The New Yorker in Tondo

In New York
KIKAY (Kikay is reading a letter from her Mother with Honey and Arlene ) Dear Kikay, I miss you na, and suer
like to !e see of your "iew# $e%ause it&s "ery sad here in Tondo, lease go home na, %o' I am "ery lonely#
(o"e, Your mommy dear, Atang#
I told her to %all herself Mrs# Mendo'a) *h well, I needed to go !a%k to Tondo)
MA+I,,A (-nters) Tondo. /hy are you going there. (0oing to a !ook shelf and s%ri!!le one thi%k !ook)
A+IANN- (-nters) Too !ad, I&m gonna miss you, Darling)
KIKAY I know, imagine dati, I&m 1ust a new!ie who wants to study Hair 2ulture and $eauty ,%ien%e, Then, now,
I&m going !a%k na3
4AMI- /haaat. /ho&s going !a%k to their stuid %ountry.
KIKAY Me3
4AMI- You. *M0) It&s suer stuidity)
KIKAY I know## And surely, I&ll !e the hottest girl there3
A+IANN- Isn&t Tondo too hot for you.
MA+I,,A Hey 5ran%es%a, (ook at this) This says, Tondo is esta!lished with a %hur%h, !ut the %hur%h is famous for its
!angketa or a %heaer !a'aar#
A+(-N- Hmm3 It is "ery unusual for you to go there3
KIKAY I know, And I don&t think you %ould sur"i"e3
H*N-Y ,o, is this a good!ye for the *5/&ees.
KIKAY No, I&m not gonna stay there, as if# I don&t like it there#
4AMI- $ut !efore you go, let&s ha"e a !ye !ye !ye3#
H*N-Y $ye $ye 6arty)
MA+I,,A *f %ourse, what were we gonna do here. ,tay and !athe in tears.
KIKAY You really lo"e me guys)
A+(-N- And we lo"e you, too, right, guys.
A+IANN- ,o, let&s start the arty. (6ushes 2asette $utton 7 6lays H*T N& 2*(D !y Katy 6erry)
The song %ontinues and (ights Dim, then on again3
The song !e%ames louder and lays for 89 se%onds# The stage is still emty until Mrs# Mendo'a %omes in, dress in leggings and
off shoulder dress, high heels and a %ra'y hair %ut# ,he %arries a !ig !ag full of make us and stuffs#
M+,# M (,houting !y window) Aling Ising, Aling Ising, maawa naman kayo sa mga kait!ahay ninyo) Nagmula sa
alas sin%o ng umaga hanggang hatingga!i wala na kayong tinugotg kung hindi iyang demonyong lakang
iyan)###Maski naman gaano kaganda niyang damuhong Hot N& 2old na iyan ay inagsasawaan din3 Aling
Ising) Huuuy) A!a, mga !ingi yata ito a3 Tama na iyang Hot N& 2old na iyan3 kung hindi !a!asagin ko
sa mga mukha ninyo iyan# Mariose) (,tos musi%)
(A kno%k is heard) (As she walks toward the door) :isitors# always "isitors, nothing !ut "isitors all day
long# Naku, I&m !eginning to feel like a so%iety mah;tron#
(,he oens door# Tony stes in, %arrying a !ou<et# Tony is =>, dressed to kill, and is sua"e tye# +ight now,
howe"er, he is feeling a trifle ner"ous# He starts slightly on seeing Mrs# Mendo'a#)
M+,# M Tony) I thought you were in the ro"in%e#
T*NY (,taring) $ut is that you, Aling Atang.
M+,# M ((aughing) *f %ourse, it&s I , foolish !oy# /ho did you think it was### 2armen +osales.
T*NY You### you don&t look like Aling Atang#
M+,# M (,hyly tou%hing her hair) I had my hair%ut# Do I look so horri!le.
T*NY *h, no,no### you look 1ust wonderful, aling atang# 5or a moment I thought you were your own daughter# I
thought you were Kikay#
M+,# M (6layfully slaing his %heek) *h, you are so alikero as e"er, tony# $ut %ome in, %ome# (,he mo"es toward
furniture and Tony follows#) Here, ha"e a seat# How is your mother.
T*NY (As he sits down, still holding !ou<et) *h, oor mother is terri!ly homesi%k for Tondo, Aling Atang# ,he
wants to %ome !a%k here at on%e#
M+,# M (,tanding !eside his %hair, utting an aron) How long ha"e you !een away.
