the Martin and I

About 55 years ago  a certain lady named Margarita Macaraeg  was managing a school of Fashion Design and Dressmaking under the Bureau of Private School in the first floor of our house in Asingan. Since dressmaking was a lucrative occupation  in Asingan during those days, ( I suppose even at the present if the fashion designer is  VERY GOOD ) she always had a big number of  female students.

Like the other schools in town.they also started every June and end on  March just before the Town Fiesta..During one graduation day, they celebrated it with a picnic. I was invited ( I was still a young kid in short britches at that time ) and my Mom allowed me to join the picnic since she and Ms Macaraeg  were very good friends.

The picnic took place in Cal-litang.From the Poblacion, we took a carromata ride up to a barrio ( I think it was Carusucan ) then from there, we transfered to cart pulled by a carabao  until we reached the picnic site. I could not remember much about the place except we crossed the river which to a young kid like me, looked as wide as the Mississippi, then we finally stopped at a nipa hut surrounded by lots of damortis trees.The place was gorgeous especially on a quiet summer day.

I was the youngest  and the only boy thrown in with a batch of women ( dressmaking graduates ).At that time, I did not care much about the opposite sex since I was only 8 or 9 years old. So I just explored the site taking care not to go into the thick underbrush for fear of stepping on some snakes.

They slaughtered a goat ( and a few chickens ) and pretty soon the air smelled with the aroma of pinapaitan...Ms Macaraeg whom I called Nana Intay saw to it that I was given ample food being the special guest when it was chow time.

Everybody was chattering with everybody..I had no one to talk with.Soon, I was getting bored until I had some company.  And you can never guess what it was..

It was a black bird locally known then as a Martin or a Martinez (?).It just appeared from nowhere and it started hanging around flying from one low tree branch to another.

The locals from Cal-litang who were with us knew the creature. After it arrived, it was constantly whistling..just like a person. If you could not see it, you would swear it was a person whistling Dixie or whatever.

And strangely enough, the bird seemed to take fancy on me. It was always looking at me and following me wherever I went.. One of the men said, this bird does not mix with the others of his kind..It was a loner..but it loved  human company.

Then one of the girls teased me, "Hey, this guy seems to be in love with you! It is always whistling in your direction.." Yeah",I said. And I added silently.."and of all my luck, it is not even human.."..

Well, the Martin hovered around close by  until the picnic was over and then when it saw that we were about to leave, it just flew away and dissapeared in the damortis trees.---#

Note: In the following video clip, the Martin looked like the crow, but not as ugly. Some elders said before that if you trim its tongue regularly, it will learn how to talk (!) I do not know how true it is, but how will you catch the bird? Some birds appear to be so smart they seem to be able to read your mind..