Tuesday, August 26, 2008

In memory of the LOVING TRUMPET MAN: JAIME E. LETIM, (April 26, 1936 - August 18, 2008)

I first had my awareness of Uncle Jaime in the early 90’s when I was courting my wife Maris who happens to be his nephew.

There were instances whenever I visit her that he was also in their house. He was often carrying a small leather rectangle black box. I was wondering what was inside of that box so I asked Maris: What’s inside of that rectangle box that your uncle often carries with him? She told me it’s a Trumpet, Maris further told me that he’s often in their house to visit her father whose been sick and bedridden and he plays the trumpet for him (Odon Letim +). I immediately had this impression that he is a caring and loving man.

Some of my succeeding visits to my wife would be timed when uncle Jaime whom I fondly called then as: The loving trumpet man was also there visiting his sick brother and playing the trumpet for him. I would often hear my father in-law requesting songs for his brother to play. Subsequently, I would hear the trumpet being played by the loving trumpet man.

Eventually, Maris introduced me to him, we shook hands, he gently smiled at me and softly said: How are you? or kumusta ka? Right there, I got an up close and personal impression of him. His gentle smile, his soft yet hoarse voice and his calm demeanor. It simply told me that he is a loving father and husband. 

I lost contact with him when my father in-law died because we relocated to a place that was very far from theirs. Until last August 18 when we received the sad information that he went to the great beyond already.

Last Friday (August 22), we went to his house in Moowalk Las Piñas and stayed there to visit his mortal remains. I went to his coffin and silently said my prayers for him then I quietly whispered to him: “I will never forget your gentle smile, your soft and hoarse voice and your calm demeanor for it already had created a lasting imprint in my life.”

Farewell to you Uncle JAIME the LOVING TRUMPET MAN.

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