T*NY *nly Three months#
M+,# M *nly three months. Three months is too long for Tondenia to !e away from Tondo# Aie, my oor kumare,
how !ored she must !e out there)
T*NY /ell, Aling Atang, you know how it is for us engineers# /e must go where our 1o! %alls us# $ut as soon as I
ha"e finished with that !ridge in $ula%an, mother and I are going !a%k to Tondo#
M+,# M Yes, you must !ring her !a%k as soon as ossi!le# /e miss her whene"er we lay anguinge#
T*NY ((aughing) That is what she misses of all#
M+,# M Now I understand what she feels) Your mother %an ne"er, ne"e r!e%ome a ro"in%iana, Tony# *n%e a
Tondenia, always a Tondenia, I always say# (,he auses, stru%k !y thought) $ut I wonder if that&s true after
all# (ook at my Kikay 7 she was there in Ameri%a for a whole year, and she says that she ne"er felt
homesi%k at all)
T*NY ($e%oming to look ner"ous again) /hen### when did Kikay arri"e, Aling Atang.
M+,# M (ast Monday#
T*NY I didn&t know she had %ome until I read a!out it in the newsaers#
M+,# M (6lainti"ely) That girl only arri"ed last Monday and look what has haened to me) /hen she first saw me,
she was furious# ,he said that I needed a %omlete o"erhauling# ,he dragged me off to the !eauty arlor,
and look what she has done to me) My hair was %ut, eye!rows sha"ed, nails mani%ured# And when I&m
going to the market, I used listi%k) All my kumare are laughing# 6eole think I&m a###a###what you %all that
again. ### loose woman# And at my age too) $ut what %an I do# You know how imossi!le it is to argue with
Kikay# And she says that I must learn how to look and a%t like an Ameri%ana !e%ause I ha"e a daughter who
has !een to Ameri%a# Dios mio, do I look like an Ameri%an.
T*NY (Too worried to ay mu%h attention) You look 1ust wonderful Aling Atang# And### and where is she now.
M+,# M (/ho&s rather engrossed in her trou!les too) /ho.
T*NY Kikay. Is she at home.
M+,# M *f %ourse, she is at home) ,he&s still sleeing#
T*NY (0lan%ing at his wat%h) ,till sleeing)
M+,# M ,he says that in New York eole do not wake u !efore Twel"e o&%lo%k noon#
T*NY (0lan%ing at his wat%h on%e more) It&s only Ten *&%lo%k now)
M+,# M $esides, she has !een "ery, "ery !usy# ?y, the life of that giurl sin%e she %ame home) /el%ome arties here
and wel%ome arties there, and "isitors all day long) That girl has !een sinning around like to)
T*NY (+ising dis%onsolately) /ell, will you 1ust tell her I %alled### to wel%ome her home# *h, and will you lease
gi"e her these flowers.
M+,# M (Taking flowers) $ut surely, you&re not going yet, Tony.
T*NY I want to see Kikay, Aling Atang, !ut if she doesn&t get u until twel"e noon###
M+,# M (5irmly) ,he&s going to get u right now and see you, Tony# /hy, you and she grew u together) ,it right
down again, Tony### I will go and wake her u#
T*NY *h, lease don&t !other, Aling Atang# I %an %ome !a%k some other time#
M+,# M (Mo"ing Away) You wait right there, Tony# ,he&ll !e simly delighted to see her old %hildhood friend# And
she&ll want to thank you in erson for these flowers# How !eautiful they are Tony### How e@ensi"e they
must !e)
T*NY (,itting down again) *h, they&re nothing at all, Aling Atang#
M+,# M (6ausing already at %enter doorway) *h, Tony###
T*NY Yes, Aling Atang.
M+,# M You must not %all me AAling AtangB
T*NY /hy not.
M+,# M Kikay doesn&t like it# ,he says I must tell eole to %all me Mrs# Mendo'a# ,he says it is more %i"ili'ed
form of address# ,o### ese%ially in front of Kikay### you must %all me, Mrs# Mendo'a#
T*NY Yes, Aling###I mean, yes, Mrs# Mendo'a#
M+,# M (Turning to go) /ell, wait 1ust a minute and I&ll %all Kikay#
T*NY (To himself as he sits down) Hah)
M+,# M (Turning again) *h and Tony###
T*NY (4uming u again) Yes, Aling### I mean, yes, Mrs# Mendo'a.
M+,# M You must not %all Kikay AKikayB
T*NY ($lankly) And what shall I %all her.
M+,# M You must %all her 5ran%es%a#
T*NY 5ran%is%a.
M+,# M Not 5ran%is%a### 5ran;2es;2a#
T*NY $ut why 5ran%es%a.
