My Mother's a Witch

Disclaimer: this is not my story or anyone related to me. Like the story the pain of yesterday, I took this from a facebook page written in Ilocano. True-to-life story

No worries of the world to a child that I am. The open fields is my playground and around our small shanty. There is a brook nearby to where I bathed like a dousing pig in a mud. I play joyfully and contentedly at the fields and the grace it offered. This is where my life revolved.

I grew up in a secluded area in the mountains with my mother. We have a dog named Brutos and a cat which I slept with. We ate sweet potato tops with rice and when we craved for meat, my mother would butcher one of our chickens. A very simple life we did have, I've no complains and am used to it.

My mother sent me to school when I was at the right age. Because we lived at the mountain sides, the school was very from where we were. I was reluctant to go because other children laughed at me. I had no footwear for my feet and I had a weird haircut, too which is done by my mother herself. They even asked which cave do we live.

I was bullied in school and no one liked to be friends with me. I was also lacking in school supplies so that I told my mother am lazy to attend school. However, she said calmly that it is an important tool for me in the future. Of coarse I didn't understand the meaninag of being educated on my young age.

My mother patiently walk and fetch me to and from school. We arrived at our humble abode almost dark already. We used a lamp for our light. To be able to sustain our need she patiently planted sweet potatoes and bananas and sell it to the teachers in school or barter it for goods at the store. She was denied education back then that she doesn't know if the people whom she sold the crops were paying her the right amount.

Growing up, I understood that unlike my classmates they have a father while I don't. I don't have much companion in school to interact with because they said am a son of a witch. When me and my mother arrived at our hut after school I asked her what is a witch. She answered that someone who removes eyes and place it in another part of the body. I asked her why I don't have a father just like the other kids but she answered me she will tell me when I am older.

Days passed and I am already graduating from elementary school. My mother washed my old school uniform for me to use at the moving up ceremony. She glued a pair of the shoes which she bought at a thrift shop (ukay-ukay), too. These were what I've used in marching up the stage. The other kids kept laughing at me because my slacks has a hole in it and I didn't have an underwear that's my why my butt can be seen. Even my mother was being laughed at because her clothes weren't new, it was only washed however. I didn't mind it though because am still a kid.

When I entered highschool, I am already aware and conscious about the difference of growing up in a remote place and in town. There were lots of things that I am ignorant about to which would caused my teachers to get mad at me. Once again, I told mg mother that I am lazy and tired of going to school. Nevertheless, she encouraged me to finished up even secondary education.

During PTA meetings, my mother attends but she distanced herself in a corner. People looked at her in a way like she had some sort of transmittable disease. Yes. My mom has some physical disabilities. She walks in a not-so steady gait, her eyes were uneven. Her speech is slurred which others can't understand but I do. These, perhaps were the reasons she distanced herself and felt ashamed to interact with others.

One time in school, we have this paper that we need to fill up including mother and father's name. I told my teacher it would be my assignment so I took the paper home. Thus, when I came home I asked my mother about my father.

"I was a victim of rape," she said.

"One time, I attended a wedding and was already dark when I was getting home. From somewhere along the path, someone grabbed me and punched me hard that I lost consciousness. They did what their earthly desire longed," she narrated.

I felt pity towards her because her tears were flowing.

When her baby bump was already noticeable her father punched her belly and chased her away of their house. Her mother pitied her and sent her here in the province where she gave birth to me. The lot was her mother's inheritance from her folks.

According to my mom, her father was furious because she was impregnated by anybody and can't even tell her father who the bastard was. When I learned about this, I folded the paper which I am suppose to fill in and never asked her again.

Years passed and eveyone was saying we were some kind of witch. By heresays, people whom my mother interacted with were dying because my mom's performing witchcraft towards them. People don't even consult a doctor to be diagnosed if they were ill. They have a strong faith in witchcraft and less were in religion those times. In school I was being avoided by my classmates also.

My mother's reaction towards the spread of rumor was just to let them be as long as they're not hurting us physically. Because she has a clean conscience and doing no harm towards others.

I finished highschool with lots of struggles and my mom's sacrifices. My uncle, the eldest brother of my mother came to visit us. He asked my mom to take me with him in La Trinidad where they are residing. And that he would send me to college. My mother, right there and then agreed without even asking me. I didn't want to go and leave her alone until she told me that I will need it in the future. And she has nothing else to give for me to inherit. That was what she had kept telling me until I agreed and left with my uncle.

Because it was vacation that time that I became a helper in my uncle's shop. They were the people whom we can consider as rich. I stayed at their house and they treated me nicely except for one. I have this male cousin who isn't good to me that's why I distanced myself as much as possible. However, there's this time when he threw the paint container at me. I was unaware of it because my back's towards him. He seemed drunk and saying "Aeta, aeta" to me while he was laughing and headed towards his room. I didn't said a word to my uncle to avoid conflicts.

In college, I learned the big difference from the place I grew up to this new environment I am in. I met a lot of people that influenced me. I begun to change from the aloof country boy to being someone who is adapting to the city ways.

