Hello from Heaven

Whenever mother would joke about leaving us behind she mentioned about a not too long wake and that we should not be lonely when she will be gone. That same day she let go, we immediately prepared for her one night wake. Right after her heart stopped my youngest brother, sis in law and I went to the memorial park to prepare the place for her interment. Interment was set Friday, 10^th of September at three in the afternoon.

Thursday morning my two brothers hastily worked the immediate release of her death certificate. Likewise the permit needed to transfer the body from one city to another city. A job supposed to be done by the funeral home but we want to please mother of what she had wished for. We had to do it ourselves. Friday, 10^th of Sept. was the end of Ramadan and it was declared Philippine Holiday in due respect for the Muslim Filipinos. Being a Holiday, all private and public offices will be closed. Meaning all documents needed must be processed and prepared Thursday, the 9^th of Sept.

Not being lonely is of course beyond our control. We do not know what exactly happened but we were in a happy mood right on Thursday morning at the funeral home. It all started when my sister mentioned about swarm of small black ants that gathered at the house of our older brother. I kidded when it will be my time. I would like fireflies, so no need to worry about having an outage. My sister kidded back they will not see the fireflies in the morning. Then again I said I need two. Fireflies at nighttime and butterflies at daytime. We cackled at the thought of it, some friends arrived Thursdays evening and more laughter. Luckily, there was no other wake on the other chapels. Otherwise some people might think we had gone crazy.

Wednesday, we decided to leave three hours early for the interment to avoid traffic jam. There was drizzle on our way. I was looking for a rainbow but there was none. We arrived at the memorial park an hour early. We still had time to have a short program. My older brother spoke about my mother. He made it too lengthy to wait for one last guest. The guest arrived and I observed my brother was having his speech too long. I decided to say something, followed by my sister, my youngest brother and two sisters in laws. My youngest brother did not finish what he was about to say. He was overcome with emotion. I reminded my older brother it was past three in the afternoon already. He knew what I meant.

We gathered around the grave as the casket was lowered. The grave is a lawn lot. Mother will be on top of my father. We threw flowers as a gesture of saying goodbye to mother. I was warning my eleven year old niece not to come close to the hole as she was throwing roses. I noticed my youngest brother took out a hanky from his pocket. All of the sudden a loud clank was heard! I shouted – “Oh, mother wanted my cell phone so she could call us from heaven!” Everyone cackled in laughter. My niece who was crying stopped and her face lit up with a wide grin. My youngest brother laughed so hard. Laughers reverberates the place as the guest laughed in unison.

My Nokia E71 cell phone slid off of the case being half opened. Fell to the plastic mat then to the hole of the grave. I had the case tied with the cord of my USB disc and slung it on my neck. A man who was among the men lowering the casket with a cord picked up my cell phone half covered with water soluble white paint. The cell phone suffered few scratches but working properly. After few exchanges of stories and partaking boxes of pizza and Zesto packed drinks. We thanked the guests, composed of some relatives and friends. I, my siblings and in laws with the kids had a sumptuous dinner at one of a fine dining restaurant courtesy of my youngest brother. No more crying. Everyone agreed we do not want to lose my cell phone if we do. ☺