HIGH SCHOOL LIFE - The Vignettes, 2

Here's the second installment of high school life vignettes...

JUNIOR-SENIOR PROM
On our Junior year, we were the organizers of the annual Junior-Senior (JS Prom), which was (still is) a big deal in the Philippine educational system, despite efforts by the Philippine government (through the Department of Education) to economize, so that JS Proms fall under school extra-curricular activities that are classified as extravagance.

Anyhow, I found myself part of the organizing committee (with Dennis Raposa, et al). We decided that the venue was going to be the La Trinidad Hotel which by then, was among the newer and posher (?) locations in the city. Our committee almost single-handedly did everything - decor, invitations, programme, King and Queen, catering - the works. The most unforgettable part was working with the hotel's directress (who turned out to be the mother of one of our sophomore students) for events who was so classy and so professional that dealing with her, and coming up with the JS Prom without any major hitches, made us so confident in our capabilities that we thought we could take on the world.

It was Ms. Bongon (our English teacher and class adviser) who pulled us back to Earth. When she found out that we listed school personalities on the programme without bothering to invite them nor to inform them of their inclusion in the programme, I swear she could have hit the ceiling with her anger (and what a temper she had!). And we all learned the meaning and value of observing protocol.

GRADUATION DAY
We were quite an independent batch that we also organized our graduation ceremonies almost single-handedly as well. It is to the credit of our teachers that they let us be, except for the fact that they decided that the procession would not be led by the honor graduates. They decided we would be last, thereby ensuring a truly dramatic entrance for us.

The most I remember about our graduation day was that there was a lot of crying, specially when we sang our graduation songs, one of which was "Softly". I remember Gerry Estevez and gang (Moppet Buenviaje, Edward Esquivel, Angie Sabater, Ray Ricario and maybe even Marlon Zabala), shaking their heads and trying to suppress a smile, not really understanding why some of us or most of us were crying.

And oh yes, lest my classmates forget, I did the stage - wrapped it in green cloth and put up cardboard letters wrapped in silver foil. I thought it was simple but elegant-looking.

FOOTBALL/SOCCER GAMES
More than basketball or table tennis, our batch was so enamored of football. I even once tried to be part of the team myself and found myself in a sports competition! All I could ever remember was me so out of breath from all that running to and fro on the field, that I was ready to collapse anytime. Thank God I didn't! Can't forget this Thai football coach whose English accent was so difficult to understand. But at least, I experienced how it was to stop the ball, dribble it and do a header. I realize now that I am more afraid of handling a basketball than a football. Must be my high school training. He he.

One funny/amusing incident that has been with me all these years: When we play football after school hours, we simply change into our football gear (actually, just shorts and a shirt and socks and sneakers) just about anywhere we can except at toilets - beside the ubiquitous agoho (pine) trees, between building facade walls, in empty classrooms....

One time, I saw Gerry strip to his undies which was a prominent torquoise jersey. I was quite far away from him and his gang but he must have been the butt of jokes among them so that he quipped by way of a smart retort, "At least, my p_ _ _s looks luminous" or something to that effect.

Don't ask me (nor Thiele Topacio, he he) why but I remember a lot of things Gerry. He he.

GERRY
Other things I remember about Gerry:
- He and his brother played the violin one time at a school-wide gathering. It was like a case of the parents being proud of what their sons can do that they asked their sons to display what they were capable of. I could sense even then that Gerry and his brother did not enjoy their performance one bit.
- He authored a quote in time for a children's week (or something of that sort) competition. He wrote, "What the children are, the future is" which I thought (I still do), was just f___ing brilliant.
- Though rich (his family owns a hospital and his clan is considered old rich) and somehow, "unattainable" for someone like me, he turned out to be so grounded. We once walked home from the University campus to the city center, along with other classmates. We fell into conversation and I spoke most of the time that we were walking. He simply listened. Never knew if he was really just keen, or he was just being polite. Another time, I went on a bike ride with him (he was the bike driver, I was at his back, standing) and though I was so scared, we arrived at his place in one piece. Whew!

FAREWELL NOTE
Before graduation day, some of my classmates and I passed around special notebooks (in lieu of the "annual" or class yearbook which remains unprinted to date!!!) so they can scribble the usual farewell messages. The most memorable for me was written by Art Lorete. It was so touching and so unexpected. I even remember he quoted lines from the Kenny Loggins song, "Whenever I Call You Friend". I have since lost the notebook but his message still rings loud and clear in my memory.

More in my next installment...