Remember those nights you spent hiding under the blankets after a scary movie? Yeah, we’ve all been there. But some of us still haven’t quite recovered. And by “some of us,” I obviously mean me.
You see, my friends, it all started with a little film called “Shake, Rattle & Roll.” Specifically, the Yaya segment. Oh, the Yaya segment. It’s been years, decades even, but the memory still makes me clutch my chest like I’m holding a winning lottery ticket.
For those blissfully unaware (lucky you!), “Shake, Rattle & Roll” is like the Pinoy version of those horror anthologies. Think “Creepshow” or “Tales from the Crypt,” but with a dash of suka and patis for flavor. The “Yaya” story? Let’s just say it involved a creepy nanny, a haunted antique doll, and a whole lot of jeepney-related trauma for yours truly.
Even now, I can’t look at a jeepney window at night without expecting a pale, ghostly face to suddenly appear, eyes wide and hungry. It’s the stuff of nightmares, I tell you. NIGHTMARES!
The Scene That Scarred a Generation (Or at Least Me)
Okay, picture this: I’m a fresh, innocent bata, probably still believing in Santa Claus and the five-second rule. My family and I are huddled around our boxy TV, the kind that weighed more than a small carabao, watching “Shake, Rattle & Roll” because, you know, nothing brings a family together like shared terror.
The “Yaya” segment starts innocently enough, lulling you into a false sense of security. A loving family, their cute little anak, and a seemingly kind yaya. But then, things take a turn for the creepy. The yaya starts acting weird, obsessed with this old, creepy doll she brought with her. I’m talking “Annabelle” levels of disturbing.
And then, THE scene. The one that still haunts my dreams (the few times I can actually sleep without a nightlight). The family is driving home at night. It’s dark, raining, and the roads are slicker than a politician’s promises. Suddenly, BAM! A ghostly figure appears outside the car window.
It’s the yaya, eyes wide with rage and… sadness? Jealousy? Honestly, it was hard to tell with all the screaming I was doing.
That scene, my friends, is forever etched into the deepest recesses of my brain. It’s the reason I still can’t sit by the window in a car at night without flinching. It’s the reason I check under my bed for creepy dolls, even though I’m a grown adult who pays bills and everything.
The Trauma is Real (And So Are the Life Lessons)
Look, I’m not saying that “Shake, Rattle & Roll” ruined my life or anything. Okay, maybe a little. But it did teach me some valuable lessons.
1. Never Trust a Yaya (or Anyone) with a Creepy Doll: Seriously, if someone comes into your life carrying a doll that looks like it should be locked in a vault, run. Run far, far away.
2. Always Check the Backseat (And the Windows) at Night: You never know what lurks in the shadows, especially on those dimly lit EDSA side streets. And yes, this applies even if you’re not in a horror movie.
3. Sometimes, the Scariest Monsters Are Human: Okay, maybe not “monsters” in the literal sense. But “Shake, Rattle & Roll” taught me that sometimes, the people we trust the most can hurt us the most. Deep, right?
Embracing the Fear (And the Fun)
Despite the lingering trauma, I can’t deny that “Shake, Rattle & Roll” holds a special place in my heart. It’s a classic for a reason, a rite of passage for every Filipino kid who grew up watching blurry VHS tapes late at night.
And hey, maybe there’s something oddly comforting about knowing that even as adults, we can still be terrified by a movie we first saw as children. It’s a reminder that some things never really leave us, like the fear of creepy dolls and jeepney windows at night.
So, the next time you’re feeling brave, I urge you to revisit the cinematic masterpiece that is “Shake, Rattle & Roll.” Just don’t blame me if you find yourself sleeping with the lights on for the next few weeks.