I never met my maternal grandfather but I grew up hearing stories about him. I was a little over than a year old when he died in 1988. His smoking killed him after suffering for a year on a hospital bed. He was a Tagalog from Central Luzon named Brigido Esquejo. He was an orphan at an early age and grew up in Davao with his brother to be a soldier and honorably discharged with a rank of Lt. Colonel in Manila. A man who joined his fellow Filipinos in the “Death March” during Japanese Occupation. He held a government office back during Macapagal’s time as president and retired a farmer here in Mindanao. He looked after the lands of his older brother Julian and as gratitude, received parts of it that we’re still looking after to this date.
From the so many tales, the most common would be him as a good man. What they never talked about was how he was also a carpenter. This I inferred based on the many tools that I discovered that he owned. Old sets of chairs, some heavy hard wood and remnants of the things he made. Mama would always tell me now when something was built by my grandfather. I didn’t realize it back then but I always had a thing for daydreaming and making things with my hands.
Out of the many things that Lolo left behind like some knives and chisels, I took this specific hammer because it was light enough for making stretchers for canvasses and solid enough for bigger works such small cabinets. This was back in 2012.
I’ve been using it since 2012 since we had to learn to make our own stuff back in college since it’s a whole lot cheaper than hiring a carpenter and the skills I learned have become invaluable to me. It’s always better to be independent as much as possible. It has come to a point where I got a tattoo of Lolo’s hammer on my left arm since I’m left-handed hence the #DIYlife. Even if it’s sexist, I must say that I feel more of a man when I’m working with my hands, sweating and building something useful.
I didn’t want to break his hammer so I decided to get a proper claw hammer. Something that would more fitting with the bigger things that I’m planning. I also have a problem when it keeps falling off from my utility belt because it’s too small for the hook. Got myself a bigger one with a lesser curved claw. Let this one carry on the memories that I will be making, hoping that it would last a generation or two for a child of mine to use or to pass on.
To Brigido, I’ve never had the chance to thank you and maybe someday I would be able to. Until that day, allow me to thank you for your hopes, dreams and struggles and for the living the life that you did. I hope I have brought you the honor and respect that you deserve with my life so far. I don’t know how long I’d be here but guide me if you can with the many challenges ahead. I hope a be a pillar as you were when you were still here in seasons that have passed. Can’t say I miss you because we never got the chance to have a proper relationship but do know that I still carry the tales of your past. Please send my regards to Lucia as I do miss her so.
MARIUS DIDELES 