This Radio Play Is brought to you by Group 5 for HUMSS 11-05

and Ma’am Kat Cinco

Flowers in the Crypt

Characters:

 Catherina Garcia (Great grand-daughter)

 Lolo Exequiel Garcia
 Lola Narcisa Cortez-Garcia
 Remedios
 Extras: Relative #1-2, Friend #1-2

(Scenario: House of Garcia Family, Exequiel’s Funeral)

Cath: It was a sad day for our family; Garcia Family… our Lolo Exequiel
had died because of stroke. But as for me, I only felt bitterness and
disappointment.

Visitor #1: My deepest condolences to your family

Lola Narcisa: Thank you for coming, Cath, come here and meet our
visitors.

Cath: Okay, just wait a minute Lola. That woman is not even here, I
thought she’d come here and cause a commotion. Does she even know
how sad our Lola Narcisa was when she found out that Lolo is having an
affair with her.

(Scenario: Flashback)

Lola Narcisa: Cath!, help me clean the house. Wipe the floor especially
under the bed, it might’ve become dusty already.
Cath: Okay po lola (pause 5 seconds) Lola, is this silver cocktail dress
yours?

Lola Narcisa: Huh?? I don’t remember having a dress like tha—

(speechless) So it was from her…. Remedios (sad voice) *SFX: RIPPING
CLOTHES *

*SFX: SAD MUSIC*

Cath (inner thoughts): : Lolo hid ‘Remedios” very well. It was like she
didn’t existed during our family gatherings and every time Lolo would tell
me stories about his hometown, how much he loved Lola. But after finding
about Remedios, I really didn’t know if Lolo really love us, and if he didn’t
know how to love.

When Lolo was young, 60 years ago, his parents would always fight with
each other. Until eventually his dad left them. For years, he had saw his
mother making love with his piano teacher. In result, he had three step
siblings that he grew up with.

During the war, his half-sisters were taken by the Japanese and he was
brought to a military camp; forced to work to survive. After the war was over
and when he came home, he eventually found out that his piano teacher
died. His mother, not even looking at him face to face only said: “Oh,
Exequiel, BUHAY KA PA PALA”

It was like, he did not know her mother anymore. When Lolo went to the
university, his mother sat on the bench waiting for the bus to depart. He did
not say good-bye

*SFX: BUS ENTRANCE CLOSING AND TAKES OFF*

(Scenario: Flashback- Exequiel Younger Days)

 *SFX: SCHOOL NOISE for 5 seconds*

Cath: It was in Manila that Lolo Exequiel started smoking, selling

handwritten poems off to friends and classmates who wanted to please
their lovers.

Friend #1: Hey Exequiel, there’s this girl that I want to court. Can you write
me a poem? I want to make an impression

Friend #2: Me too, I want one for my girlfriend. Lately, things between us
has been getting cold.

Exequiel: Sure! Just give me a day and I’ll give it to you immediately. Don’t
forget to pay okay.

Friend#1&2: (laughs)

Cath: Exequiel was a driftwood, taking all sorts of odd jobs just to pay of
his rent. He became a businessman, a journalist and also a husband. He
married Narcisa two months after he published an article about the most
beautiful girl on their campus. Narcisa Cortez, 18 years old, curly hair, high
cheekbones, Cebuana.

Exequiel: Narcisa, this article that I published is just for you. You are the
most beautiful woman that I have ever seen.

*SFX: SAD MUSIC*

Cath (inner thoughts): : From what I have heard, Lola Narcisa sold her
mother’s jewelry in order to pay for their wedding until Lolo landed a steady
job as a journalist. Lola would always wait for Lolo’s mustang to appear in
the garage. It was almost inevitable that Remedios would come along.
I haven’t met her yet but Remedios, had long white legs and copper hair.
I’m not sure if she was his secretary or another journalist. But one thing for
sure is… she was not as beautiful as Lola. But Lolo took her to Japan and
Switzerland; bought her some gowns and diamonds. And also took their
children to the beach.

For years, I harbored bitterness inside me. When Lolo sat me on his lap to
read some stories, his words seemed blurry… I could not listen and look at
him.

How could I love somebody who did not know how to love?

(Scenario: Flashback- Garcia House & Hospital)

*SFX: AMBULANCE NOISE*

Cath (inner thoughts): : I was 11 years old when Lolo got a stroke. Lolo
had collapsed and had multiple seizures. The CT scan showed that his
brain had several distensions and swelled up his skull like a balloon.

I did not have a single tear, not even after he slipped into a coma.

Relative #1: Hey, he’s waking up.. Look!

Relative #2: The drugs finally seeped in.

Cath: When he finally opened his eyes, he was no longer Lolo, he was a
vegetable.

He lived for two more years. On his last days, Lola had decorated his room
with statures of Sto.Niño and novena cards of saints. I was merely forced to
visit him and as my sister drove me closer and hold Lolo’s hand. I
murmured a prayer under a breath.

The priest prayed over Lolo’s corpse and when I heard him say “Lord,
bless this loving man” The knot in my throat tightened.
(Scenario: Church)

 Narrator: On the day of Exequiel’s burial. Cath refused to give a

eulogy. After witnessing the other eulogies of her titos, titas and other
friends of their family. Her chest tightened as she thought about them.

Relative #1: Exequiel was a remarkable man

Friend #1: He was a generous and loving friend.

Cath: The post-funeral kept the our family busy distant relatives would
appear out of nowhere. So many people came to comfort the heartsick Lola
Narcisa.

But I was alone when I saw it. There hung a humble bouquet of baby
breathe, so small and plain that it was overshadowed by the extravagant
flower arrangements that was given by some visitors.

On that bouquet, there were names written on it- the names of Exequiel’s
other children and below theirs is Remedios’ signature.

Cath: Remedios, the woman who did not come to Lolo’s funeral, the
woman whom he had four children with, the woman Lolo loved.

*SFX: SAD MUSIC*

Cath (inner thoughts): In that moment, I could imagine Remedios getting

anxious and waiting for somebody to call her, the moment Lolo got his
 stroke. And I could imagine her sneaking timidly into the crypt, attaching
the flowers to the knob and slipping away before anybody could see her.
Remedios mourned alone.

I could have pulled out the flowers and ripped it out, but I could only think of
Lolo. How he carried his other child the way he carried me as well.

I realized that it was not because Lolo did not know how to love, but it
was because he loved too much.

I left the flowers there, returning back to my family who lit more candles and
prayed. I thought of Lolo’s father, walking out of the door; the Japanese
tugging at his sister’s hair; his mother nonchalantly smoking on the porch.

It was then when I stood up and joined my family and prayed.