Scent of Apples

“Scent of Apples” by Bienvenido Santos is part of a short story collection of the same name published in 1978 by University of Washington Press. “Scent of Apples” tells the story of one man and his family’s unique experience as Filipino immigrants to the United States. It’s a unique story, as Santos himself is a character in it. Santos wrote “Scent of Apples” during the Rebirth of Freedom—a period of activism following WWII and the restoration of independence to the Philippines.

By appreciating the context, it’s possible to better understand the nostalgia woven through the story and the difficulties Filipinos face trying to retain a connection to their past while starting a new life elsewhere.

The story is told from Santos’s point of view. He’s delivering a lecture in Kalamazoo, Michigan, before a reasonably large audience of mostly college-aged women. The talk centers on the Philippines, and Santos talks of his people and his country fondly. He’s asked to comment on the differences between American and Filipino women, which he’s not sure how to answer because he doesn’t know many American women.



In the audience, someone else speaks—a man, this time. Santos can tell from his appearance that he’s also Filipino. A farmer who works just outside of Kalamazoo, he left the Philippines more than twenty years ago. He wants to take the conversation one step further—he asks Santos whether Filipino women are the same now as they were all those years ago. At this question, the audience hushes, listening closely for the answer.

Santos feels put on the spot; he doesn’t know how to answer. He’s worried about giving the man false impressions, but he also doesn’t want to shatter the man’s ideals about his homeland. He doesn’t want to come across as insincere either. There is a long pause as Santos decides how best to answer; when he does, he has a strategy.

He asks the man to explain how he remembers the women, so he can draw a proper comparison. This allows him to see how best to answer the question. The man explains the women used to be natural, kind, loyal, and modest. He fondly remembers how they used to dress and says it’s the men who’ve lost their faith and character.



Santos knows now how to answer him. He explains that, while the women have changed on the outside, they still have the same temperament and strength of religious faith. The man seems happy with this explanation, and Santos can rest easy knowing he hasn’t disappointed anyone. The answer is also, to his mind, an honest one. However, the rest of the talk feels less important after the interruption, and Santos knows he’ll think about it for a while.

When he leaves the lecture, Santos meets the man outside. He learns that his name is Celestino Fabia, and he labors on farmland thirty miles away. He saw Santos’s name one day in the local paper and, recognizing a Filipino compatriot, traveled all this way to hear him speak about how things used to be. Fabia invites Santos to dinner the following day, and he accepts the invitation.

Santos goes to meet Fabia, who is overjoyed to introduce his family to a fellow Filipino who reminds him of how things—and Filipinos—used to be. Fabia worries over whether his house is messy or dilapidated, but Santos doesn’t notice. He knows Fabia is a farmer and money is very tight, and he’s also not a superficial man. He’s looking forward to meeting everyone.



On the way, Santos spots apple trees. They remind him of home, and he’s suddenly filled with nostalgia and sadness. Sometimes, it seems he can’t balance his memories with building a new life. Fabia feels the same, and he pours out his thoughts to Santos who feels privileged to hear them. They both fondly remember their youth, but it’s sad to think everything’s changed.

Santos is embarrassed by how he feels when he meets Fabia’s wife, Ruth. He notices she’s unattractive and her hands are rough. He knows he shouldn’t notice such things, and he hopes it doesn’t show on his face. He feels especially bad when he hears everything Ruth has done for Fabia over the years—including working all hours for very little money just to afford things like healthcare. She reminds Fabia of Filipino women, and Santos agrees.

Toward the end, Santos tells Fabia he plans on going home and would like to visit Fabia’s town. Fabia doesn’t want him to, because he knows no one will remember him—and, perhaps, because he wants to remember it as it was, not as it is now.



“Scent of Apples” reminds us of the struggles Filipinos experienced letting go of their homeland and trying to make a new life with nothing but memories of how things used to be.