FOOTNOTE TO YOUTHBy Jose Garcia Villa

SCENE 1[Grandmother; 2 girls](Grandmother seating while reading a newspaper, 2 grandchildren are arriving)(Girl 1 whistling while entering and GIRL 1 give GIRL 2 a curious look)(Grandmother silently listening on the conversation of her grandchildren)GIRL 2: Ay teh! Masyado lang talagang happy? Mapunit labi mo ahh. Easy lang. May bukas pa.GIRL 1: Panira moment ka lang talaga noh? Masama bang maging happy? (Act like a drama actress)

Masama ban a kahit minsan sa buhay ko ay maging Masaya ako? (Ate Gay’s way) GIRL 2: Oh cgena. Sayo na ang korona. Why kasi your so happy? Share mo man teh.GIRL 1: Alam mo kasi girl, pumunta kami ng syota ko sa isang lugar. (bubulong ng malakas) as in secret

place.GIRL 2: Bumulong ka pa, di din naman halata. Teh ah anong ginawa niyo?! Charotera ka a.GIRL 1: Actually nagmetaphor kami! Chos!

We went to a very roooooomantic place. We talked about our relationship and plans and . . . and . . .and . . .GIRL 2: Dali teh!GIRL 1: He hold me tight for that I felt warmth. I super hyper duper love him. Kuha mo?GIRL 2: Ahh . . . GIRL 1: Bitter reaction lang. Di ka ba happy for me?GIRL 2: Of course I’m happy. Sis, siya nab a talaga? Ung as in till death do us apart? Ai kayo pla.

Kung san ka Masaya suportahan taka (Anabel Rama’s way)(Grandmother interrupts her grandchildren’s conversation)

GRANDMOTHER: Ay sus maria y josep. Buti hindi kayo kinidlatan! Mga ineng masyado pang musmos ang inyong kaisipan sa mga ganyang bagay baka may makarinig sa inyo at ano pang sabihin.

GIRL 1 & GIRL 2: Lola??!GRANDMOTHER: Ay hindi hindi. Diyosa lang. Alam niyo mga ineng ang pag’ibig hindi minamadali. True love can wait ba.GIRL 1: Speakin g from experience, Lola? (Papaluin ng tungkod) Ouch! (Acting as if hurt)GIRL 2: Lola Maria Clara, how did you say so?GRANDMOTHER: Love is like an abstract art. It’s hard to define.GIRL 1: Char!GRANDMOTHER: Alam niyo kayong mga kabataan ngayon ibang iba kayo kumpara sa mga kabataan noon. Mapupusok

ang mga kabataan ngayon.GIRL 1: Pag kabataan ngayon ang pinag’uusapan mapupusok na agad?GIRL 2: Hindi po ba pdeng sociable muna? (Papaluiin ulit ng tungkod) GIRL 1: Si Lola naman nag’enhor mamalo.GRANDMOTHER: Ang bawat desisyon ngayon sa buhay kailangang 7777 na beses pinag-iisipan. Laging tandaan na ang

pagsisisi ay lagging nasa huli. Halikayo let me tell you a story.GIRL 2: Lola naman eh! Dati dalagang Pilipina, ngayon Lola Basyang na. Nag’english pa.

Karerin mo yang a. Pero anyways, go Lola carrybells mo yan.

SCENE 2[Narrator; Grandmother; Dodong; Teang; and Lucio]NARRATOR: Once there was a love triangle among Dodong, Twang and Lucio.LUCIO: Teang, let me tell you something.TEANG: What is it about?LUCIO: We were as one babe for a moment in time and it seemed everlasting that you would always be mine.TEANG: But Lucio! I want you to be free

So I’m letting you fly, Cause I know in my heart LucioYour love for me will die

LUCIO: Teang!

Close your eyesGive me your hand, Darling, do you hear my heart beating?Do you understand? Do you feel the same or am I only dreaming?

TEANG: Yes! Your only dreaming Lucio.I have never loved you and I will never love you.

LUCIO: As long as the stars shine down from the heavenAs long as the rivers run to the seaI’ll never get over you getting over me!Goodbye Teang, you will regret that you rejected me.

