose six for each kind. The money at her hand was the exact amount for what she bought. As the young woman was leaving, she told Tammy, “Thanks for the exact pay. You know, the moment I saw you, I really thought you were Senorita Almira.”

“No po, she’s probably just my look-alike,” Tammy smiled.

“You really look like her! She is the sole daughter of Don Alberto, owner of the biggest fabric store in Binondo. She’s very famous in Manila. Do you know that Senorita Almira has a lover? He is the older brother of one of this dormitory’s tenants.”

Tammy suddenly remembered her first meeting with Manuel. He also told her she resembled whoever that Senorita Almira was so much. Didn’t he also mention that he has an older brother? It seemed that this young woman was also talking about that!

“Please be quiet about this. It is rumored that Senorita and her lover are in a forbidden relationship. It’s because she will be soon married off to the Carreon family’s son. Their business dabbles on tobacco,” the female kakanin peddler added. She smiled at her and then began walking off.

This Senorita Almira is making me curious. Are we really sharing the same face? I wonder what secret Manuel and his older brother are hiding?

Tammy deeply thought about this matter once she had reached upstairs and distributed the kakanin on the table.

Her musings were abruptly halted when she heard Aling Simang’s seemingly angry voice coming from the living room.

“I tell you, I don’t need another housemaid!”

Notes:

Ate – (pronounce as a in ‘apple’ and te in ‘telephone’) older sister, sis, (address to a young maiden, can be blood-related or not)

kamisa or camisa – similar to shirt

saya – a long wrap-around skirt

kakanin: from left to right – bibingka, halayang ube, sapin-sapin and puto.

Don – a title used for wealthy or influential men, roughly equivalent to ‘Lord’

Binondo – a city in the capital (Manila), referred to as world’s biggest Chinatown

TL: WS25

ED: Corensi

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