remembering you...

How well do you know FRANCISCO MARIANO MANALAC JR.?
I was so lucky knowing someone as ‘good’ as Francis.I can say that for two years we were together, I’ve come to know him too well. Many of you might say “it was just two years!”.Yes, two years wasn’t long enough compare to those people he used to be with and grew up with.But for two years, I have witnessed how Francis lived his life.It was short for us but not too short for the memories he had given.
As I remember, it was November of 2007 when I first met Francis.Mam Emilie introduced him to us…”Si Francis ang magiging team leader natin.”…and it all started there.
Naalala ko yong mga unang linggo na kasama namin sya.Kapag lunchtime na,uuwi kaming lahat sa staff house para kumain.At dahil kakalipat lang namin doon,wala kaming mesa o upuan man lang para maging komportable sana kaming makakakain.Pero ok lang sa kanya na umupo sa sahig kahit walang anumang sapin o panlatag.Sasabihin nya “cowboy-cowboy lang!”.Francis was very simple.
Naalala ko kapag magsisimula na kaming magtrabaho,palagi syang may tubig,inom sya ng inom.Kapag nag-iisip sya,maglalabas-masok sya sa opisina.Siguro dahil gusto nyang marefresh.At madalas kapag nag-iisip sya lagi nyang kinukutkot ang labi nya.Tinatanggal nya yong balat,naging mannerism na raw kasi nya.At kapag dumating sa punto na nalilito sya sa gagawin nya,magpapatugtog muna yon – Faithfully ni Arnel Pineda o kaya naman ang kanyang alltime favorite na Every Breath You Take ng The Police.Sasabihin nya “o bagong-bago ‘to,kakalabas lang ng kantang ‘to!” at sasabayan nya ang kantang yon.Francis was a music man.He loves music…Ang sabi nya sa kin noon,kapag nakikinig sya ng music lalo na kapag paborito nya,pakiramdam nya humahaba ang buhay nya.Kung sana nga ay totoo na humahaba ang buhay nya kapag nakikinig sya sa mga paborito nyang kanta….
It was during Christmas of 2007 when we became close.Si Francis ang madalas kong maging kabiruan at kakulitan noon.For all you know,napakakulit nyang tao,sobrang mabiro.Sa mga ibang nakakakilala sa kanya,siguro iisipin nyo na napakaseryoso nya.As you can see,he wasn’t easy to please.Minsan oo,pero madalas hindi.Once nahuli mo ang loob nya,magiging komportable ka na sa kanya.
Naalala ko noong nagsisimbang gabi kami kasama si jenny baby(tawag ni Francis kay mareng jen),madalas sya ang taga gising namin sa madaling araw.Ayaw na ayaw nyang male-late sa mass.At pagkatapos ng misa maglalakad lang kami pauwi,dahil gusto nyang pawisan sya.Dadaan sa palengke para bumili ng almusal(usually sopas at pandesal)…At nakakatuwa,dahil nakompleto namin ang siyam na araw ng simbang gabi.
Si Francis punung-puno ng kwento…halos lahat na yata ng tungkol sa buhay nya naishare nya sa amin.More about his family,his childhood and his adventures.He was very transparent...kahit sa feelings nya in all aspects…
Just wanna share yong mga few months nya na magkasama kami.Each and everytime,sumusumpong ang sakit nya.Sasabihin nya sa ‘kin,”namimiss ko si inang,kase kapag may sakit ako pinagluluto nya ko ng gusto ko.”He was teary-eyed then…Pero nakita ko kung gaano sya ka-strong na paglabanan ang sakit nyang yon.As I’m writing this,I am crying kase bumabalik sa ‘kin lahat ang mga alaalang yon.It breaks my heart na nakikita ko syang nahihirapan.But despite of that,Francis remain to be strong.He would always tell himself “kaya kong gumaling”…That’s Francis,he has a strong fighting spirit.
The rest is a very long story…I just made this for us to remember him always.Now that he is already gone let’s not forget how he touched our lives in his simple way.How he’d put smiles on our faces every morning.How he encouraged us to do better and how he became Francisco Mariano Manalac Jr. to each and everyone of us.
I miss you so much,see you again someday Kikz!