Ama Muray is my sister in law’s Chinese grand mother. I’ve had known her as someone who’s full of beans and accommodating ever since we met.  She cooks any dish like a pro. The best tasting sweet macaroni salad, chicken combo, and lumpiang shanghai I have ever had was made by her.  What surprises me is that she never follows a cook book nor taste tests when she cooks. Pretty good for a house wife but she is an old maid. She was the one who raised my sister in law, Nang Janice whom she calls “Achi” since her parents are out of the country. 

June 9, 2011. The day she was brought to one of the hospitals due to some headache and series of vomiting.  Yesterday evening, when I arrived home, there was breaking news that broke my heart.  “Ama Muray is in coma and the doctors found a tumor in her head.” What my sister said came to me like a snail mail. Bea went on giving me details and for some reasons I got pissed with how her circle dealt with the incident. My sister in law is out of town. From what I have known, she’s the only hope. My brother said she’s been crying when she found out about it. Well, who wouldn’t? She is the one person she lived with since she was a kid and even until now that she’s married and a mother to our, Myku. Ama would always visit and stay in their house.

Bea said she looked perfectly okay the day before. Not a trace of getting down. I pray that she will be given another chance. The thought of her not being able to wake up and be normal again tears my heart.  She would always make us feel at home. She treats us like family so I am giving it back to her.  Wake up as soon as possible, Ama! 

June 07, 2011, 1:45 AM

The unusual noise and explosion two hours ago made the whole neighborhood crazy.  No one could tell if it was fire or there were people shooting each other. The street was foggy and all we could hear were “boom” and “bang” for less than a minute and people screaming trying to compete with the odd sound.

We turned the lights off and stayed away from the windows thinking that those sounds were gun shots but when we saw the explosion from the office across our building, we took hold of our phones, wallets and started grabbing whatever we could.  I didn’t have the strength to text or call our parents.

We were in the third floor so we base our judgment from what we see from the top view.  We felt relieved when we heard the police cars and fire brigade approaching.  The other buildings across us were already black out.  The media came as the authorities started to examine the place to find out what went wrong.  It turned out that there were some people who have been keeping firecrackers.  The outburst came from that stuff.

Luckily, no one was out in the street when that happened, only big trucks and nice cars parking on the sidewalk.  Everyone was clueless.  It took us a while to figure out where the blast came from and what was up.  We are in the China town of the city. Chinese people go to bed early.

Thank God for the rain an hour after the unpleasant incident.  I know it is one of your ways of telling us that we are safe and you are always around to save us.

That was hell. My sister and I were brushing our teeth, my brother was sleeping like a log and the helper was in bed, too, when that happened. I wanted to cry but that wasn’t the best thing to do.  Water became my friend.  I am grateful that we are okay. Well, everyone is all right now but boo you people for keeping those shits! Fuck you all.