To entertain myself in this time of enforced isolation, I went over my collection of books about World War II. I always found the war fascinating. One of my prized possessions is a reproduction of an aerial reconnaissance map of Cebu City taken during the conflict. Another prized possession of mine is my grandfather's copy of the book, The Koga Papers.
Speaking of my grandfather, I suppose I inherited this fascination with World War II, and war in general, from him. He had his own collection which he displayed on his shelf. He lived through the war as a young man and his interest stemmed from simply being a part of one of the great turning points of history. He lived through two actually: the war and the EDSA revolution, though the latter was a more local affair. He liked to talk about the war but not to me. He probably thought me too young. When I got older, certain circumstances not of our fault made us distant. The fact that I never really got to know him is something I regret.
My knowledge of my grandfather's experiences during the war is fragmented. It's second-hand stories and anecdotes from other family members. My grandfather wanted to do his bit in the war, as hot-blooded youths would tend to, but had poor eyesight. Besides, he had other responsibilities. Perhaps there was some element of longing and frustration in his preoccupation about the war.
I know that he almost died. One day, the Imperial Japanese Army were rounding up young men for God knows what reason. My grandfather lived with his widowed mother and sisters. He was asleep on his side wearing a red sweater. When the Japanese came, they somehow mistook him for a woman since he was wearing red and lived with a lot of other women. They overlooked him and he managed to escape what would have been a horrible fate.
Of my other relatives, there was a harrowing tale of how my grandaunts tried to evade the Japanese by riding a small banca. The boat began to take on water and they were forced to throw away a small trunk filled with their most valuable jewelries and possessions.
My great-grandmother, on my mother's maternal side of the family, had a brother who was a spy. When the Japanese found out, they looked for him. When they couldn't find him, they killed one of his sisters and one or both of his parents. The Japanese were known to punish families and entire communities if even one of their members was in the resistance. Later on, my great-grandmother testified against the Japanese in some kind of military court. We still have a copy of her testimony to this day.
The war left lasting impressions on my grandfather and you could see some of it in his habits. He was very frugal. He wasted nothing and saved everything. He had a thing for hoarding big water containers "in case the water ran out". This was probably because since he was the only man in the house, he was always the one to fetch water for his sisters and he resented the arduous task of pumping water and hauling it home on his shoulders everyday. He lived simply. He wasn't choosy and was perfectly content to eat rice porridge with a little fish for dinner. He never wore rings because one night during the war, when the electricity was cut, a stray cinder from a fire somehow got under his ring and burned his finger. He was very wary of thieves and trespassers. He made sure every door had two deadbolts, even doors to the toilet. Every window had a metal grill.
What habits would we develop because of the Wuhan virus? Will we be hoarders of alcohol and hand sanitizers?
I wonder what my grandfather would think about the current situation if he were still around. What would he think of the quarantine? Perhaps it wouldn't seem so bad to him. Maybe it would bring uncomfortable memories? Not to make light of the current troubles, as there are people out there who are really suffering more than they have to, but can this plague compare to a war? Probably not. The Wuhan virus is a morning stroll compared to a foreign occupation by a brutal, murderous, fascist, racist, and imperialist regime.
Again, I'm not trying to make light of the current troubles. The point I'm trying to make is that people have lived through worse and we should take heart from that fact. Public utilities are still running. Grocery shelves can and are still being restocked. We're not in any danger of suddenly being killed or having all our possessions destroyed in an instant. The world is smarter now and more technologically advanced. The best minds on the planet are no doubt dedicating all their efforts to develop a treatment for the Wuhan virus, if not a cure.
It was my grandfather's birthday yesterday. He would have been 96. We couldn't go to the cemetery.
We will visit him when this is over.
