Grandmother's Oyayi

The soles of her feet were entirely yellow.

She had been feeling feverish the past couple

of days, complaining of an aching back and a

massive headache to her septuagenarian

grandmother. They had many visitors in their

house that week: the albularyo from two barrios

away, their kura paroko, the mambabaraing—they

all blamed evil spirits that lurked within the 

vicinity of the compound where her house stood.

Her grandmother was left unimpressed. "They

know nothing," she said as she took matters

into her own hands, brewed a concoction of 

turmeric, laurel, peppercorns, garlic, and

coconut milk.

She was forced to soak her feet on her

grandmother's creation for half the day.

The soles of her feet were entirely yellow, and 

she smelled like adobo.