Short Story: A Happy Goodbye

His hair has turned chalk white, whitened by time. His face wrinkled and his skin withered from too much exposure to the sun. For more than a century, he has lived a quiet, stress-free and contented life. He had survived the Second World War unscathed and lived a life undisturbed by the unending dilemmas around the world. Perhaps because according to his words, “Men are the creators of their own problems and they are digging their own graves.”

Ever heard of a man who never had time to get mad?

Yeah, that’s Apo Gayagay.

He wakes up at three in the morning, loads his gear on his back and starts his barefoot journey to his rice paddies. It’s not only a kilometer away nor is the way a well paved road. He walks barefoot in rough hills and terrains miles and miles away from home, but with this hardship is spiced a smile on his face. His day starts with a sweet smile and ends with an even sweeter smile.

The rice terraces Apo Gayagay toiled reaches up to heaven. This is a wonder that has awed people throughout the world for thousands of years. This is a beautiful creation built with the blood and sweat of the Igorots. They are the natural engineers who had built an art so unique that one just has to wonder with awe and ask how the rice terraces could have possibly been carved so beautifully in the mountains.

The winds chimed, the birds hummed, the leaves swayed and whistled as Apo Gayagay once again lifted his hoe on his broad shoulders and started for work. One step, two steps. Slowly at first to stretch his aging knees then faster and faster he went as the path went steeper up the thick forest. This is an excellent exercise for an aging man who at age 108 could still clearly think, see and work like the younger ones. The secret for his very long life is his unadulterated way of life.

Apo Gayagay lives alone in a house built by his grandchildren. They have all gone to the universities, got degrees and finally got good jobs and live now in the big cities. Not only a hundred times was Apo Gayagay offered a special place in the city. His grandchildren would take him to the city for a holiday, take him to the parks, let him eat at the fast foods like McDonald’s and bring him to known restaurants for fine dining. He goes to the zoo and shakes his head, obviously disapproving of the way animals are caged and displayed. He wrinkles his brows and refuses to watch the lovely animals on display.

“They aren’t supposed to be locked up there. The forest is there home. People don’t understand how those animals are feeling,” Apo Gayagay would often say.

He sits at a fast food restaurant, looks at the food served and he complains that it’s not suited to him. He looks around the city and says everything is artificial. The tall buildings, the cars and the embellishments around suffocate him and the pollution makes it hard for him to breath.

“Grandpa, life in the city is different from life in our town,” Joey, his grandson says. He’s an accountant who is in his first step to getting rich because he is a brilliant accountant.

“I can’t survive the life here,” Apo Gayagay complains.

“Grandpa, you’ll get used to life here,” Joey adds. “You’ll learn to ride in jeepneys, buses and trains and you won’t walk kilometers every day. You’ll eat good food, wear nice clothes and will do nothing. Just sit down and everything will be served for you. You know how much I love you granny. You’ll love it here.”

Apo Gayagay studied his grandson. When Joey was a little boy, he used to be his companion wherever he went. In the fields, Joey had learned to till the soil. But at a young age, Joey had always dreamed of leaving that kind of life when he grows up. He was a brilliant boy and he was a dreamer.

Apo Gaygay would always tell him, “Life here is calm and peaceful. You will be living in confusion in the city.”

But Joey is a determined young man and his brilliance brought him to fame as an accountant not in town but in the city.

For many years, Apo Gayagay refused to go to the city. Only then did he agree to go to the city when Joey promised him to go home every end of the month. They made a covenant and Apo Gayagay stayed in the city for a while. But Apo Gayagay cannot stand the life in the city and after only three days he went home to the comforts of his home.

The wind was chilling to the bone; Apo Gayagay stretched his strained legs. He combed his hair with his fingers as was his way of easing unwelcome feelings of apprehension and peeped through the window. It was still dark and there was no life around to disturb the silence. Apo Gayagay sat down and thought of the days ahead. There was much to do. The grains are turning gold ready to be harvested after a few weeks. The Begnas will be celebrated in order to have a better harvest. The men would be busy for a few days doing rituals in preparation for the “Begnas.”

