A Philippine news report February 7, 2010. An 80- year grandma was locked up like a prisoner inside what looked like a dog house and was even hurt by her daughter and a couple while inside. The Department of Social Welfare and Development (dSWD) is now investigating the case and preparing to file charges against the couple and the daughter. and give assistance to this hapless Senior Citizen.
This report reminded me of what happen to me and my wife during our visit in Korea December 12 2010 Sunday at 10 in the morning as we arrived in the house at the 20th floor of a building among clusters of high rise in their area. Before we can enter the house our daughter told us to remove our shoes and instead wear slippers inside te house. I beg off because I am a stroke victim, our daughter knows this my left foot could not carry ordinary slippers. My sandals or slippers always have extra straps that they may not be ejected as I walk. But she insisted. I said may be I cannot live here. and she snapped " Sorry but we only clean the house once a week". I said if I am not welcome here I might as well go back home. And She shouted, "Papa in the first place and in truth I did not ask you to come here". I was so saddened and depressed, as if the whole world fell down on me. But I was able to supress and manage my anger knowing that in a few days she is going to deliver her first born and that if I blew up I could die by a second stroke and be sent home in a box. Well and good thank God I'm still alive. My Bp hoovered at 160/80 and 180/ 80 till early evening. We slept in a room which used to be their stock room in a single bed. We did not sleep the whole night of our travel. And again I could not sleep that night even if I doubled the dose of my pill, xanor.
Early next morning she gave us instructions, the do s and don'ts in the house. I said to mame " oh my God we are like newly-hired domestic helpers. I remember the saying, "Do not teach your mom how to suck milk". That day December 14 mom and me agreed that I go back home ahead since by January 25 three of their co-employees will go on Christmass vacation in Pinas.
The next day our lunch was one mackerel, not unlike our local galonggung boiled with carrots potato,spinatch, onion, carrots and pinch of salt. And this went on for a week and Mom started complaining. She asked, "Sa ano iloto ko?" The answer:" pati pagkain nyo ako magintindi?"
So as usual our lunch was the cheaper Korean mackerel,GG Mom could not fry anything because oil and the smell would spread all over the house, curtains smells and the kitchen dirty.
Christmas day came and nothing was expected since Koreans do not celebrate Christmass like in the philippines. Our lunch you might asked? Yes as usual nothing else. The next day we went to Lottie Mart "mall" still feeling the season so we eat bread and the special Korean noddles. Mom and me eat more than the ordinary even if white flour is forever banned in my diet.
January 5 was two days away so I asked if they could advance the date of my plane ticket. But Mom cried" I don't want to stay here alone masira ulo ko dito" The ordeal just went on day by day. Mom's birthday came January 19, her other children, friends greeted her through the internet. Our lunch and dinner that day was as usual. I could see Mom was just holding back her tears as we share a bigger GG. In the house back home Dap prepared spagheti,lumpia and small cake. The next day a Korean friend, Mijang and her daughter Lisa who also came to our house inthe philippines way back visited us. They brought some bread a cake wtih six candles because it was Mom's 60th birthday so she celebrated her birthday belated though. The two of us shared the same feelings that day, downtrodden an downhearted our situation was shameful and humiliating All these put too much stress on me piling up, until January 25 at 3:30 a.m. while going to the toilet I blacked out and fall (atransient schemia). That 6 a.m. I called both of them and asked them to advance the date of our ticket because I wanted to get back home that day. A delay might make me go home in a box. So the next day we were ready to leave.
mel# more of Korea visit...
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