This link is the first part and this post is the continuation of Edgardo’s story.
After being away for several months, Edgardo Aradillos was finally home just last Sunday, April 10, 2011 in Argao, a few-hour trip away from Cebu, a place somewhere in Visayas.
Two months ago, my father brought a skinny man who was about in his mid 40’s age. He was a picture of man who haven’t eaten and slept well for how many days. We only have three bedrooms in our house and only one is vacant but he never accepted the offer of allowing him to occupy in the vacant room. Instead, he just stayed in the small area that used to be our storage area for corn. He said that he was from Argao so my father planned of bringing him with him when he sets to go to Cebu for his checkup and visit to my brothers.
He was hard-working during his stay. He would wake up early in the morning and shepherd our cows and do things even if he wasn’t asked to do so. There were times that when my father lacked workers for their building project, Edgardo would go with him and he got paid as well. On regular days, he stayed in our backyard the whole day cutting woods for sell and for our woodstove use. My mother would pay for the woods so he got to save money for himself. He fed the dogs, chickens, the goats and the pigs in the backyard. My father also gave him one pig for himself. He planted gabi and ginger at the fences of our backyard. My mother would carry milk and bread, sometimes oatmeal or coffee during snack time like 10am and 3pm and he slept when he wanted to rest. We were happy about him because he really was a great help in our house especially with cutting woods because it was really one of problems at home. Besides, he has really proving that my father wasn’t wrong about taking him home. He was also a good cook, it was only with him that we saw a different way of cooking Ginataang Langka. We felt great having him around but it was just not right. He seemed to be over workaholic. Sometimes, I would hate going to the kitchen because he would insist of washing the dishes.
When the small barn was finished, he built a small loft and made it his sleeping area. The barn was neat and kinda like Clark Kent’s fortress of solitude in the loft of his barn…LOL… All the activities everyday was his routine and every day, he seemed to be growing and his face circling. He’s gaining some fats already.
Just the other week, he went to one of my father’s building project. He worked like superman. So workaholic. He worked and got soaked in the rain. The next day, he got sick and of course, we gave him home medications and even thought of admitting him to the hospital because he had fever for how many days but he refused. He would feel sick and then he would feel better and every time he did feel better, he would go walking around and doing chores. He couldn’t stay resting. It was then my brother called pressuring my father to go to Cebu already because he was asking my father’s help in the house he was building and my other brother also wanted him to go there for his checkup. My father thought it was the time that he planned of bringing Edgardo but how would he bring him if he’s sick. To encourage him to rest and feel better, he asked him if he wanted to go with him and he said yes. It was the only thing that made him rest…J to have a better trip.
Last Saturday, they took a trip via ship to Cebu. After my brother took the baggages and other pasalubongs, my father and Edgardo took a trip via bus to Argao where his sisters lived [he wasn’t married anyway]. It was a reunion that looked like a scene in a TV show. Edgardo’s sister cried while hugging Edgardo. She thanked my father for his kindness to him and later that day, my father left and took a trip back to Cebu. Upon his arrival in my brother’s house in Bonbon, he called and shared his experience.
I wonder how he felt about the experience. I know it is heartwarming.