“Begnas”, is an Igorot celebration before planting season and before harvest season. This is a yearly celebration in order to ask the “anitos”- the spirits of the ancestors for a good harvest. The Igorots have great faith in the power of their anitos. They believe that the spirits of their ancestors are always with them to help them. There were no parts of young people in the Begnas. This is prepared by the old men. Igorot rituals are only for the old men and not for the women and young people. Apo Gayagay being the oldest man in town is the adviser and the head of the Igorot traditions. He will be very busy then.

It was the end of the month and Apo Gayagay was waiting for Joey. He took the kindling lamp to the kitchen. The hearth was cold. It was hard to build fire but Apo Gayagay never used the gas stove to cook. His grandchildren had stacked his house with appliances and different useful materials but he never touched them. After a simple breakfast of rice and boiled vegetables, Apo Gayagay busied himself with his pets. He has two dogs, 4 fat pigs and chickens scattered around the yard. The guava trees around the house were not only fruit trees but also one way of communicating with the kids who often went to visit Apo Gayagay’s yard when the guava fruits were ready for eating. It was a joy for Apo Gayagay to see those kids making noise and climbing up the guava trees. He would often watch as the kids play on the branches.

At noon Apo Gayagay took his clothes and sat on his rocking chair. He carefully spread the coat on his lap and marked all the tiny holes so that he could mend them.

Later in the afternoon, Apo Gayagay felt a sudden pain in his back. He has to stop what he was doing and went to rest on his bed.

Joey arrived and found his grandpa sleeping. He panicked. It was his first time to see his grandpa in bed and sleeping at that time of day. Apo Gayagay is always busy and sleeping at day time is never a part of his activities. Joey felt for his grandpa’s pulse and listened to his breathing. He touched his brows and fever was ruled out. He slowly shook his shoulders.

Apo Gayagay opened his eyes and smiled to Joey. “I’m sorry. I dozed off.” He said.

Joey studied his face and shook his head. “You scared me to death, grandpa. I think it’s time you go to the doctor.”

Apo Gayagay laughed. “Joey, you know me. I never go to the doctor.”

“B-but it’s not the same as before. You’re going to be 116 after a few days and perhaps it’s time you need a doctor.” Joey insisted.

“Nooo. I’m still very strong.” He said as he raised his arm and showed his muscle.

Joey looked at him without saying a word. Perhaps he’s right, he thought. Perhaps it’ not yet time.

But the following days became a torture to Joey who kept observing his grandpa’s posture. Apo Gayagay’s back is dropping and his steps were becoming slower. On the third day since Joey arrived, Apo Gayagay did not wake up early and Joey was already too worried. But when he talked about bringing Apo Gayagay to the doctor, Apo Gayagay quickly declined.

The days that followed became a busy day in Apo Gayagay’s house while he lay down in bed. People of all ages came in groups to pay their last visit. Apo Gayagay was already too weak to speak but he was always smiling to everybody.

At the night of his 116^th birthday, Apo Gayagay closed his eyes and said goodbye to his people. It was only Joey who cried when the old man died. The others were saddened by the death of a very important person but they were happy for him because they knew that Apo Gayagay is going to rest now.

During the internment, Apo Gayagay’s body was paraded in town for everybody to honor before he was bought back to the municipal hall for the honor given to him as a very important man in town. The town mayor had a very long speech about Apo Gayagay and his accomplishments. Everybody showed their last respect to the old man before he was brought to the cemetery.

Joey stood alone in his grandpa’s tomb and watched as the sun set. He squatted and grabbed a fistful of the fresh earth. He knew that Apo Gayagay is in good hands with his creator. Joey is happy for him and he promised to be like him and serve his people.