Old Ladies in April

           All these years, Citas have been saving enough money for a vacation to their hometown.  It's been three years,  the last time she was home. It was the death of her Papa. Every now and then, she felt the nudging in her heart to come home.  Questions yearning in her mind... how are the olds now?  
          
          Alighting from the bus as it arrived hometown, she had this eerie feeling,  "Why is our house seemed empty. Where is everybody?"  Pushing the front door slowly, she peeped in to see who's in there, but there was none. She saw  their  living room which used to be happy, filled with piano music... now it's bare and empty. The antique piano has long been gone to the storage house, chopped into pieces. Turning her eyes to the dining hall leading to the kitchen... she remembers, it was the most busy area in her childhood days... she, learning to cook at the age of 8, never gets tired of preparing the meals day after day. Glancing at the mezzanine wall, hung were pictures of her brood in their graduation togas. But she missed her picture.. All of them now are having our own families. 


          Engrossed at those hung photos, a voice came from behind.  "So, you're here. Glad you remembered to visit us. We never expected you to come home anymore, now that your Papa is gone."  Those stinging words were from her stepmom! She was tempted to confront her, but when she turned to face her, she was too shocked to see her very sick. Gone was the bubbly laughter, gone was the chattering voice, gone was the swiftness of her legs, that fussed all children to school. Now her whole body is covered with sores, making her look very frail and miserable. And she said,  she  is always left alone in the house because everyone feared contamination from her disease.
           
           The next day, Citas boarded a bus to a nearby town, to visit another foster mom. She was more than shocked to see her in bed, all dressed up and clasping a prayerbook in her hands... as if waiting for her time to come.... She was told that... she has refused eating  for months now... worse... she wont talk to anyone except to her househelp who is at her side most of the time. She has totally withdrawn herself from the world around her. She was more than hurt thinking that nobody cares for her... anymore.
           
            With a heavy heart, she took the ride back home.  She never felt this sad before. "Why did this happened to them? Then she remembered another auntie, who is a retired teacher.  Maybe she could could answer the questions running in my mind right now.  This  auntie of hers is soft-spoken, religious and a very understanding one. She was always happy and has a ready smile.


             But then, as she took the steps by the front porch, an angry voice filled the air, almost shouting and arguing . "Auntie, how are you?"... as Citas motioned to embraced her. She retorted back, "Get oiut of my way. Can't you see that I'm limping. I cannot do my chores  anymore because of this disabled leg."  Citas was taken aback, but still grabbed her hand  for blessings. The auntie she love has gone cranky, after she fell down from the stairs three months ago. Now she feels useless and a burden in the house.


             The excitement in coming home was gone.   So, it is very true then,,, that growing old is lonely.  And these has opened ou eyes, to remind everyone, to take care of your olds, while we still can.  All because of these three old ladies she visited last April.