Life Fuels Love Fuels Life... Popetchca

Popetchca, Circa 2011

Archival pigment ink on 9"x12" Bristol Board

2010

From: Leah To: Ces Sent: 1:33 AM Subject: Re: My Sister

Nene Cecil, I read your final write up. You know, I never felt or knew that you were ignoring me. Remember, when you left for the US, I had just taken the bar. And you were with me everyday. You massaged me when I came home from the court and when I was tired. You were someone who we felt was very strong and who could always survive. Nanay brought you up the "American" way. She and Tatay were very strict with us. Remember when I went to Girl Scouts' camp in Mambucal and Tatay was there everyday? Whereas you could join any camp alone and for a number of days. We really admired you. And we love you. We miss your popetchca, etc. Ay Nene Cecil, I won the case in Tanza Cavite. This means ......... Inday Lyn is already watching the results of my land cases. She is more interested. Ha ha ha. Day Lec

On Tue, 12:59 AM, Ces wrote:

OOOOOOOHHH! Inday Leah! I don't remember popetchka. What was that? It makes me smile. I think it may have been funny. You have a good memory, that is why you are a lawyer. I have a rotten memory, I remember the details of awful events. Maybe I feel guilty. I remember that spat we had at Luneta. I felt horrible but too proud to apologize. I always loved you then and love you now. I am so proud of you and everyone else but you, you were always tender and gentle. You were the gentlest of all of us. You did not quarrel with anybody.

Everybody else was very gentle. I was very mean but in reality, I loved everyone and considered myself as protector. Hahaha! remember the time I ran after Junior with Nanay's huge knife. It was the binangun. HAHAHAHAH!

Oh I hate being here in Texas by myself!

I love you. I will call this weekend. Tsup!

From: Leah To: Ces Sent: Tue, 7:18:47 AM Subject: Re: My Sister

Dear Nene Cecil,Popetchca is potatoes, petchay and carne which you always cooked remember?We just came from Sta. Rosa Laguna, ...

On Tue, 8:32 PM, Ces wrote:

Dearest Inday Lec,

HAHAHAHAHA! OMG! Now I remember. You know Inday, I forget about a lot of things like how we used to go to the market and how I cooked and all those things but then something like this popetchca will remind me and I will have a flood of memories. Do you remember that drug-crazed son of Mrs D? OMG I was ready to kill him! I still have the photograph of the four of us, Inday Ched, Lyn, you and me, in front of that unfinished house down the housing project at the university. Tatay came to visit us and took a picture of us. Lynette was holding an umbrella and I was holding my mandolin. I also remember spending Christmas with Inday Ched in 1973. I was on my way to the First Asia Pacific encampment as a Girl Scout and she picked me up from the national headquarters in Padre Faura. It was very quiet at the university, it was almost empty and we walked to church. I always remember that and I love Inday Ched so much just remembering how much she sacrificed for all of us.

What are you guys going to do with all these land?!!

I am working from home today.

Oh BTW, Inday Frey and I video-chat with each other several times a week. Sometimes we just look at each other and laugh! The kids left for summer school. They will be home at 2:30 PM. M is now 17 and Em is 14. They are both very loving kids but M sometimes stresses me with his teenage angst. Oy, he is such an American teenager! Grrrrr! But he is a good and loving son.

Love,

Ces