MikeLigalig.com

By Joe Espiritu
Columnist, Bohol Sunday Post

    Despite a hand carried invitation, we failed to attend the Golden Wedding Anniversary of Antonio Salas Madera and Lourdes Galia Roldan. The reason; an old judo injury acted up. This happened on college. While allowing a beginner to learn the moves, we consented to be the dummy in the practice. The chap got carried away. Surprised that he could be able to throw a man bigger than him if he moves right, he decided o complete the shoulder throw. Unfortunately we had not expected it, half of our body slammed on the floor instead of the tatami mat. The back acted up from time to time ever since.

     Ah for golden wedding anniversaries. We were privileged to attend one with a close friend. There were speeches and toasting and suddenly my friend stood up and said: in my case it would be fifty years of agony and torture! Oh come on, after four children? He must be joking. However, my friend throws jokes with a solemn face that one will never know if he really means it. Probably he did not.

     Sir Tony belongs to the prominent Salas clan, which boasts of an Associate Justice of the Court of Appeals, Doctors of Medicine, Civil Engineers and many others. Lourdes is a daughter of Dalmacio Roldan one of those pre war teachers who graduated in Manila and sent by the government to teach in the Visayas. Both were Elementary School teachers. In his spare time Sir Tony writes history particularly the history of Jagna. He is one of the writers in the coffee table book Jagna at 375 Years. Being a historian, he is meticulous about his facts.

     When he read the article 'Maderas after 50 Years' he found dates not accurate. He was made a kagawad of the Jagna SB for 10 years instead of only four years... he was awarded Master Teacher of Mathematics on 1983 and not on 1988. His second daughter Niceas was promoted while another daughter Juanita a pediatrician was made to walk, fearing that she might be involved in a traffic accident as a pedestrian, Sir Tony wanted that corrected. Besides, being dubbed as a pedestrian does not speak much of ones intellect.

     Their marriage is a success. On teachers' salaries they manage to educate their children, Julie is a CPA, a real Certified Public Accountant, Necias an Industrial Engineer, Sylvia another CPA, Juanita, a Medical Doctor who is a pedestrian - er - pediatrician, Clarita a Civil Engineer and Flora a BSC and a Computer Programmer. We wonder how the couple did it. There must have been much skimping to make their offspring all professionals. Besides, the children must have enough brains to cope.

     To be together for fifty years s a feat. Some say marriage is a racket invented by men to get a servant, cook maid, yaya and a girl Friday with no salary, vacation leave and retirement pay. Others say marriage is a racket invented by women to give tem the right to place a ring on his finger. The ring in his nose will follow later. They do not believe in living happily ever after. Such a cynical view of life.

     The most poignant story we had read was that of Adam. Because of Eve, they were driven out of Paradise. Away from God's favor, Adam suffered hardships he had not met before while Eve bore him several children. They lived a long life and at the death of Eve Adam said; Wheresoever she was; there, was Paradise.

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