Fr. Louie David SJ: “Jboy, you ARE a Bicolano, right?”
Me: “Yes, I am. Like Fr. Bernas SJ” Fr. Joaquin Bernas SJ was sitting next to me.
Fr. Bernas: “Yes, both of us are uragon and ura-uragon.”
Fr. Louie: What’s uragon? I grew up in Zamboanga.”
Me: “Uragon means street-smart, with a lot of passion in Bicol. Ura-uragon means trying too hard to be street-smart.”
Fr. Bernas: “Yes, uragon is very masculine.”
“So,” Fr. Louie, “what’s the difference between an uragon, and an orangutan.”
Fr. Bernas: “The orangutans are noble.”
As Kingfishers Catch Fire 