Lilith and the little boy

"Puppy!" A little boy, dressed in a funeral suit of black and white, saw Lilith as we approached the chapel in Valley of the Temples. He was with his parents, who spoke Filipino, and an older sister. They were clearly early for the ceremony, as no one else was around. "Do you like puppies?" I asked, and approached the boy. His mother showed him how to greet a stranger dog, hand held out, still. I had to lean down over to hear him answer my question. He has a dog named Bowser. I punned, "Bowser, Wowser," and he responded, "No! Bowser!" Lilith was distracted by other smells, but I turned her around, like a small container ship, and started to pet her. The little boy joined in. "Black!" he said, noting the stripe of black fur she has on her otherwise gray back. He leaned over, hugged Lilith around the neck, and put his face down on her.

 

As Lilith and I descended the next hill--from the area where Marcos was once buried--I saw that the small family had come part way down the first hill. And then I heard the voices of friendly children hailing us.