I SHALL HAVE OTHER BIRTHDAYS

TIME: Late morning in December

SCENE: The sala of a nipa house somewhere in Tondo. There is a dulang leaning on the
wall upstage. Right downstage is a bamboo paminggalan. On the left downstage is a
trunk and near this is a bamboo bench.

SCRIPT:
As the curtain rises, Emilio is seen busily doing household chores, such as wiping the few
pieces of furniture, mopping the floor, etc. His hair needs trimming and clothes are tattered
but he is whistling a kundiman, evidently happy.
Doña Achay: (off stage) Tao po! Tao po!
Emilio: (looks out of the widow)Oh! Good morning, Doña Achay. Won't you come in?
Doña Achay: (comes in, chewing "buyo") Are you alone. Emilio?
Emilio: Yes. Have a seat, please. (offers the bench) What can I do for you?
Doña Achay: (sits down and looks around.) Where is Pangoy?
Emilio: Nanay? She went out to Aling Enchang's.
Doña Achay: Oh, I see. Well, Emilio, I heard you whistling. You seem to be happy today.
Emilio: Indeed, I am, Doña Achay. Tomorrow is my birthday and Nanay will buy me a
new camisa.
Dona Achay: That is very good news, Emilio. Please tell your mother I will be back.
Emilio: Yes, Doña Achay, I will.
(Doña Achay exits. Emilio continues his work whistling merrily. He goes out for a while
and comes in with washed dishes which he puts in the "paminggalan." Pangoy enters
with a fish wrapped in a piece of banana leaf.)
Pangoy: Here, Emilio, take the fish to the kitchen and you'd better cook rice now.
Emilio: (eagerly) Yes; Nanay. (Turns to go.)
Pangoy: Here is ten centavos for your haircut. (Gives him a ten-centavo piece.) You may
leave after the rice is set on the stove. Tandang Celo is expecting you at his barber shop
for I told him that you are coming. (Emilio exits merrily but soon re-enters.)
Emilio: By the way, Nanay, Doña Achay came this morning but she left when she did not
find you. She said she is coming back.
Pangoy: (sadly) Did she?
Emilio: Yes, Nanay. (Notices Pangoy's look.) Why mother, what is the matter?
Pangoy: Nothing, nothing at all, my boy. Run along now and do what I told you.
(Emilio exits. Pangoy removes her "panuelo" and puts it inside the trunk. Doña Achay
enters.)
Doña Achay: Good morning, Pangoy. I came here this …
Pangoy: Oh, yes, I know. Emilio told me about it.
Doña Achay: Well, Pangoy, this is the third week that you have failed to pay me the
interest for the ten pesos I loaned you. You promised to pay me yesterday at my store
but you did not show up.
Pangoy: That is true, Doña Achay. You see, I do not have the money yet. If you will
please wait till after Christmas, perhaps.
Doña Achay: Bah! Wait till after Christmas! I need the money myself. Besides, week after
week you promised to pay your debt but nothing has come out of your promises.
Pangoy: But I do not have …
Doña Achay: I do not believe it! How will you be able to buy a new camisa for Emilio?
(Emilio enter unseen by the two women.)
Pangoy: Doña Achay, I have saved only enough money for what I promised my little boy.
As you see, his clothes are tattered and his hair is long. Tomorrow is his birthday and I
want to make him happy even for only this once. Won't you please give me more time? I
promise I shall not fail you again.
Doña Achay: (spits out of the window) Pueh! Birthday! You know how to borrow but you
don't know how to pay. I should have known better!
(Pangoy sobs and covers her face.)
Emilio: Doña Achay, we borrowed because we are in need, but it does not mean that we
can be insulted even in our own home. (To his mother.) Nanay, please give Doña Achay
the money intended for my camisa.
(Pangoy reluctantly gives the money to Doña Achay, who counts it to the centavo.)

Doña Achay: Why, this is only one peso and ninety centavos? The interest is two pesos
a week.
Pangoy: It is all I have, Doña Achay.
Emilio: Doña Achay, take this if it will make you any happier. (Hands over the ten-centavo
piece.)
Doña Achay: (Gets the money and starts to go) I will come after Christmas, Pangoy.
(She exits.)
(Pangoy sobs again as Emilio goes to her.)
Emilio: Don't cry, Nanay. I will find work and soon we shall pay all your debts.
Pangoy: But, Son, the camisa I promised you, and your haircut … (Sobs) … and
tomorrow is your birthday …
Emilio: Do not let that worry you, Nanay. I SHALL HAVE OTHER BIRTHDAYS.
(Pangoy embraces Emilio.)
(Curtain)