A former seminarian from the 1960s, who, for reasons you will understand at the end of this story, did not proceed to the priesthood, told me a story which reveals how older Chamorros spoke in code.
The parents of one seminarian owned some beach property and so they would invite the seminarians from Father Dueñas to picnic and barbeque there once in a while.
These parents had a daughter who was lively and friendly. She loved to play the guitar, and this seminarian loved to sing.
Well, dad was not dumb, so when he had the seminarians play softball at his beach, he would walk up to this seminarian and whisper in his ear, "Atan i bola, no? Atan i bola." "Look at the ball, ok? Watch the ball."
In other words, though unspoken words, "Båsta ma atan i hagå-ho." "Stop looking at my daughter."
So, rather than embarrass the seminarian and his daughter, he spoke in code. Which the seminarian understood.
He eventually graduated from Father Dueñas but did not pursue the priesthood and is now a happily married man. But not with the girl on the beach.
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