M+,# M ,he says that in New York , she says that&s the way they ronoun%e he name, it sounds like A%hi;%hiB so
Italian, !e sure to %all her 5ran%es%a and not Kikay# *h, how she hates that name)
T*NY ((imly sitting down again) Yes, Mrs# Mendo'a
M+,# M (Turning to go again) Now, wait right here while I %all 5ran%es%a3# (,omeone&s kno%king at the door# ,he
turns around again#) AI- DI*,MI*)))
T*NY (4uming u on%e again)Ne"er mind Mrs# Mendo'a, I&ll answer it# (He goes to oen the door#)
M+,# M (as she e@its) 4ust tell them to wait, Tony#
Tony oens door and Totoy stes in# Totoy is the same age as Tony# $oth !oys do their se%ret handshake#)
T*T*Y (Arms e@tending to hug Tony) Tony)
T*NY Totoy) (Then they und ea%h other in the !ellies)
T*T*Y You old son of your father)
T*NY You !ig %ara!ao)
T*T*Y Mayroon !a tayo dyan.
T*NY You ask me that3 and you look like a walking goldmine) How many deots ha"e you !een looting,
huh))..
T*T*Y Hey hey)) More slowly there## It is you the oli%e are looking for#
T*NY Imossi!le) I&m a reformed %hara%ter)
T*T*Y (As, arms around ea%h other&s shoulders, they mar%h a%ross the room#) Make way for the Tondo !oys###
$ang) $ang)
T*NY (6ushing Totoy away and rodu%ing a a%kage of %igarettes) 0ood to see you old al## Here, ha"e a smoke#
T*T*Y I thought you were in $ula%an, artner#
T*NY I am# I 1ust %ame to say hello to Kikay#
T*T*Y Tony# I&"e !een hearing the most frightful things a!out that girl#
T*NY (,inking into %hair) ,o ha"e I#
T*T*Y (,itting down, too) 6eole say she has gone %ra'y#
T*NY No, she has only gone New York #
T*T*Y /hat was she doing in New York anyway.
T*NY *h, studying#
T*T*Y ,tudying what.
T*NY Hair %ulture and $eauty ,%ien%e# ,he got a diloma#
T*T*Y Imagine that) *ur dear old Kikay)
T*NY 6ardon me, sheCs not Kikay anymore,## ,heCs 5ran;2e,;%a##
T*T*Y 5ran;2e,;%a..
T*NY Miss Tondo has !e%ome Miss New York# *ur dear Kikay is now an Ameri%an#
T*T*Y Don&t make me laugh) /hy I knew that girl when she&s still selling ri%e %akes## (,tands u and Imitates a
girl 6uto :endor) 6uto kayo dyan)) $ili na kayo ng uto mga suki))
T*NY ((aughing) +emem!er when we ushed her into the %anal.
T*T*Y ,he %hased us around the streets#
T*NY ,he was driing with mud)
T*T*Y Naku) How that girl %ould fight)
T*NY (5ondly) Dear *ld Kikay)
(Kno%king at door#) Totoy goes to oen it# -nters Nena# Nena is a retty young lady of =D)
N-NA /hy, it&s Totoy)
T*T*Y Nena, my own#
N-NA ($rushing him aside as she walks into the room) And Tony, too## /hat&s all this. A 2anto $oy +eunion .
T*NY (following !ehind her) /e ha"e %ome to greet the (ady from New York #
N-NA ,o ha"e I# Is she at home.
T*NY Aling Atang is trying to wake her u#
N-NA To wake her u.) Is she still sleeing..
M+,# M (Aearing) No, she&s awake already# ,heCs dressing# 0ood morning Nena and Totoy# (Totoy and Nena are
staring see%hless# Mrs# Mendo'a is %arrying a "ase in whi%h she has arranged Tony&s flowers# ,he self;
%on%iously walks into room and sets the "ase on the ta!le amidst a silen%e !roken only !y Totoy&s helless
whistle)
M+,# M (Ha"ing set "ase at the ta!le) /ell, Totoy. Nena. /hy are you staring me like that.
N-NA Is that you Aling Atang.
T*T*Y Naka) It is Aling Atang) (He %ollases into %hair)
T*NY To inform you, she now refers to !e %alled Mrs# Mendo'a#
M+,#M
N-NA
*h, Tony) It is not I !ut Kikay who refers it# ,he was delighted with these flowers# Nena, If you don&t sto
ga'ing at me like that I will in%h you hard)
/hen we were %hildren you always used to do that to us###
M+,# M And I %an do it yet, a!a, kasi### you were always naughty when you were %hildren, all of you### ese%ially
this one### (indi%ating totoy)### this !otarete ### (totoy laughs)### Always going into our !a%kyard to steal our
mangoes#
T*T*Y Is that Mango tree still there, aling Atang.
