The Gift/Transcript

(we see Inggo, Karen, and Joy with some sacks)

Karen: And I tied it like that!

Inggo: You better make sure you're tying it very good.

Inggo: I know, I'm telling you the story about-

Karen: What is wrong, Buboy?

Buboy: I want to give my mother a gift!

Joy: Is it her birthday?

Buboy: No, I just want to show her how much I apprecaite her. She has been working so hard. She's so loving and caring.

Karen: That is nice, so what is wrong?

Buboy: I have no money to buy her a gift!

Inggo: Money? You do not need money to give her a gift.

Karen: Inggo, how can you give a gift if you do not buy one?

Inggo: Now, listen to this. My father told me this story when I was still small, like you. It is my favorite story! It happened a long, long, time ago. There was this man, and his wife, named Delia. (clears throat) They were so poor. They had nothing, no nice clothes, no nice furniture, they had no money, but they were happy because they at least had each other. They both secretly wanted to please each other...with a gift! But like I said, they had no money because they were poor.

(we see a visualization of the story)

(harp sounds, then Midnight Sonata)

Inggo: Delia has long, beautiful, shiny, black hair. It was her most valuable possession. Her husband has this beautiful but very old violin.

(violin sounds)

Inggo: Although it had no strings, that was his most valuable possession. One day, Delia came home with a gift. She bought her husband a new set of strings for his violin. Her husband also came home with a gift. He bought the most beautiful comb which she has always admired and wanted to have.

Joy: I thought they had no money.

Inggo: She sold her hair to a haircutter, who will use and turn it into a wig. Delia used the money to buy her gift. At the same time, the husband sold his violin to buy his gift.

Joy: They did that?

Buboy: What about the gifts? They wiil have no use for them!

(harp sounds, followed by a sorrowful violin)

Inggo: It did not matter that they could not use the gifts anymore. They proved that nothing could be more important than their love for each other.

(harp sounds)

Karen: That was beautiful, Inggo.

Joy: Yes, it was. What is the title?

(the word 'TItle' appears in yellow)

Inggo: Title? I cannot remember, is it important?

Joy: Of course it is! Try to remember the title, Inggo. How can we find the book or the story again if we do not know the title?

Karen: Well, maybe we can help Inggo remember.

Inggo&Joy&Buboy: How?

Karen: Well, you see, the title represents the idea of the story.

(the words 'Title = idea of the story;' appear in yellow with a glow)

Karen: It can be a symbol, or a name of the character in the story, or anything you think fits the story.

(the words 'symbol; name of the character; anything related' appear in yellow with a glow)

Joy: Really? This book: the title says 'Cats and Dogs', but until the end, there was no real cat or dog.

Inggo: Ah, that is not good. The title is wrong.

Joy: I agree. THe story is just about two people always fighting everytime they would see each other. How did they give it this title, then? This is wrong!

Karen: There is really...no wrong or correct title.

(the sentence 'There is no wrong or correct title.' appears in yellow)

Karen: The title represents the story.

(the sentence appears in yellow, with a glow on 'this')

Karen: When two people fight whenever they see each other, what does that remind you of?

Joy: Oh, right. Cats and dogs represented the two people in the story.

Karen: Right. That is what I meant when I said you can use symbols you think will fit the story.

Inggo: Hmm, I think I could give a very good title for my story.

Joy: Really? What? Tell us!

Inggo: Hmm, I said, I think. Um, I'm still thinking.

Buboy: Me too.

Inggo: The title?

Buboy: No! A gift!

Inggo: Ah.

Karen: Very nice, Buboy.

Inggo: Your mother is lucky.

(the transition now contains several isometric presents)

Grandma: There was a little boy with a slingshot. He practiced a lot in the woods, but he could never hit a target.

Boy1: Oh, well, I really am a poor shot.

(the ball hits a duck, which quacks)

Boy1: Oh!

Andrea: Aha!

Grandma: And so, the boy went home. He swears he will keep his secret 'til the day he dies.

Mother: Andrea, will you help me with the dishes?

Andrea: Louis said he will do the dishes. Remember the duck?

Grandma: So, the boy did the dishes, and all her other wishes.

(he had to mop and cut the grass as well)

Andrea: Remember the duck?

Grandma: Until the boy could not stand it any longer.

Boy1: Mother, I'm sorry. I did not mean to kill the duck.

Mother: I saw what happened, but I forgave you because Il ove you. I just wonder why you let your sister take advantage of you.

Boy2: What a story! What is the title?

Grandma: I don't know. Why don't you give it a title? Remember, get the idea of the story.

Boy3: Hmm, "The Sister Who Tricked Her Brother into Washing All the Dishes".

Grandma: That's okay, but it is too long. Think of something short and interesting.

Boy2: What about this one, "The Duck"?

Boy3: Hey! That is a good word. It is simple, and catchy too. Wait, what happened to his sister> Did she get away with her tricks?

Grandma: No, of course not. From that day on, his sister did all the dishes as a punishment for taking advantage of her brother. The end.

(transition)

Inggo: Buboy, are you still thinking about your problem?

Buboy: The day's about to end, and I still have no gift from my mother!

Inggo: Buboy, a gift to be appreciated does not mean it has to be bought. Remember the story? They gave up their most valuable possessions to show that the other person's happiness is more important than any material thing.

Buboy: Well, I have my marble collection. You think I can sell them?

Inggo: How much?

Karen: Inggo...

Inggo: Joking!

Buboy: You said the gift for the symbol for the love of each other. Why?

Inggo: Hmm, well, they sold their valuable possessions not because they wanted to buy the gift, but because they wanted to show that they were willing to give up anything for each other.

Karen: Which means there is something more important than any material thing. Not beautiful hair, or the violin.

Inggo: Yes, the comb and the strings were just symbols of their...

Buboy: Love.

Inggo: Yes.

Buboy: So, their gift was love. ''Sige! Mauna na sa inyo, ha?''

Inggo: Buboy!

Karen: Where are you going?

Inggo: ''Baka kasi kung knaina lang na mabenta ang mga hole. Sayang.''

Karen: Inggo!

Inggo: Shh! Biro lang!

(transition)

Aling Cita: Hay naku, sa wakas, naubos kami ang paninta-

Buboy: Nanay!

Aling Cita: Ooh! What is this for?

Buboy: I just want to thank you. I love you, Nanay!

Aling Cita: I love you, anak. Anak, alam mo, 'pag nakita kita, nawawala lahat ng pagod ko.

Buboy: Salamat, po.

Aling Cita: ''Ganda nito, ha! Saan ba nakuha nito, ha?''

Karen: What are you two doing here? Where is Buboy?

Inggo&Joy: Ssshhh.

Aling Cita: ''Buti hindi ka na sugatan, baka naman, mayroong ito mga insekto. Makaka kagat kita. Iingat, ha?''

Joy: Inggo?

Inggo: Yes, Joy?

Joy: You already have a title you told us earlier?

Inggo: Title? Ah, yes, yes. "The Gift of Giving".

Karen: That is very nice.

Inggo: Ah, it was a good day.

Karen: Yes, it was.

Inggo: Hmm, My father used to say 'it is when you give something of yourself that you truly give.' What do you value the most, Karen?

Karen: Well, I do not have mucn, and I do not need much. I have you.

Inggo: And I have you. And I have my friends, my family, my punduhan, and, uh... I have...I have to eat. And you too!

Karen: I agree!