A young award-winning, champion, wise, and a very intelligent bachelor named Max Tonner is heading his way to a verdant, pollution-free, and a small town of Humsik from a busy city. In the said town, there lived his grandparents who took care of him when he was just a little boy. To get to his grandparents’ house, he will ride in a tricycle which he will see again after 20 long years of hustling in a modern city.
“How vintage this feeling is. After 20 years of driving myself in my car, I can’t seem to ever remember this feeling of riding this thing.” Max said to himself as the noise of the tricycle gets inside his ear and the wind blows in his eyes signaling that the tricycle is moving fast.
“Sir, your new here? Are you to vacation?” Manong tricycle driver said with full effort to communicate with Max.
“Opo, Manong. Dito po muna ako sa Lolo’t Lola ko, may work project po kasi akong gagawin dito sa lugar ninyo.” (Yes, Sir. I’ll stay with my grandparents as I have a project here in your place.), Max replied.
“Ay! Akala ko, sir, di ka nakakapag-Tagalog.” (Oh, Sir. I thought you can’t speak Tagalog.), Manong driver said as he scratched his semi-bald head.
“Dito naman ako lumaki, Manong. Ang Mommy ko, mga De Vera ang apelyido.” (I grew up here, Sir. My mom has a De Vera surname.), Max respectfully conversing with the driver as he lowers down his ‘kasosyalan’ (being socialite) and socialize with a local.
“Ah! ganon ba, sir? De Vera pala kayo, kilala po ‘yan dito, sir.” (Ah, is that it, Sir? So you’re a De Vera; they’re well-known here, sir.). The driver said and Max smiled timidly as he was a little flattered.
As they were taking up their way, Max observes that the land of his childhood has a lot of potential areas that can be transformed into high profit factories and condos. This is his vision because he is a young entrepreneur who invests money on the creation of infrastructures and selling it in market prices to make profits.
This makes Max a busy person who have no time for God. In fact, he works untiringly every single day and spare no word for a simple chitchat with the Lord. He always answers, “Why pray for something when I can attain and achieve it myself?” to those people inviting him to go to church or to any other religious gatherings.
From afar, Max now sees the smiles of his grandparents as they excitedly await him outside the gate of their house. Their house is located beneath a river that is shaded with beautiful mountainous scenery that will fascinate every eye that sees it. The excitement escalates in the face of Max’s grandparents as he draws nearer the house.
“At last, the smiles that I’ve longed the most are now glimpsing in front of my eyes.” Max excitedly said to himself as the tricycle slowly stops in front of their gate.
“Apo koooo!” (My grandson!), greeted Lola Minda, Max’s grandma with a teary eye. They embraced each other tightly as to cover up the years they have separated. Thereafter, Max’s grandpa took his turn hugging him and the three of them got inside their beloved house.
“Apo, akin na muna ‘yang mga dala mo at ilalagay ko sa kwarto mo. Sundan mo nalang ako apo upang makita mo ang bago mong kwarto.” (My grandson, may I have your baggage and I will bring it in your room.), instructed Max’s Lolo, Lolo Job as he carries Max’s bags. “Salamat po, Lolo.” (Thank you, Grandpa.). Max happily replied to his grandpa whom now entering Max’s new room.
“Ito nga pala ang kwarto mo, Apo. Inilagay namin dyaan ang mga litrato mo noong bata ka pa.” (This is your room, grandson. We placed your childhood pictures in there.), said Max.
Upon having a glimpse of his old room, Max starting playing flashbacks at the time he was free and was able to do anything he wants without having the intervention of unhappy thoughts.
“Apoooo, lunch is served. Hali ka na rito at magtatanghalian tayo.” (Come here now and we’ll have lunch.), shouted Lola Minda with excitement knowing she will be having a meal with his apo after a long time. After, Max hurriedly changed and went to the dining room, upon sitting he smelled his favourite dish, it’s the classic Filipino dosh called adobo. As he had his first bite, memories continue flashing beneath his eyes signaling how her grandparents took care of him when he was just a boy. The dine continued, smiles, giggles, laughs, and talks filled the house that afternoon as they were reminiscing the old times. As 6 in the evening approached, Max’s grandparents requested him to join them in saying prayers for the usual ‘novela’ that is commonly done by Filipino families every six o’clock in the evening, but Max refused as a baseline of telling his pagan beliefs.
Lola Minda rebuked him and insisted of joining them. She also reminded Max that above everything, Jesus Christ should be thanked, loved, and shouldn’t be deprived of time and attention. After hearing, Max smiled vaguely and joined them as a sign of respect to his grandparents and not because of humbling his heart to the Lord.
As they were praying and of course Max just kneeling, the noise of the rain began to sound from their iron roof indicating a heavy rainfall. Max is interrupted but his grandparents were calmly undisturbed. After several minutes, the river expectedly overflows from its normal range and escalates in their basement which now alarmed Max. He was trying to tell his grandparents but they refused to listen and continued with the novena.
“Lola, Lolo, napasok na po yata ng tubig ang basement natin.” (Grandpa, grandma, I think flood water has seeped in our basement.), Max told his grandparents but were left unattended. A small cracking sound entered Max’s ears and the sound crawls and crawls and was followed by a splash of water. Their window broke because of the river’s pressure and entered their house. Lola Minda and Lolo Job were now alarmed but it’s a bit too late to act into safety because a lot of water from the river has entered their house. Max swam into the door to open it from it is stocked from the outside. He nervously feared not for his life but for his precious ones. As the water continue to rise, his Lolo and Lola is deemed scared as they cling to top of their wooden shelf for their lives. Upon seeing, Max had the greatest fear of his life and closed his eyes. With his thoughts, he humbly spoken “Lord, I have sinned. I ceased to believe in you and pursued that everything will be done by my mere abilities. Forgive me, Lord and spare the life of my Lolo and Lola from verge of death. Please, Lord, please. Thank you, Jesus Christ.” After letting those brief words go, he heard a voice calling him “Maxxx, Maxxxx.” He foreshadowed two persons as he slowly opened his eyes. When we were fully conscious, he heard his Lola Minda speaking.
“Ito talagang batang to, pinagdarasal, aba’y tinulugan lang kami.” (Oh, this son, should’ve been prayin’ but had slept.), Lola Minda told Max. “Oh sya, pumunta ka na sa silid mo at magpahinga na. Bukas, wag mong tutulugan ang novena Apo ha.” (Okay, go to the bedroom now and have rest. Tomorrow, don’t sleep during the novena, grandson.), she added. Upon hearing Max hugged both Lola Minda and Lolo Job and realized something that evening.