I loss the longing for my mother and acted like somebody. From school, I go straight to the shop and help then have a little toss of gin with the other workers. Until one time, I asked my uncle for me to stay at the shop. Without hesitation, my uncle agreed. From that day forward I became carefree. We went to bars at night and danced.

I graduated from my degree of nursing, no matter how. It was my uncle and his wife who marched with me on the stage. I have already forgotten about my mother that time.

Fortunately, I was able to pass the board exam and now called a registered nurse. One of my uncle's wife's relatives helped me to go abroad, in Australia. And thankfully, I was given the privilege to work their.

Prior to going abroad I thought of myself high when I will be able to go abroad. But I was wrong. To stay and work in a foreign land is difficult. There is less socialization. After coming home to my place after a day's work, I felt that there's something missing- a void that should be patched up. All you have to do is to work and less time for leisure. Money is what will make your world go round due to the fact that the cost of living is pricey. Money abroad turns out to be more expensive when converted to Philippine money only.

Though that's how abroad life was, I patiently thrived on. I sent some money to my uncle which was for my mother.

Those lonely days did I only think of my mother. One night, when I came home from work I even cried because of the hard feelings I, myself caused. Thoughts like "how was my mother, I am eating delicious foods here what about her" flooded my mind. On that moment in time did I realize my thoughtlessness towards her, I totally forgotten about her since the day I started my studies in college. How bad a child I am, that I have never thought if how's she doing.

I prayed that night asking the Lord to watch over my mother. That it's not too late for me make up to her.

The following day, I called my uncle and asked about my mother. He said that he went to see her the other day and she was just fine. She was very happy to know that the goods my uncle brought came from me. She also kept asking my uncle how am I and what I have become. Unbeknownst to my uncle, I was already crying on the other line while he was saying those.

Mother, how I wish it's not yet too late for me to shower you with my love.

I think my savings is sufficient enough for me to go home and surprise the first woman whom I have love.

After five years of working abroad, I felt very happy when I step foot at the NAIA terminal. I was fetched by my uncle and we went home to La Trinidad, at their residence. I asked if we can used his other car the following day so that I can go home to the land where I was born. My usual good uncle didn't decline my request.

One more thing I am very thankful of was my uncle who had always been supportive to me and never showed me bad.

The following day, I put everything for my mother on the car. I was accompanied by my uncle. The eight hours travel seems eternal. I can't wait to see my mother, how I wish I could fly and reach the mountains instantly. It's like an illness that the only cure is to see my mother.

Almost ten years had gone and now I am standing right infront of the place that had given me the joys of a child. Everything change but our humble abode was still there standing. My uncle said he fixed things every time he came here to visit his younger sister.

My uncle shouted and called for my mother when we arrived but there's no answer. We put down my baggage we were carrying. My uncle opened the door but my mom's not in. There's no sign of Brutos, our dog also and a different cat was at the fireplace. Maybe she went somewhere, we will wait for her, my uncle said. But I felt so uneasy, am too anxious to see her. I told my uncle to wait while I go look for her.

While walking along the path, the feeling of nostalgia overflowed inside me. The simple things the fields brought so much joy during my childhood days. The brook, the river and the trees I used to climb.

"Lasel. Lasel, ayka ta mangan ta." (Russel. Russel, come, let's eat). I heard my mother's voice while I was nearing the kaingin or the clearing where she used to plant sweet potatoes and bananas.

She was calling for me. I quickly go to her and saw her eating a ripe papaya. "Mother!" I called out to her but she won't look at me. I touched her then she looked at me. She gazed at me for a long time trying to recognize who I was and asked who I am.

"I am Russel, your son," I told her.

She reached for my face and told me I was not his son. I think she's a bit senile already. So I carried the root crop she dug. I held her and her her stand. I told her we will go home and tell stories.

My mother only believed I am her son when my uncle was the one who told her. I reaches out to her and gave her a tight hug. She kept touching my face. That was the time I felt my mother's worth.

I fixed my mother's inheritance thru officially putting it in a white and black document. I made a mini garden for my mother to cultivate because she can't be stopped from working. That I told her to just look for the flowers to keep her occupied. I built a poultry for my business and sell it in town.

I bought goods in town but my mother won't touch them. She said it was filled with vetsin. She's used to plain foods which are available on the fields that we gather.

I will stay with my mother while there's still time for us to be together. Make up to her for the years I was away and for the things I fall short in the past.. Grateful I am that it's not yet too late for me.

This is Russel, and this is my story.

Side note from the author: Hopefully there's someone out there who would fall in love with me and would accept my mother.. I will look for that girl. Happy Mother's day to all mothers out there.

My POV:

To dream and achieve success is the best thing for everyone. Whatever you define success is, always remember the person who had kept you moving. Sacrificed and done everything to be able to provide for you, the one who faced the judgemental and criticizing world.

It is a mother's unconditional love that makes her accept everything thrown at her just to make her child's life easier. So whatever you reached in life, always remember the one who gave birth to you, nurtured you and done everything for you.

Good thing for Russel, the one we featured in this story as written by him that it was not late for him to realize his wrongs, to make up and show his love and how he valued his mother..

05-10-21

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