HOME READING REPORT Title:
THE BEST GIFT
Author:
PABLO BALTAZAR
References:
Original Short Stories, Websters Dictionary
Characters: Cora – Cora – the the loving grand daughter Lola Pepay – Pepay – Cora’s grandma Elmer – Elmer – Cora’s father Alvin – Alvin – Cora’s brother Uncle Roy, Uncle Theo, Auntie Lydia and their families Cora’s cousin Setting:
Home
Climax: His father gave Cora P500 to buy her own gift for their grandmother who was going to celebrate her 70 TH birthday but Cora lost the money. Moral Lesson: Respect and love for old people cannot be replaced by material things. Vocabularies: Reunion – Reunion – The The act of reuniting, the state of being reunited. Our family reunion will be held on December. Hug – Hug – hold (something) closely or tightly around or against part of one’s body The mother hugged her child. Respect – Respect – a a feeling of deep admiration for someone or something elicited by their abilities, qualities or achievements. We should respect our parents. Summary:
One week from now Cora’s grandmother would be celebrating 70 th birthday. The
whole family would go to the province and celebrate with Lola Pepay. It always serves as a family reunion because every member of her grandmother’s family is required to come. Cora’s dad give her five hundred to buy gift for Lola, but when she is already in the store to buy the gift, he found out that her money was lost. She was very sad because he cannot buy anymore a gift for her Lola. When the birthday of her Lola has come, all of her cousins greet her Lola and all of them gave their gifts, when all of her cousins finished giving their gifts, she quietly hug her and kissed her Lola and said “happy happy birthday Lola”. Her lola cried and said “it is the best gift I received in my birthday. Cora was very happy because it is not the material thing that made her Lola happy but it is her hugged and kissed for Lola.
Submitted by:
Submitted to:
Cedrick D. Lañas IV – IV – Amethyst
Mrs. Pilandas Teacher
THE BEST GIFT ONE WEEK from now and Cora’s grandmother would be celebrating her 70th birthday. As was the custom, the whole family would go to the province and celebrate with Lola Pepay. Lola Pepay’s birthday is one occasion Cora’s family would surely not miss attending. It always serves as a family reunion because every member of her grandmother’s family is required to come. Cora’s dad, Elmer, gave her and her brother Alvin five hundred pesos each so they could buy a gift for Lola Pepay. They never forget to bring her a gift because they know the old woman always expects something from them. “What should I buy for her, mom?” Cora asked her mother that morning before she went to school. Her mother, Liza, was cleaning up the breakfast table. “What did you give her last year?” her mother asked. “I think it was a long, multi -colored crystal vase. Well, she said it was nice but I felt she was just being patronizing.” “You mean she didn’t like the vase?” “I think so, mom!” “Well, it’s because she has everything already. Why don’t you just give her a shawl this time?” “A shawl?” “Yes, a shawl. I’m sure she would appreciate it. Buy something blue or gray.” “Okay, I’ll buy a shawl!” AFTER school that afternoon, Cora went to a department store with her best friend Lily to buy a shawl for her Lola Pepay. They went directly to the Ladies Section and asked the saleslady for a beautiful shawl. They were shown the shawls of different colors and designs. Lily helped her to choose the one that would suit her grandmother’s taste and they settled for a blue cotton shawl. But alas, when she was about to pay for the shawl, she discovered that her money was missing. She remembered putting it in her purse but it was not there anymore. She asked for Lily’s help but her friend didn’t have enough money to pay for the shawl. She went home feeling sad. She did not tell her mother what happened to her money for fear of being scolded. She decided she would just buy her grandmother a beautiful handkerchief and have it embroidered with her name. But her schedule in school did not permit her to do as she planned and so, her grandmother’s birthday came and she didn’t have anything to give her. THEY were the first to arrive at the family’s ancestral house in Batangas. her Uncle Roy and family were next and much later before lunch, her Uncle Theo and Auntie Lydia and their families. They all went upstairs to say Happy Birthday to Lola Pepay and give her their gifts, but Cora and all her cousins were aghast to see how old age and diabetes had caught up with the old woman. Lola Pepay was very pale and thin. her cheeks have sank, her eyes deepened and her hair had lost its luster. Sitting in the middle of the bed like a Buddha, she looked like a witch even if she was smiling to them. Not one among her cousins kissed the hand of the old woman. They seemed afraid because of her grandmother’s appearance. “Ho, why don’t you give your gifts to your lola,” Uncle Roy told them as he put a box wrapped with gold on the bed in front of Lola Pepay. Everybody followed suit, but her cousins were very cautious and apprehensive. When her turncame to give her gift, she went to the old woman and hugged her and kissed her warmly. “Lola, happy, happy birthday and may you have more to come!” she said and again kissed her on her cheeks warmly. The old woman suddenly bit her dried lips but was not able to contain her tears. To the surprise of everybody, she cried. “Lola, w-why are you crying?” she asked worriedly. “It’s nothing, really, my dear. I’m crying because I have just received the best gift for my birthday today.” Cora understood. And she felt proud for having given her grandmother the best gift on her birthday. It was not a shawl or a vase. It was a kiss.