M+,# M Natural)
T*T*Y 2ome on Nena, (et&s steal some Mangoes###
M+,# M *y, oy no stealing of mangoes) $esides, if you do, I&ll %hase you like I used to do### and I&ll take your ants
off###
T*T*Y A!a, I&m !ig now, !aka magulat o kayo### and !esides, I wear susenders##hehe###
M+,# M *y, oy halika nga# You %ome with me to the kit%hen#
T*T*Y To take my ants off.
M+,# M Talagang sal!ahe ito, ah) I want you to hel me reare something#
N-NA *h ne"er mind, Aling Atang, don&t reare anything for us#
M+,# M *h, It is 4ust some orange 1ui%e# You see, Kikay ### I mean 5ran;2es;%a, always tell me that in New York
they don&t eat !reakfast they 1ust drink *range 1ui%e so### %ome on, Totoy#
T*T*Y Arya, Kumara)
N-NA (-@its Mrs# Mendo'a and Totoy 7 Tony and Nena are silent for a moment#) /ell, Tony.
T*NY You shouldn&t ha"e %ome today, Nena
N-NA *h, why not.
T*NY I ha"en&t talked with Kikay Yet#
N-NA You ha"en&t talked with Kikay Yet. $ut I thought you were %oming here to tell her e"erything last night)
T*NY I lost my ner"e, I didn&t %ome last night#
N-NA *h tony, Tony)
T*NY (Irritated, Imitating her tone) *h, Tony, tony ### use your head, Nena# /hoe"er heard of a man !reaking off
his engagement 1ust like that) It&s not easy)
N-NA Are you inlo"e with Kikay or with me.
T*NY *f %ourse I&m in lo"e with you# I&m engaged to you#
N-NA Yes, and you&re engaged to Kikay too#
T*NY $ut that was a year ago#
N-NA *h, you wolf)
T*NY Nena, Nena you know I lo"e only you)
N-NA How %ould you ha"e the ner"e to roose to me when you were still engaged to
Kikay)
T*NY I wish I had ne"er told you that# This is what I get for !eing honest#
N-NA Honest) You %all yourself honest) 0etting me to fall in lo"e with you when you still !elonged to Kikay)
T*NY I### I thought I didn&t !elong to her anymore# It was only a se%ret engagement anyway#
N-NA ,e%ret)
T*NY I roosed to her 1ust !efore she left for Ameri%a###
N-NA *###.
T*NY And she said we must kee our engagement a se%ret until she %ome !a%k# $ut when she had !een there a
%oule of months she stoed answering my letters###
N-NA 0ood###)
T*NY ,o I %onsidered my self a freeman again#
N-NA That&s why you roosed to me.
T*NY No)### I mean### Yes#
N-NA And then asked me to kee our engagement a se%ret also)
T*NY $e%ause right afterwards, I found out that Kikay was %oming !a%k#
N-NA /ell, I&m tired of !eing se%retly engaged to you7 what fun is it !eing engaged if you %annot ### kuan ### tell
e"ery!ody#
T*NY 4ust gi"e me a %han%e to talk to Kikay and e@lain e"erything to her# Then you and I will announ%e our
engagement#
N-NA /ell, you&d !etter hurry# I&m getting imatient#
T*NY The trou!le is, how %an I talk to Kikay now.
N-NA /hy not.
T*NY /ell, you are here### and Totoy is here# You don&t e@e%t me to talk a!out it infront of e"ery!ody, do you.
N-NA You want me and Totoy to lea"e.
T*NY No, 1ust gi"e me a %han%e to !e alone with Kikay for a moment#
N-NA *kay, I&ll take %are of Totoy#
T*NY That&s good#
N-NA You 1ust lea"e it to me# $ut settle this now and fore"er ha. (Totoy enters with glasses on a tray)
T*T*Y 6uto kayo diyan### $ili na kayo ng uto###
(Mrs# Mendo'a enters)
M+,# M Drink you orange 1ui%e and I&ll see if Kikay is ready# (isten, e"ery!ody### here %omes Kikay### $ut
remem!er she refers to !e %alled 5ran;2es;%a)
(Kikay Aears, gar"ed in a trailing gown trimmed with fur at the ne%k and hemline# 5rom one hand she
dangles a large silk handker%hief whi%h she kees wa"ing a!out as she walks and talks# In the other hand
she %arries a %igarette# Kikay&s manner and aearan%e are### to use a hollywood e@ression E A2hi;%hi like
mad#B)
KIKAY (Ha"ing aused a long moment in the doorway, hands ulifted in surrise and delight#)
*h, hello, hello### you darling, darling eole)
(,he glides into the room# -"ery!ody is too astonished to mo"e#) Nena, My dear, !ut how %ute you&"e
!e%ome) (Kisses Nena) And Tony, dear !oy, how are you### (gi"es her hand to Tony) And Totoy, why you
look like a Tondo suerrodu%tion Totoy, how does one say in TagalogFIn Te%hni%olor) Halika dito# $ut
sit down e"ery!ody### Do sit down and let me look at you)
*h, Mumsy, Mumsy)
M+,# M *y, what&s the matter now.
