A stroll in some antique shops with Androminus Scobiscus was really fruitful. I accidentally found an old photograph taken by my grandfather who once owned the most illustrious photo studio in Manila before he ventured into films and became known as "Ama ng Pelikulang Pilipino" or "Father of Philippine Cinema", Don Jose Nepomuceno y Zialcita.
Having informed the store owner what I was looking for, and how to reach me should they come upon such items, I was about to leave when a photo captured my attention from a stack of photos. Lo and behold at the very bottom was Fot. Nepomuceno (short for fotografo Nepomuceno), the client Srta. M. Navarro and behind it was the studio address: 335 Regidor Manila. Telephone number: 4909. Four digits only! And ever so clearly it said Jose Nepomuceno. None other. Advertised were the store hours (in Spanish) Se retrata de 8 A 11 A.M. y de 4 A 8 P.M.
Lolo sure did take long power lunches and a siesta!
What a treat for his great-grandson to discover together, a long forgotten photograph that depicted the artistry and pioneering spirit of his ancestry. If you look closely at the photo, the lips have been painted red, probably pink with age but long before colored pictures were possible Lolo's innovative skills reflected his formal training as engineer and artist.
There is a reason for everything...the sudden urge to go to a place we rarely frequent, to stroll aimlessly and chance upon chances... such is life.
