It always surprises her to learn that self’s got a following. Not here, IN THE PHILIPPINES. Which has thrived in her TOTAL ABSENCE. Like, go figure. In fact, she’s on the curriculum in the University of the Philippines.
She remembers giving a reading at a hotel in Cebu during International PEN, and all her books sold. Every last copy. Amazing, right? It sold out, even though the book was expensive by Philippine standards: 500 pesos per, almost $10 US. For a country like the Philippines, to have sold out at that price, for a writer who rarely goes home, is truly something.
She was at a dinner after her reading, and someone tapped her on her shoulder. She turned, and a woman self did not know said, “I just wanted you to know. I really loved The Lost Language.”
At the Cebu Airport the next day, a stranger came up, introduced himself, and said he flew from Cagayan de Oro to Cebu, JUST TO HEAR HER READ. Her hair was a sweaty mess, her clothes were rumpled. If she had known people would recognize her, she would have gone to a parlor.
Dearest Mum is always berating self for her lack of style. She looks, Dearest Mum said, like a slob. Because she has no compunction about wearing any old thing that happens to be clean.
The man who spoke to her at the airport in Cebu turned out to be a writer himself. He gave her a copy of his book. He writes plays. His book was published IN DIALECT which is so totally earth-shattering and amazing. No English translation, and self doesn’t know the dialect. But. Still. Self really believes in regional literature. Because literature from the margins is MORE powerful.
The writer’s name was Carlos A. Aréjola.
Here are the production notes, setting, cast of characters etc. from his play Unang Yugto:
Tagpuan (Setting): Cottage sa isang resort (A cottage in a resort)
Panahon (Time): Kasalukuyan (The Present)
CHARACTERS:
Edwin – matangkad, guapo (tall, handsome)
Toledo – mestisuhin (mestizo), 18 taong gulang (18 years old)
Dagul – 21, moreno (dark-skinned), medyo pandak (somewhat short), may body piercings.
Falcon – mestisuhin (mestizo), ayos na ayos ang buhok (Hair fussed over; sorry, that’s the best she can come up with)
Dalawang Dalaga (2 girls): college girls, magaganda (beautiful), mapuputi (white-skinned)
Mga Pasahero Sa Airport (Passengers in the Airport)
Cagayan de Oro isn’t exactly unknown, it’s a very populous province. But she’s never set foot in Cagayan de Oro, never given a reading there, doesn’t know a single person from Cagayan de Oro. Somehow, over there, in her home country, her book (with no marketing at all), has trickled from the urban centers to the provinces. Which means her work is embraced as a vital part of Philippine culture. The knowledge is so humbling.
(Here, there’s a 40 Filipino Writers You Must Read List, which is published every December from San Francisco. She’s never on that list)
A few days ago, on Facebook, she met the owner of a shop called The Pearl Shop. Self accepted his friend request and then he told her that they sell her book. She said, Hey, I could send you some autographed copies if you like!
He was happy at the news.
The store is in Manila, and they are a purveyor of PEARLS (not a bookstore, in other words).
Heart Eyes, Pearl Shop.
To the end of time.