KIKAY $ut how many times must I tell you, Mumsy dearest, ne"er, ne"er to ser"e fruit 1ui%e in water glasses)
M+,# M Tsk, tsk, ne"er mind# /ater glasses or !e"erage glasses all the same, areho)
KIKAY *h my oor li&l mumsy### ,he is so %lumsy, no. $ut ne"er mind, Dearest, don&t !reak your heart a!out it#
Here, sit down#
M+,# M No, It&s time to go to market, a!a)
KIKAY *h really mumsy, don&t forget my %elery# (to "isitors) I %an&t li"e without %elery)
M+,# M /ell, if you eole e@%use me### Tony, remem!er me to your mother, hane, and let me know the o'o negro
you are !uilding in 6amanga is finished#
T*NY $ridge, Aling Atang, In $ula%an#
M+,# M Ay, !redge nga naman) *o, in $ula%an#
KIKAY And remem!er, Mumsy, oy### a little !loom on the lis, a little !loom on the %heeks#
M+,# M /hat, Kikay.
KIKAY Again Mumsy.
M+,# M -h, 5ran;2es;2a do I ha"e to aint myself again.
KIKAY ((aughing) $ut how dreadfully she uts it) *h, Mumsy, Mumsy ### /hat am I going to do with you.
M+,# M (As she e@its) I don&t know to you) You are the one### (-@it)
KIKAY (,till laughing) 6oor Mumsy, she&s <uite a ro!lem (/a"ing her %igarette) *h, does any!ody ha"e a light.
T*T*Y Here, I&"e got a lighter#
KIKAY Mer%i, Totoy#
T*T*Y Ha.
KIKAY I said Mer%i# That means Thank you### in 5ren%h#
T*T*Y Mer%i#
N-NA *h, Tell us a!out New York, Kikay#
KIKAY (fer"ently) Ah New York, New York#
T*NY How long did you stay there.
KIKAY (In a tran%e) 8G months, D days, H hours and =8 minutes)
T*T*Y $ilang na !ilang, ano.
KIKAY (/ith emotion %he%king her "oi%e) Yes, I feel as if I were still there, as though I had ne"er left it, as though
I had li"ed there all my life# $ut I look around me### ( looks at guest )### and I reali'e that no, I&m not there###
I&m not in New York ### I&m right here in Tondo###
T*T*Y Anong Tan;Doe.
N-NA Tondo, !uang)
KIKAY I&m home, they tell me# $ut this %annot !e home, !e%ause my heart a%hes with homesi%kness# I feel like an
e@ile# My sirit a%hes for its true home a%ross the sea# Ah, New York, New York# My own dear New York#
(isten) It&s sringtime there now# *h, we ha"e a funny %ustom# /hen sring %omes around ea%h year, we
new Yorkers, we make a sort of ilgrimage to an old tree growing down the $attery# *h) /e New Yorkers
%all it A*ur TreeB E In a way, that tree is our own sym!ol for New York#
(,he is silent for a moment# Her "isitors glan%e uneasily at ea%h other# Kikay laughs and makes an
aologeti% gesture#) $ut lease forgi"e me) Here I am going sentimental and 1ust mooning away o"er things
you ha"e no idea a!out# No, you %an&t understand this emotion I feel for our own dear New York###
N-NA *h, !ut I do understand erfe%tly# I feel that way too, a!out our tree#
KIKAY ($lankly) /hat tree.
N-NA *ur mango tree, Kikay# Ha"e you forgotten a!out it. /hy you and I used to go %lim!ing u there e"eryday
and gorging oursel"es on green mangoes# How our stoma%hs a%hed afterwards# And then these !ad !oys
would %ome and start shaking the !ran%hes until we fell down# (laughs)
T*T*Y (laughing) Aling Atang on%e %aught me %lim!ing that tree and she gra!!ed my ants### and off they %ame)
T*NY ((aughing) I was u there in that tree at that time and I laughed so hard I fell down)
N-NA (laughing) Yes, and Aling Atang %hased you all around the yard with her !room, and when she %aught you###
!ang) ,he got you on the head with the !room and how you s%reamed)
T*T*Y $ut me, I %ould not %ome down the tree at all !e%ause I did not ha"e my ants on) (laugh)
N-NA And Kikay and Me ### we were rolling on the ground, simly hysteri%al with laughter# And Totoy, you ket
shoutingI AAng salawal ko) Ang salawal ko)B
(They are all shaking with laughter e@%et Kikay who is staring !lankly at all this#)
KIKAY $ut wait a minute, wait a minute### what is this tree you&re talking a!out.
