Punch and Judy Show April 27, 2010

On the occasion of my sister’s 38th birthday, allow me to call myself “Punch.”
From our beloved band, The Cascades, here’s my birthday song for, who else but “Judy!”

Everybody laughs to see, Judy being mean to me
Everybody here in town, knows that I’m just Judy’s clown

Oh every place we ever go, everybody seems to know
Well, they know we’re just a Punch and Judy show!

Judy makes a fool of me, why can’t she just let me be?
Even though I know the score, I keep coming back for more

Yes, we’ll always be a Punch and Judy,
Always be a Punch and Judy show!

Well, no need for hasty reactions because I will explain myself as to why I chose that song.
First of all, my sister loves, loves, loves The Cascades. She has the uncanny “talent” for memorizing song lyrics and singers and since The Cascades met an untimely death, they only have 1 album. And her name being Judy, as a kid, I’ve always taken to thinking about her everytime I hear this song.

Now that I’m older, though, listening to the lyrics, there are parts of it that ring true to her and me. Take the first line, Everybody laughs to see, Judy being mean to me. Now, everybody would be quick to say I’m the mean one, but of course, Ate has her mean days too! But since its her birthday, I’ll let that all slide. I’d rather focus on the laughing part anyway.

One of the things I enjoy the most with my sister is how we take the time to laugh. As in LAUGH OUT LOUD, laugh until your stomach hurts… laugh all you want. It’s a ”mystery” to my mom how we would find something to laugh about in the middle of dinner, while doing a chore, while watching TV, when we remember something, anything, anytime.  It’s great how our humor is on the same wavelength, especially since there’s only the two of us to entertain ourselves by.

Next line, Everybody here in town, knows that I’m just Judy’s clown. We don’t live in a town, we live in a village and we’ve been living here since Ate was 4 and I was 2. And no, I’m not Judy’s clown, I’m Judy’s shadow.

As her little sister, I looked up to her and copied (almost) everything she did. I even almost wore everything she wore too! Let’s talk schools — from Alice In Wonderland to St. Paul Pasig, St. Scho Marikina and UP Diliman – I was there. From favorites like The Beatles, Bon Jovi, watching tennis and PBA, playing sports, reading books — I loved them too. Her books, I read; her cds, I listened to; her shoes I wore; her clothes I sneaked out with — name something she did, she liked, chances are, I was right there doing the same, liking the same. I was the undisputed second-rate, trying hard, copycat! Well, what can I do, I’m second born!

Oh every place we ever go, everybody seems to know. With all the good qualities my sister has, I certainly didn’t mind being called “Judy’s sister” in school by teachers who’s handled her previously. Can you imagine what it would have been like if I were the “older sister”? Nah! That would be my nightmare! And because I was naturally flamboyant and an attention-grabber (but not always positive), I would often hear my sister’s friend call me “yung kapatid ni Judy!” Maybe its because I was often heard shouting “Aaaaahhhttteeeeh!” across the parking lot, corridor, street in that unmistakable voice (with proper diction, mind you) that’s distinctly me.

Judy makes a fool of me, why can’t she just let me be?  The fifth line is tricky, because my sister never really made a fool of me, and in fact, she just about lets me be.  Of course there were naturally a lot of fights in all the 28 years we shared 1 small bedroom together, but we understood our differences and more than that, we accepted them. As much as I was a copycat, there were things she does which I couldn’t do as well, but largely, there were things I can do which she can’t, even if her life depended on it. She was good in Science, I was better in Math. She was good in P.E., my domain was Music. We both can’t draw and we were both great in English. She was more studious and got the awards, but anyway, my grades were higher. I had more friends but she had best friends our parents knew. She’s always been good with money and saving and her allowance and that was my waterloo. I still can’t forget how on her first year as a tax-paying, employed, college-graduate, she would take to on weekly trips to National Bookstore and would let me choose any casette tape I wanted!

And just like our parents, no matter how cramped our room, our house, our lives were — she gave me the freedom to be me, allowed me to be me, patiently put up with everything that was me, supported me, helped me, cooked for me, cleaned for me, tutored me, shared her things with me… she has all been but a wonderful sister to me!

And the last line, Yes, we’ll always be a Punch and Judy show! Oh, to put it simply, I wouldn’t really have it any other way.

There are many wonderful things to say about my Ate but there will be many more birthdays for that. As I wrote in her Facebook page, and I quote,

“Maybe the reason why I was only given one sister is because having you is more than enough! Everything I could ask for in a sister, all that I would need from a sister — you have it and you gave it. You are smart and sassy in many ways that I’m not and have been generous to me no end. You’ve been “stuck” with me since you were 2 and have patiently supported and tolerated me. I have one-up on everyone today because you are my sister and I will always be behind you, beside you, for you and forever grateful! Sheng ri kuai le wo de jiejie! Wo ai ni! ^_^”

There’s one other verse in the song I left out, but on hindsight, I think I’d like to close with it.

Though I smile, it hurts inside
Even puppets have some pride
I would leave her if I could
If my heart was made of wood…

Whenever I would smile and think about my sister, there’s never any hurt inside. I couldn’t be happier to have the chance to see Ate everyday and talk to her. Just thinking about her generosity to me as her sister makes me teary-eyed. And no, it’s not just for the material things, but for making a lot of things easy for me all my life, for teaching me a lot of things, for making me a part of her married life and generally looking after me with not so much nagging and bragging. And thank God my heart isn’t made of wood, it’s a heart filled with all the good wishes and whatever it is that my sister is wishing for with all her heart, that’s what I’m wishing for her too!

Happy birthday Ate! ^_^

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