TEANG: I’m so sorry Lucio, But I love Dodong.(Teang was alone)

NARRATOR: Teang is a beautiful youg lady. She had a small brown face and small black eyes and straight glossy hair and Dodong was her lover.

TEANG: Here I was an empty piece of a shellJust minding my own worldWithout even knowingWhat love and life were all about

(Dodong came)Then you came, you brought me out of my shellYou gave the world to me and before I knowThere I was so in love with you

DODONG: You gave me a reason for my being and I love what I love what I’m feeling.TEANG: You gave me a meaning to my life

Yes! I’ve gone beyond existing and it all beganWhen I met you

(Music played – When I met you) (Romantic play)

NARRATOR: The lovers enjoyed the cool breeze of the day. They go to picnic. They love picture taking. They thought of nothing but themselves.

DODONG: Teang, I have something to ask you.TEANG: What is it, Dodong?DODONG: Do you really love me?TEANG: Of course! I love you today, tomorrow and always.DODONG: Then will you marry me?TEANG: Yes, Dodong. Yes! I love to be your wife.(Music played – Runaway)

GIRL 2: Then Lola what happened? Did they get married immediately? How many kids did they had?Are they cute?GRANDMOTHER: Hala sige, ikaw na magkwento. Palit tayo?GIRL 2: Peace. Continue na po, Lola.

SCENE 3NARRATOR:

The sun was salmon and hazy in the west. Dodong thought to himself he would tell his father about Teang when he got home. He was hesitant of saying it, he wanted his father to know what he had to say was of serious importance as it would mark a climacteric in his life. Dodong finally decided to tell it, but a thought came to him that his father might refuse to consider it. His father was a silent hardworking farmer, who chewed areca nut.

DODONG: I will tell it to him.I will tell it to him.I will surely tell it to him.

NARRATOR: Dodong started homeward thinking how he would break his news to his father. He really wanted to be married. Dodong had pimple on his face, then down on his upper lip was dark-these meant he was no longer a boy, He was a growing man – he was a man.(Family are eating their dishes, mother wash the dishes)Dodong really wanted to spill out his mind but his pity to his mother dominated him. He wished that he had a sister who could help his mother on the housework. Then he went to his father whose sucking a diseased tooth.

DODONG: I am going to marry Teang.(Father looked silently at Dodong)DODONG: I will marry Teang.(Father kept gazing at him in inflexible silence)DODONG: I asked her last night to marry me and she said. . . yes.

I want your permission. . . I want . . . it.FATHER: Must you marry, Dodong?

You are very young Dodong.DODONG: I am seventeen.FATHER: That’s very young to get married at.DODONG: I. . . want . . . to marry her. Teang’s a good girl.FATHER: Tell your mother.DODONG: You tell her, tatay.FATHER: Dodong, tell your inay.DODONG: You tell her.FATHER: All right, Dodong.DODONG: You will let me marry Teang?FATHER: Son, if that is your wish. . . Of course.

SCENE 4NARRATOR: Dodong was immensely glad he had asserted himself. He lost his resentment for his father.Then he confined his mind to dreaming of Teang and himself – sweet young dreams.(Music played – Careless Whisper Intro)(Dodong and Teang were lying on a mat. Suddenly Teang’s stomach aches, sign of giving a birth.

MOTHER: Do not leave the house Dodong.DODONG: I have to, I don’t want to hear Teang crying.MOTHER: All right, if that’s what you want.(Dodong leaving)FATHER: In a few minutes, you would be a father.(Music played – Crying baby)MOTHER: It is a boy!

Come up, Dodong. It is over.