N-NA *ur mango tree, Kikay# The mango tree there in the !a%kyard#
KIKAY (flatly) *h, that tree#
T*NY /hat&s the matter Kikay, don&t you feel the same emotion for that tree as you do for the one in New York.
KIKAY (Tartly) *f 2ourse Not)
T*NY /hy not.
KIKAY They### they&re %omletely different) I don&t feel any emotion for this silly old mango tree### It doesn&t
awaken any emotion for me at all)
N-NA /ell, it does for me# And su%h hay, hay memories# I really must run out to the !a%kyard to say hello to
it# (Immitating Kikay&s tone and manner) You know, Kikay, o"er here in Tondo, we ha"e a funny %ustom#
/e make a sort of ilgrimage to a silly old mango tree growing in the !a%kyard# And for us, here in Tondo,
that tree is our tree# In a way, It is a sym!ol###
KIKAY Don&t !e silly, Nena#
T*T*Y Anong sili.
KIKAY (In amused desair) *h, you eole %an&t understand at all#
T*NY 6ro!a!ly, we&"e ne"er !een to New York#
KIKAY (-arnestly) -@a%tly) *ur tree in New York, doesn&t stand for Kidstuff and %hildhood foolishness) It stands
for a "i"a%ious, more streamlined, a more daring way of life) In short, it stand for higher and finer things)
*h, how I miss the Manhattan skyline, the 2oney Island in summer# The Madison ,<uare 0arden, the
$ron@ Joo, The fifth a"enue and for all the darling dens in 0reenwi%h "illage# *h, its imossi!le for you to
see#
T*NY I still refer a tree that grows in Tondo#
T*T*Y And I se%ond the motion#
N-NA ,o do I#
KIKAY (Tolerantly) *h you funny, funny %hildren#
N-NA (Kikay Manner) /ell, I really must go and say hello to our tree# You don&t mind Kikay, do you.
KIKAY *f %ourse not, %hild# Do go#
N-NA Totoy, will you %ome with me.
T*T*Y To the ends of the earth)
N-NA (Kikay manner) No, darling ### 1ust to our sear little !a%kyard#
T*T*Y (A%ting u too) *h, the !a%kyards of Tondo, the !arung;!arong of Mayaho, the street of ,i!ukong ### )
N-NA (isten, idiot, are you %oming with me or not.
T*T*Y Anywhere, dream girl)
(-@it Nena and Totoy)
KIKAY /ell) Aarently, our Totoy still has a### terrifi% %rush on Nena# (ause) Do wake u Tony### what are you
looking so misera!le a!out.
T*NY (0athering %ourage) Kikay ### I don&t know how to !egin###
KIKAY 4ust %all me 5ran;2es;2a### that&s good !eginning#
T*NY There is something I must tell you3 something "ery imortant#
KIKAY *h, Tony, %an&t we 1ust forget all a!out it.
T*NY 5orget..
KIKAY That&s the New York way, Tony# 5orget, nothing must e"er too serious7 nothing must drag on too long#
Tonight, gi"e all your heart, tomorrow, forget# And when you meet again, smile, shake hands3 1ust good
sorts##
T*NY /hat are you talking a!out.
KIKAY Tony, I was only a %hild at that time#
T*NY /hen.
KIKAY /hen you and I got engaged# I&"e %hanged so mu%h sin%e then, Tony#
T*NY That was only a year ago#
KIKAY To me, it seems a %entury# ,o mu%h had haened to me# More %an haen to you in 1ust one year in New
York #
T*NY (isten, I don&t want to talk a!out New York 3 I want to talk a!out our engagement#
KIKAY And that&s what we %annot do Tony# Not anymore#
T*NY /hy not.
KIKAY Tony, you got engaged to a girl named Kikay# /ell, that girl doesn&t e@ist anymore# ,heCs dead# The erson
you see !efore you is 5ran%es%a# Don&t you see, Tony, I&m a stranger to you# I hate to hurt you, !ut surely
you see that there %an !e no more talk of an engagement !etween us# And as for marriage###(laughs) #### It
would !e a stark mis%egenation# Imagine, a New Yorker, marrying a Tondo $oy))) ItCs so insane))
T*NY ($la'ing) Now wait a minute###
KIKAY (:ery Tolerantly) I&m sorry if I&"e hurt you Tony# $ut I wanted you to reali'e how ridi%ulous it %ould !e to
think that I %ould still !e engaged to you#
T*NY I&m not going to stand here and !e insulted)
KIKAY Hush, tony, Hush) Don&t shout) Don&t lose your temer### it&s so un%i"ili'ed# 6eole in New York don&t lose
their temer# Not eole of the Haute made anyway#
T*NY /hat do you want me to do### smile and say thank you for insulting me.
