by Patrick Duffey Final stories of I left my heart in the Philipplines
Back in United States I have given my lawyer everything I can excluding my blood, although he has taken most of my money and I will keep my word to do everything to bring my wife over here. My wife is told me that we will be having a girl, so we pick a name of Jessica Marrishal for her. I do not disbelief her, everybody over there that has rubbed her stomach has said so! We did not want an ultrasound so… time to back up again and I’m back home with the family. I am there for two months during the pregnancy helping out. One morning before I awake, Marivic had gotten up and knew something was different. 15 minutes of labor warning and she was soon to give birth. We had no time to drive to the city so there it was to happen. Neighbors went and got Mom and Dad from their house close by. I got into my Jeep and Dad and I went to look for a doctor, what we found was a “helot” like a witch doctor some might say. Within 45 minutes we had a baby being born on our bed. The delivery was done of course by Marivic, help of what we could do was with Nanny, her sister and I are the ones to do the work, not the “Witch Doctor.”
We did it, and into the jeep with my wife, new child and Mom. Who is this new entity in this world riding with us? I finally get to the hospital and the nurse asks me what my son’s name is, not prepared at all am I? I named him after my father and also kept the wife’s family name in there as well. I get to spend another two months with my newborn son and his mother. My wife gets yelled at quite often by people when they see me hanging or folding laundry, shopping, cleaning…….ect. They say that she is lazy and taking advantage of me, she explains to them that I want to do this, and that I have no maids in the United States back home.
This is the most fascinating adventure and journey I think I’ve ever had, and I’ve had some interesting ones before! Before too long it all ends and once again I go back to San Francisco. My lawyer now tells me that my son is automatically a United States citizen but of course I pay here then I pay there and of corse,,, the lawyer needs to be paid more, more, more. Somehow, I think my lawyer knows exactly how much money I have in my banking accounts, down to the last penny everything is delayed until it is emptied. It is another 10 months until I see my son for his 1st birthday. Arriving at their house he is not too excited about my big nose and blue eyes. There’s no one in the family that looks this way but me and he screams murder. It takes about a week for him to adjust to me. I bring out my Santa Claus costume at Christmas and give presents to the family. We get to play hide & seek into all the other wonderful things children enroll you into.
While I was back in San Francisco the money I was sending to my wife was secretly being put into a house she designed and had built. When I arrived, it had not yet been completed fully. With the help of my brothers and friends we took some of MacArthur’s concrete along with fairly large rocks from the mountain plus large clam shells and built ourselves a bathroom. Diagonal white tiled floor, ship hatch doorway leading into it, corrugated fiberglass roof that I immediately put holes into so when it rained it would water the perimeter wall. Jojo, (my brother) and I searched the mountains and forest for orchids and parasitic fauna. These were attached to the walls and propagated quickly. It is somewhat like being in the jungle sitting on the toilet.
After I returned back to the U.S. my wife and son, James Patrick Mendiola Duffey finally arrived the three months later on the date that Bush declared war on Iraq. They made the last plane out before Ninoy Aquino Airport was shut down. Blessed I am to have them with me. At the moment we are still in the Bay Area and now have John Michael Mendiola as our new addition. She has traveled back home with the two boys while I attend to business there with the passing of Leo, her brother. A few years prior I was told he wandered from the house to die because he had appendicits and they would not want to ask me for money. I got that 1,000 to them that day ~ really, what is the price one's willing to pay for helping?
Heartbreaking as it is, now 7 plus years since I have been home. I am homesick in the deepest sense. I truthfully do not enjoy it here in America; the people are not nice as in the province. My wife now agrees and understands why I love it there. The money is here though, It’s expensive here and there is very little if any time for relaxing-----just keep working to keep yourself from slipping overboard and under.
* It being now January 27th 2012 (2 days now before James Patrick turns the BIG 10 yrs old) We have airline tickets sending Myself, James and John -now 5 3/4's back home to live for at least a year and I shall start building a compound on 1,000 sg. meters. Waterfall shower, smimming pool with swim into the house bar, ballroom out the back yard near the living waterfall/pool ...........you hopefuly get the idea? Might even write again for LIP????
---------- Journalists’ note to readers; ---------
The stories I have written about my observations in the Philippines comes from the utmost respect for the people and the way of life there. The way the Pinoy can adapt to the hardest of conditions thrust upon them and still be humble, very proud people. I have written without prejudice to these newspapers and magazines without charging one peso, I did get cut off at the knees for my political views of “Erap” with his corruption. I did this not to get anyone angry. I did it so the people whom have forgotten how incredibly beautiful is there or maybe the ones who were not born there and not traveled there yet can get a glimpse through these balikbayan’s blue eye’s. I am not here to make political judgments or interfere with anyone else’s business. I went to the Philippines for the intentions of songwriting. I have been with such bands as Santana, Pablo Cruise, The Tubes, Joe Satrani, Martha Davis and Pink Floyd. Don't know who they are? Try U-TUBE. I have toured and visited many places but never enough time to relax to get the feel, so simple songs in paradise should be trouble. The songs I intended to compose instead became my lonely planet journal. My heart got infected, and I wanted to give back some of this hospitality given to me by the worlds connoisseurs. I am proud and privileged to have some sight, if only brief to what many foreigners will never see or feel. I hope that you have enjoyed the stories as much as I have writing them. God Bless to all.
Thank you, Patrick
Thank you, Patrick Duffey
ROADWARRIORS COPYWRITTEN
dustyroadsagain@gmail.com
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