It was an ordinary Friday morning; as usual I and our navigator Kuya Mors were the only one roaming around the city to gather news stories. The base informed us that a dead body had found in one of the far communities in the city. After getting a go signal from our desk, we speeded off to the site.

Along the way, I wanted to listen to old songs. This was suggested by the weather and the route we were traversing (one of the few roads I like). I got my laptop and choose a song for us to keep awake (but only made me long for my bed). The first song ended and another played. This particular song made me think why it is so familiar and friendly to my newly waxed ears. I reminisced and tried my very best where and when I heard this though at first I was convinced that this was the first time I have heard of it.

After a few more minutes, an image came to my consciousness. An old man was strumming his equally old guitar and happily singing while sitting alone on a long bench before the muddy road. This was his usual early evening routine before going home to his hut to spend the night. He had one of the most pleasant voices for me.

He was thin and I never saw him without wearing a cap.

I don’t know much about this old man. I only got a year or two knowing and spending time with him, not enough to claim that I really knew him. What stored in my mind about him was that he was our whole-year santa claus. I and my cousins, about 11 in numbers, were always looking forward seeing him every afternoon for he had always gave us coins. Twenty five cents would immediately paint smiles on our innocent faces.

His name was Enrique, born and raised from Siquejor. I am not aware how old he was during those times not even up to this date. He had 12 children and I am close to them.

It was March of 1997 when I received the news that he passed away. I don’t know the exact detail of his untimely death but he died due to some illness.

That’s all I remembered, very few.

Why I am writing this? It is just I seldom think of him after all these years. There was no significance at that time when he entered my mind with regards to dates or something.

Maybe he just want to tell me, gong hinumdumi pud ang imong lolo eking.