KIKAY Yes, Tony, $e a ,ort) (et&s smile and shake hands and 1ust !e friends# $e !ra"e Tony### forget, the New
york /ay# 5ind another girl### any girl you&ll find find### someone more roer for you# More like a loser#
T*NY If you weren&t a woman I&d###I&d###)
(Totoy and nena Aear)
T*T*Y Hold it, tony### You must ne"er, ne"er hit a woman)
N-NA /hat&s all this. Ano !a to.
KIKAY Nothing, nothing at all#
T*T*Y /hat were you two <uarelling a!out.
KIKAY /e were not <uarelling# Tony and I 1ust de%ided to !e good friends and nothing more#
N-NA Tony, is this true.
T*NY (shouting) Yes)
N-NA *h good) Now we %an tell them#
KIKAY Tell us what.
T*T*Y /hat&s going on here anyway.
N-NA Tony and I are engaged#
KIKAY AND
T*T*Y
-ngaged.
N-NA Yes, we&"e !een se%retly engaged for a month#
KIKAY A month) (fier%ely to Tony) why you### you)
T*NY I did try to tell you Kikay### I was trying to tell you###
KIKAY You### You### you dou!le;%rosses) Two timer loser)
N-NA A!a, %areful there### your seaking to my fian%e###
KIKAY He&s not your fian%e)
N-NA *h, no.### why not.
KIKAY $e%ause he was still engaged to me when he got engaged to you)
N-NA /ell, heCs not engaged to you anymore, you 1ust said it yourself#
KIKAY Ah, !ut I didn&t know a!out all this##
T*NY Now remem!er, Kikay3 itCs so un%i"ili'ed to lose one&s temer, 6eole in New York don&t lose their
temer#
KIKAY I&"e ne"er felt so humiliated in all my life)) You !east, I&ll tea%h you))
N-NA I told you to lea"e him alone) He&s my fian%e)
KIKAY And I tell you heCs not)) HeCs engaged to me until I release him3 and I ha"en&t release him yet#
N-NA You ought to !e ashamed of yourself### laos ka na)
KIKAY You ought to !e ashamed of yourself### you&re### you### you steal my !oyfriend)
N-NA /hat. /hat did you say))..
T*NY Totoy, ull them aart)
KIKAY (to Totoy) You kee out of this or I&ll kno%k your head off)
T*T*Y Naku luma!as din ang agka Tondo)
N-NA /alanghiya ka# Kaal mukha)
KIKAY /alanghiya ala)
N-NA *h, you will ha. (ause) Here, take that) (sla)
KIKAY (,%reams and faints)
T*NY (furious) How dare you hit her)
N-NA And why not. ,he hit me first)
T*NY (ook what you&"e done to her)
N-NA Are you trying to defend her. You ne"er defended me)
T*NY ,hut u)
N-NA *h, I hate you, I hate you)) (so!s)
T*NY ,hut u) Kung hindi ay !a!asagin ko yang mukha mo)
T*T*Y 6are, don&t talk to Nena that way#
T*NY You kee out of this)
N-NA He&s more of a gentleman than you are, he defends me)
T*T*Y (To tony) Take your hands off her)
T*NY I told you to kee out of this)
T*T*Y (sanks Tony on the fa%e sends Tony srawling# Meanwhile, Kikay woke u#)
N-NA *h, Totoy, you hit him for me# You sa"ed my life# You&re my hero)
KIKAY Totoy, how dare you hit him) (rushed to Tony) Tony### Tony## *en your eyes) (Tony oens mouth) No, no,
no, not your mouth, your eyes)
T*NY /here am I.
N-NA Totoy, take me away from here#
T*T*Y Are you still engaged to him.
N-NA I hate him) I ne"er want to see him again in my life)
T*T*Y 0ood) 2ome on, let&s go)
T*NY Hey)
N-NA Don&t you seak to me, you salawahan)
T*NY I wasn&t talking to you)
T*T*Y Don&t seak to me either# You ha"e insulted the woman I lo"e#
N-NA *h, Totoy### why### you ne"er tell me#
T*T*Y (shyly) /ell### now you know how, and I&m telling you# Ano, wede !a tayo.
