My Brother-in-law & Other Stories
By Johnny Novera

Discovering a kababayan

When I worked with a commercial bank and got assigned in the Bicol region,   I spoke English or Tagalog to our   customers   with   effort to hide my inborn   Ilonggo accent. It was the same thing I do when I talk   in Bicol which I learned to speak later on.

I was never discovered   until one day .there was this customer of ours who makes it a point to see me at my desk when he comes to the bank.. We have conversation   while he is being served of   his transaction.

One morning when he came, he asked me   if I am   an Ilonggo ?   Yes, I said ,   and   I was suspecting   you all the time that you are one too.

“Yes, he admitted.   “It is   that unique Ilonggo twang that I noticed in your speech, whether you speak to me in   English or Tagalog .”

I noticed that   with you, too.   I told him. You just beat me to it. Why did we have to make it hard for ourselves by speaking   English or Tagalog when we meet?    Ilonggo na lang !   We had a good laugh.