I am sure it's quite obvious where you got those from, hey? At times, I get the blame for giving you those traits that I famously possess. Inang and Mama have always told me that you inherited your fussiness and meticulousness from me. At first I begged to disagree because I was not with you when you were growing up, so I thought they should blame themselves. But eventually when they told me exactly why they thought you were like me, I had to just accept it because it was true
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First of all, we are both particular with the clothes that we wear. You didn't like going out with wrinkled clothes and so do I. This is also probably the reason why you've always kept your school uniform as immaculate as they were from morning until the afternoon. Not to mention that you changed your uniform twice a day. Then you wouldn't wear overused clothes if I am not mistaken. This is how different you were from Ading Linus, because he would never hesitate to wear your old clothes. But, you really didn't mind if you wore the same clothing in more than one occasion and be photographed in it over and over again. Hmmm, Mommy is not quite there yet. I don't really know who taught me to wear clothes only once. But I remember when I was a kid, I was wearing an OP (Ocean Pacific) t-shirt and saw someone wearing the same t-shirt. I went into a tantrum and told Inang that I will never wear that t-shirt again because someone already had it. Inang laughed and she told me that companies didn't make single t-shirts for single people. I think I am better with this now, but I am still trying to get used to being photographed in the same clothes twice. In fact, I have tried that already and I am not sure if anyone even noticed.
Anyway, more on you now. So, you took a shower three times a day huh?! That was a bit too much for a child like you I think. But perhaps your system got used to it eventually, because you never got ill. If I may be more specific, you took a shower in the morning before you went to school, at lunchtime before you went back to school in the afternoon and in the evening before you went to bed. So clean....
You sprayed perfume all over your body before going out, even your bottom and your legs (kind of like me). If you forgot and then remembered, you would go back to the house even if you were already on your way to school. And your favourite perfume? Cool Water by Davidoff. That was Papa's favourite too. I actually bought you one when you left but I gave it to Ading Linus so he will always remember your smell. Even Teacher Nhica said that you had that distinct smell that overshadowed any other smells in the school.
Then there was this issue of having a ceiling fan in our toilet. A lot of people during your wake asked that question and I felt weird because I thought we are not the only family who had a fan in the toilet. Perhaps others had an aircondition instead of a ceiling fan. But I was actually surprised when they all said that it was their first time to see a ceiling fan inside a toilet. And this is the reaason why we had one in ours.....
You easily get irritated by the hot weather and since it's hot in the toilet, you used to carry two portable fans whenever you went in there. And on top of that, you had a fan on your hand to use for your bottom. Yes, you had to do that to cool your bottom, right? I laughed out loud the first time Mama told me about it. You were certainly one of a kind.
Now, the tissues and the wipes in your bag. I know you got that from me too. I don't know why but as I said, I was not there when you were growing up. But Mama told me that you would not leave the house without those two important items in your bag, and oh, hand sanitizer as well. And you washed your hands very often too. Kind of OCD like me, huh.
Even as a small child, you managed to eat anything without messing your hands or your mouth. You always had a hankerchief or a tissue paper handy to wipe your hands and your mouth. You held a chicken leg with just your two fingers. You have never used your hands to eat. Remember when you were at a fastfood restaurant and the cowboy that Ading Linus is, he was using his hands to eat something? You apparently whispered to Mama to tell Ading not to use his hands when eating in public because it was embarrassing. Haha.
You were at first fussy with food as well from whatI remember. You didn't eat anything but meat, right? But eventually Mama said that you started eating that was given to you. Ha, I remember if you didn't like the food in the house, you wouldn't complain. Instead you made an excuse of not being hungry and they instantly knew what was wrong. There was also one time when Ading Linus was eating one of his favourite foods- the dried small shrimps (dried alamang). You asked Ading if it tasted good. He said yes and offered you to taste it, but you refused. You told me you were just wondering how the food was. That was really funny and I can imagine how you looked like at the precise moment.
Your books, you arranged them almost if not every night. You had everything in order. Just like me actually.
You know, I heard that someone actually said that one of the reasons why you left was because you were very clean that you didn't even have natural bacteria to defend your body against infection. I don't actually believe in that, but I respect their opinion.
There you go. How I wish I was there to witness these though. It makes me feel sad that I missed a lot of things when you were growing up. But I will forever cherish every little stories that Inang and Mama have told me about you.
Only two days now before your first birthday in heaven. I hope it doesn't rain so your friends can go to the house. I was chatting to your bestfriend Aga this morning and he said he has gone to every birthday you had since you met each other, and he would still go even if you're no longer here. I must say anak that I am now talking to Aga more than I have spoken to him ever before. Sometimes, he is even the first one to say hello to me. And I really appreciate it.
Oh my God, I have written so much about you today. I am sure you are embarrassed by what I wrote, but don't be. I'm sure a lot of people out there would like to know more about you. And there is certainly nothing embarrassing about all this. It's simply you, the boy who inspired a lot of people, both young and old for being the good and talented boy that everyone had the pleasure of meeting.
I love you so much and you know that. I miss you.
Mommy Tintin
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