N-NA $asta ikaw Totoy, :i!s lang tayo#
T*NY 2ongratulations)
N-NA AND
T*T*Y
Tse)
(-@it Nena and Totoy)
T*NY (to Kikay) Now, what you need is a good sanking#
KIKAY Don&t you %ome near to me, you### you %anto !oy)
T*NY Don&t worry, I wouldn&t tou%h you with a 8G foot ole#
KIKAY And I wouldn&t tou%h you with a =G foot ole#
T*NY 4ust one year in New York and you forget all your friends#
KIKAY 4ust one year that I&m in New York 3 and what did you do. $ut when we got engaged, you swore to !e
true, you romised to wait for me# And I !elie"e you)) (%ry) *h, you&re a fi%kle, fi%kle##
T*NY /hat are you %rying a!out. $e !ra"e### forget### that&s the New York way#
KIKAY *h, Tony, 6lease### lease) ,alawahan) Taksil) Mandedenggoy ka)
T*NY $esides, we don&t seak the same language# Marriage !etween would !e a stark mis%e### mis%e###
KIKAY Mis%egenation#
T*NY Iyan na nga, imagine a New Yorker, marrying a Tondo !oy)
KIKAY *h, Tony, I&"e !een su%h a fool# I&m so sorry Tony#
T*NY /ell, I&m not# I&m glad to found out what kind of erson you are)
KIKAY *h, Tony you&re wrong###wrong###) I&m not that kind of erson at all#
T*NY *h, erson is 1ust a relati"e term, huh.
KIKAY Yes, Tony### that fran%es%a saying all those silly things# $ut 5ran%es%a e@ists no more# Tony, no more# The
girl standing !efore you is kikay#
T*NY In that silly dress.
KIKAY *h, this. this is 1ust a gift;wraing# $ut dee down inside me I&m 1ust a Tondo girl inlo"e with a Tondo
!oy#
T*NY *h###.
KIKAY It&s true Tony# I&m kikay### remem!er me. I&"e %ome !a%k#
T*NY If, I remem!er, I was engaged to girl named Kikay#
KIKAY And yes, you&re still engaged to her, Tony#
T*NY /el%ome home, darling#
(*ffstage, Mrs# Mendo'a is heard %alling A5ran%es%a, 5ran%es%aB Tony and Kikay then !urst into laughter#)
M+,# M (-nter) 5ran%es%a### *h Tony, you&re still here ala#
T*NY *o Aling Atang
M+,# M 5ran%es%a, I&m sorry I %ouldn&t find the %elery you wanted#
KIKAY *h, ne"er mind Inay# 4ust gi"e me the *ld good Kangkong and some tal!os ng Kamote and I&ll !e hay#
M+,# M $ut you said you %an&t li"e without %elery, hi1a.
T*NY That was 5ran%es%a, Aling atang# Now, we&"e %hanged the rogram# The girl infront of you is not
5ran%es%a#
M+,# M -h /ho. -h who.
T*NY It is Kikay#
M+,# M $ut Kikay is 5ran%es%a# ((ooks at her)
KIKAY I&m not 5ran%es%a, Inay, I&m Kikay#
M+,# M Ay salamat# -h di I %an lay angguigue again### and I %an %all you Kikay on%e more#
KIKAY Yes, Inay#
M+,# M No more, ?nited ,tit%h .
KIKAY No more, Inay#
M+,# M (0oes to 5ran%es%a) And I %an take off this girdle alreidi.
KIKAY Yes, *f %ourse (laughs)#
M+,# M Ayos) ,o you %an ask your mother Tony to %ome right away to Tondo as soon as you finish the %emetery
you are !uilding in $atangas#
KIKAY /hat %emetery Inay.
M+,# M The one that Tony is !uilding in Jam!oanga#
T*NY It&s not a %emetery Aling Atang# It&s a !ridge#
M+,# M In $ula%an, oh kita mo yan# And it has no name yet, ano Tony# /hy don&t you %all it 5ran%es%a. 4ust for old
time sake# (e@it laughing) 5ran%es%a)
KIKAY Ang inay naman)
Musi%I (et the (o"e $egin
KIKAY That musi%, Tony# I remem!er the first night%lu! I went to in New York### they were laying that ea%e and
I dreamed###
T*NY Kikay, ag sina!i mong New york, !a!atukan kita###
KIKAY I dreamt of you# I dreamed we were dan%ing on and on### And I told you, I lo"e you#
T*NY ,weetheart, I lo"e you too#
Musi%I (et The (o"e $egin 5ades and Hot N& 2old was layed so loud
M+,# M (-nters Angry and $ursting) Aling Isiiiing) Talaga !ang ineeste niyo ako at niyang Hot N& 2old na Kyan)
Tugtugin niyo ulit yan at !a!asagin ko ang laka niyo) Ang ingay niyo talaga) Katandang tao iyan ang
inakikinggan) (Tony and Kikay (aughing)
:*I2- Kayo ang tumigil diyan) $asagin niyo lato namin at !a!asagin ko mukha ninyo)
(ights *ff