rest in peace, Lolo Pol.

my great-uncle, Lolo Pol, passed away today at 2:05pm. he was 84 years old.

he was my lola's cousin, and lived next door to my lola and lolo in their duplex for as long as i can remember. since my lolo passed away, he looked after my lola, and checked up on her until her death almost two years ago.

that house in boyle heights was the setting of a big chunk of my childhood memories. if my grandparents were lucy and ricky, lolo pol and his wife, lola haning (who passed away in 2003) were fred and ethel, but instead, ilocano and in east la :)

lolo pol was a handsome, characteristically ilocano man. he looked straight out of fred cordova's archives - smooth, dark skin, salt-&-pepper hair neatly parted on the side, wire rim bifocal glasses. clothing always on point - slacks, v-neck undershirt, button down shirt, lumberjack when it was cold, black leather shoes, and never a wrinkle. he worked at the sears plant in downtown; i remember sitting in the back seat when my uncle or lolo would pick him up from work, though he was usually the one driving around lola and lola haning to run errands.

around my preschool/kindergarten years, and summer of my first years in grade school, my brothers and i spent our time at lolo and lola's house in bh. lolo worked the night shift at county (jail) while my lola worked afternoons at county (hospital). he'd pick us up after his shift, around 7am, feed us, then go to sleep, and then lola would watch us. by noon or so, everyone was up and about. lolo, lola, lolo pol, lola haning, were all cleaning the yard, pruning the plants, tuning up the cars, making repairs around the house, etc. my brothers and i would be outside playing, running around the perimeter of the house, many times in the back, through lolo pol and lola haning's garden.

later on i would find out that their neighbor and good friend, is the grandmother of one of my best friends. we shared memories in that space, before we even knew each other. another reason why that house is special to me.

lolo pol was always a very proper man, quite particular and stern, but always generally a nice man to us kids. he would always ask me how school was, and as i got older, he'd comment on my big earrings, makeup, and manicured nails. i guess sometimes, you'll always be a kid to your elders.

he was the last survivor of that house. his second wife and her son are there now, and a nephew watches my lola's spot. but to me that will always be my grandparents' home. an era's really over for my family.

it's a trip because, i hadn't seen lolo pol in a while. after lola died i just distanced myself from the house. i went to my goddaughter's birthday party on sunday, her aunt asked me about lolo pol. she said how he was so nice, and always fixed things around her mom's house. i just said, "oh he's doing fine." today, i had to send word that he passed away.

i'm sad that he's gone, but not heartbroken. i'm happy that he's passed on, and not in pain. he lived a full life so it's easy to accept that he had to go. and now he's joined his original crew in the spirit world. he was always very diligent in prayer, so i'm sure the big G looked out for him :)

rest in peace, lolo pol. thank you for your presence in my life.