Journal of August 17

Undoubtedly, we become what we envisage--Claude M. Bristol

Mi amigo Pedro S., I asked him, how is Claire Sumahit?
He answered in a text message, Kasta met ti sinaludsod ni Lito de Francia idi kalman. Apay, what is so special about Claire?
Claire and Pedro, they are my colleagues in the writing profession. Claire, a retired University of Baguio professor, is a columnista in Bannawag, the Iloko weekly magazine.
I told Pedro: Adda kano idiay hospital. Stage 4 cancer.
I live in Oscariz, Ramon, Isabela. Mi amigo Pedro, he is my friend whenever I am in Baguio where he and Claire live.
Intex manen ni Pedro: Addaak iti lugan nga agpa-La Union. Agdamagakto no sadino a hospital ti nakaiconfinenan ni Claire.
Ok ngarud, itexko koma. Ngem insanamtekko, sal-itka, mi amigo, Pedro. I thought you knew.

Ihad a bad dream last night; it is this kind of dream in which in reality something happens--an acquaintance meets an accident or dies. At past five this afternoon, my fellow writer and kumpadre, Lito de Francia, formerly of the Unversity of the Cordilleras, sent a text message: Claire Sumahit died today. Her body is now at Funerara Paz in Baguio. Nagparparikna ngata because two days ago, I said in the website of dadapilan. com--hold on Claire. I was supposed to go to Baguio today, but the trip was postponed. I had to do some editing and sending entries for prizes to Reader's Digest. Jim Domingo, another Bannawag writer, also sent a message: Claire died at 2:30 a.m. today. I feel bad for not making the trip to Baguio today. Claire is a great loss to Iloko writing. She attended the national convention of the association of Ilocano writers at Novaliches last April, where she bought books by F. Sionil Jose and posed for the 1982 Ramon Magsaysay Awardee for Literature. Sapay koma ta aginana ti kararuam, Claire. ( I asked your forgiveness, Claire. In our dangadang with Cles R., you were caught in the crossfire.) I sent a tx message to Franklin M. to contact Lito to get information on the cost of a wreath of flowers we would be giving to the dead woman.
Ittthhfor