That Creepy 2013 Year - End
by
Ric F. Maulion
(5th Day of My 500 Words thirty one January
Days Challenge.) Have you ever experienced the chill what to do when you’re
caught what it would be like confirming if an unknown dead person is a friend when you discover actually not. Right
in a morgue!
Suspense, cold palm, goose bumps,
what have you were all the feelings engulfing me as willing hostage when I
negotiated the road with my bike towards nearby Funeraria parlor for very
special mission – verification of dead person’s identity suspected to be a
friend. This as Gerry Ucat, jolly member of the group heard the public service
announcement over the radio. Is he the one or not?
Well, the story has it that an unknown
jogger at Greenhills
Cemetery
What could be a tragic consequence indeed if concerned unclaimed body was a member of
Knight of Columbus we tried but failed to serenade as he did not return home
since last night, the nasty thought playing around. But might have already
returned home and probably complied his regular early habit of jogging around
Green hills cemetery, the thought further engrossing in my mind. This as I
suspected most likely to be the one as I have not seen him too among participants attending Rizal’s Day that
morning despite earlier promise to be with the 4th Degree regular
members honoring the 117th birthday of our country’s National Hero.
But thanks as he was not. The
connection did not just worked out. “Happy of your concern brady but sorry to
inform you that actually my family name of Cruzes are famous of having more
than nine lives!” he revealed in jest as I went to see him after my third visit
from the morgue. Well, I actually made three rounds of visit. The second when I
brought with me Brady Henry Pizaña, President of Terryhills Homeowners
Association to help me identify the subject. Third is when I brought with me a
digicam and planned it to have his picture posted in FB to facilitate claim from
concerned family or relatives. The subject was however already identified the
other night through the public service announcement over the radio. Finally
nice feeling there felt, probably natural result when you go extra mile helping
people not known to you. The once unknown dead body now found by his family would
now I think truly resting in peace.
I have actually several experience
just to have a feel of it how morgue works
and cadavers look like. Can’t believe that morgue is not far butcher house –
cadavers butchered like any animals at will bellies protruding from stomach
here and skull sawed and put back in place the case of several prisoners caught and ordered shoot-to-kill
from jail break. Fresh dead bodies hauled from pick up for refrigeration and
bodies stiffed taken out for recognition from refrigerator like compartments,
dead bodies loitering around. All these have been an ugly site associated with
morgue. But that was way back then in College.
The latest
experience I had with dead bodies dumped all over that crowded formalin scented
morgue visited was just the latest of it
all. And how could I ever forget video uploaded by a friend entitled “Slaughter
House” showing embalmers slicing all those faces, skins and all that from
cadavers as simple as counting one, two, three all for days work. Hmm I should
end my entry here as life should go on for 2014.
