I've been meaning to write about my Lolo Leon for the longest time, but haven't had the chance... Since I saw my Lola Joving today, I had the opportunity to ask some questions so now I want to be able to write it down.. not just for the sake of people reading and knowing who my Lolo Leon is but so that I can remember these things and have something to look back on as I get older and I forget....I really love hearing his stories of how he came here and how he came to save the day.. hahah.. really though..
My Lolo Leon migrated over here by boat... Back then Filipinos for some reason were given the opportunity to come over to U.S. by boat, but it cost like $90 and it would take 21/2 months to get there... So Lolo Leon, Lolo Tex, and some other man I dont know saved up their $90 bucks and decided to make the trip... One of the things they had to do before making it on the trip is that they had to take the urine test.. Well, for these three muskeeters, it was all for one and one for all, so they made a plan.. One of them took the urine test for all three of them.. they figured, if one guy didn't make it, they all couldn't go, and if one guy could make it then they all would go.. it was all about them doing this together... so obviously enough, they passed the urine test and made their way over here... My mom told me that it was so cold that they kept their shoes on the whole time AND because it was 2.5 months and everyone was basically roughin it on the boat, a few died... Fortunately the three made it through and on March 5, 1930, my Lolo landed in Vancouver, Canada... Once they landed, one of their friends who was already living in Stockton drove all the way up there to pick them up and take them back to Stockton. Talk about hella dedicated and hella far drives!!!
My Lolo lived in Stockton where most Filipinos lived back in the day. He joined the army and 3 years later he was honorably discharged for his old age. He later worked at the Alameda air force base painting planes.. Apparently, it was a really good job back then.. He was makin the big bucks -- $1 and something cents.. YIKES! He worked there for 37 years and later retired....
Now your wondering why I said he came to "save the day".. Well, Lolo Leon isn't actually my biological grandfather if that's what you call it. He was however the only Lolo I ever knew on my Dad's side. My Dad's real dad was Lolo Benito. He died a long time ago from some sickness and when he died, Lolo Leon promised him that he would take care of my Lola Joving and the 7 kids that they had and that's how he "saved the day".. When Lolo Benito passed away, Lolo Leon married Lola Joving... Once that happened, he was able to petition the family to come to U.S. He started off with taking my Dad since he was a "bugoy" (bad boy) and then later brought my Lola and slowly the rest of the family made their way here....
So that's the great story... He was such an unselfish man.. Because of him none of the Cahiles side would be where they are at today.. He did everything for his brother, and for that I admire him...
A couple years ago, he passed away in PI. He died at the age of 94 of alzheimers.. He was ALSO a good man... He was the peacekeeper in the family and he always, ALWAYS made sure I never left the house with $20 in my hand...AND he always took me and my cousins to the park and always gave us happy meals at Mc Donalds..I will always remember him for the songs he sang to us and how he used to sing "Inday Karurutsi" to make either me or Janice come to him as he crouched down to hug us as we played in the backyard.... Those are my fond memories of him...
So yeah - my grandfathers are my heros and my angels above... Everytime I feel so fortunate and so happy with my life, I think about them because although God IS mainly responsible for the life I am living, I feel that my Lolos up there put the icing on it.....
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