NARRATOR: Suddenly, he felt terribly embarrassed as he looked at her. It made him feel guilty. He dropped his eyes and pretended to dust off his short.MOTHER: Dodong!NARRATOR: Dodong felt more embarrassed and did not move. His parent’s eyes seemed to pierce through him so he felt limp. He wanted to hide or even run away from them.MOTHER: Dodong, you come here!DODONG: I’ll . . . come up.(Mother carrying the baby boy)

FATHER: Son. . .MOTHER: Dodong . . .DODONG: Where’sTeang?(Mother gave the baby boy to Dodong)MOTHER: She’s sleeping. But you go in.NARRATOR: Dodong saw Teang, his wife, asleep on the paper with her soft black hair around her face. He did not want her to look that pale. Dodong wanted to touch her, to push away that stray wisp of hair that touched her lips. But again that feeling of embarrassment came over him, and before his parent, he diid not want to be demonstrative.

They named the baby, Blas. Blas was not Dodong’s only child. Many more children came. For six successive years, a new child came along. Dodong did not want any more children but they came. It seemed the coming of children could not be helped. Dodong get angry with himself sometimes.

TEANG: I am now thin, shapeless even if I am young. Cooking. Laundering. The house. The children. I wish I had not married. I wish I had married Lucio. But Lucio had already married another. (crying)

SCENE 5NARRATOR: Eighteen years passed by, Dodong’s son, Blas, also found his love with girl named Tona. Tona is a beautiful young lady. Her curly hairs, tantalizing eyes, sweet voice and slim body caught Blas’ attention.(Music played – Himig ng Pag-ibig)BLAS: Hey, girl you just caught my eye.

Thought I should give it a try to know get your name and your number. Go grab some nuts and eat some cucumbers.

Cause your eyes, your eyesMake the stars look like they’re not shiningYour hair, your hair falls perfectly without you tryingYou r so beautiful and I will tell you every day.

TONA: Who are you?? BLAS: I am the one for you and you’re the one for me. We’re the perfect two.

And now that that I’m strong I have figured outHow this world turns cold and it breaks through my soul.And I know, I’ll find deep inside me, I can be the one.

TONA: Then I wanna know what love is. I want you to show me.BLAS: Yes! It’s a beautiful night. We’re looking for something dumb to do

Hey baby, I think I wanna marry you.TONA: Is it a look in your eyes or is it this dancing shoes?

Who cares baby, I think I wanna marry you.BLAS: So? You mean yes?TONA: A-huh!BLAS: Waaahhhhhhhh!!!(Music played – Runaway intro)

SCENE 6NARRATOR: One night as Dodong lay beside his wife. He rose and went out of the house. He stood In the moonlight, tired and querulous. Blas was eighteen, he came that night very flattered and happy.DODONG: You better go to sleep. It is late. (Dodong went back on the mat)

BLAS: Itay(Dodong did not answer and tried to sleep.)I am going to marry Tona,(Dodong did not move)Itay, you think it over.(Dodong lay silent)I love Tona and I want her.(Dodong rose from his mat)DODONG: Must you marry, Blas?BLAS: Yes. . .

NARRATOR: Dodong did not Blas to marry yet. Blas was very young. He did not want to let his son to commit the same sudden decision but he can’t refuse.BLAS: I will marry Tona.

You have objections Itay?DODONG: Son. . .

(sigh) none. . .

NARRATOR: Dodong was helpless. He could not do anything.

As long ago, youth and love isn’t that lucky for Dodong . . .Dodong looked wistfully at the situation. He felt extremely sad and sorry for him.

SCENE 7(Maglalakad si Grandmother)GIRL 1: Oh Lola, where are you going na po?GIRL 2: What happened nap o kay Blas?GRANDMOTHER: Naisip ko lang mga ineng kung sakaling hinayaan kong magpatuloy ang sa amin ni Blas.GIRL 1 & GIRL 2: Tona? Wooooooow! Ikaw po yong Tona sa kwento niyo po?GRANDMOTHER: Hayaan mo na iyon, mga ineng. Basta huwag padalos-dalos sa desisyon. Hala, magsihayo na kayo. Mga batang ito.GIRL 1: (Bubulong) Akala ko dalagang Pilipina si lola. May pa’I want to know what love is pang nalalaman. GIRL 2: Nagpastraight pa. GRANDMOTHER: Ano yun?GIRL 1 & GIRL 2: Wala po. Sabi po namin aalis na po kami. Bye po, lola.(Magmamano at aalis na)