One Christmas in Asingan...

During the time of Fr, de Guzman the church choir members were treated with an early breakfast right after the singing of each Misa de Gallo ( Mass when the rooster crows, is which really #$%^& early!). Your personal sacrifice started when you have to wake up early..At 4:00 am the church bells ring and when it does, most of the dogs in our area would start barking, then a 4 piece band would go around the poblacion playing a lively music (Geez, the tune is still in my head up to now).Then you have to wash your face with ice cold water ( no plumbing in Asingan in the 50s ), then go up the choir loft to find all the singers half asleep and walking about like zombies.. Then the Misa de Gallo begins with the accompaniment of Jose de Guzman's playing the violin.Jose is the daddy of Fr. Lazaro and he played a violin. If the sound of his violin won't wake you up completely, nothing will..Some notes in his violin would knock the wax out from your ears. This took place for 9 mornings and the only incentive I had then is the breakfast that comes after the mass...Everything worked well except for one morning.."Hey, I heard we will have arroz caldo today" whispered one singer to me.."Wowie, " I said..After the Mass, we went up the convento, trying not to look too eager for the repast..Upon reaching the kitchen, we saw the table served with plates but but no arroz caldo! In fact there was NO FOOD! When Fr. de Guzman came up, everyone was asking "Where is the food??" He said, someone donated a whole kettle of arroz caldo..It was brought here early this morning.." Then everybody started looking for the kettle. Nothing..Then somebody looked out of the window and shouted: "I saw the kettle..It is in the church garden!" Bad news!A couple of guys ran down. When they came back, they were holding an empty kettle, still with traces of arroz caldo lining its bottom. "Oken na da!" cried one singer.."tinakaw da iti arroz caldo!" ( #$^&*(@, they stole the arroz caldo!)..That morning, someone forgot to lock the back door of the convento ..Before the end of the mass a group of Asingan bums, might have seen it open, went up and run away with the kettle and helped themselves at the garden.."Dont worry" said father..he asked his nephew to run to the Villar bakery to buy enough hot pandesal while some of the girls cooked some scrambled eggs. Top the menu with coffee and everybody was pleased as anything!We never learned who stole the arroz caldo, but Christmas evecame 2 days after and we forgot all about it...