Earlier today I met up with guys from DLS Lipa '87. I shared music with them and chatted about High School. They loved all the sounds I was giving them.
When I played "Friends" by Ami Stewart, all of them broke into silence. It's as if they were hit by that "memory chord"... One even said something that I made my status on FB - Quote for the Day: (after hearing "Friends" by Ami Stewart) "Naalala ko pa nung panahon na yan. Poging pogi pa ako sa sarili ko nyan. Ngayon di na masyado. Pero pogi pa rin"-Hoover Picar DLSL '87.
Being graduation season, my friend's kids going to their own proms, going through what we did 26 years past... It was a strange feeling creeping in, for as I drove home I also got hit by that "reminscing chord". The most memorable for me would be hearing that song was our Senior's Ball. It was the one in LSGH. The other one in Hyatt was not too memorable for me because we were just a few compared to the "sanctioned" one. Funny, I remember Raybern Mojica, walking into the Hyatt in Ray Bans....the whole night. Like the song around that time..."the future was so bright" so he had to wear shades.
I recall I went stag. The date I asked could not make it for some reason. Her parents were strict. Foolishly, I never asked anyone else.
I also remember LSGH being transformed into a really classy place. The area by the ramp looked so elegant. Elegantly La Salle. Teachers were everywhere. No smoking or booze. Everyone was at their Sunday's best.
Being stag, my 4-D classmates Jojo Asis, JP Cabalza, Raffy Caeg and Gary Tiomico posed with me for the souvenir picture. The photo looked good. It was not obvious that one of us was partner less that enchanted evening.
Over dinner, I was the same jolly self, practicing the Ciudad Fernandina dining etiquette lessons I just learned as part of our Homeroom class. (I even recall JAVE Evangelista asking about ordering alcoholic drinks after dinner...). It came useful when I got some chicken bone stuck in my tooth and when no one was looking (except for Gary Tiomico) I hand picked that sucker out of there..... So much for table etiquette.
The night went on. Raybern was again still wearing Ray Bans at LSGH because the "future was so bright". My "assignment was co-emceeing with the late Jundy Gueco during the program. Since time immemorial for '87 ... who else but the friendly, date less Tingting would be onstage somehow.
What an irony, I was the one alone and yet I was the one giving out awards and making sure it was all good for our classmates and their dates.
After the usual formalities, after Bro. Gus throwing a fit and almost getting a stroke at Raymund F.'s Swing Out Sister outfit (He had a female date!) most of the batch decided to invade Stargazer, the classiest place apart from Zigzag. Armed with PhP 200, I still go and meet up with the batch on top of the world. Atop the Silahis Hotel we were treated with grandiose view of Manila Bay going up that scenic elevator to experience the best vinyl of the time. Harvey B. waliks in in a tux and his college date arriving in style, on a 911 with Greek Tycoon pants.
The party was on.
I recall saying, "Man this is one classy place". I only had PhP 125 after the PhP 75 gate fee. That was good for a couple of beers. I believe it was PhP 30 a beer back then. I blew it all.
Semi tipsy I just hung out with the guys like 4-D classmates, Munich Munoz that had a brand new Barong Tagalog even bought me a few more beers among other "richer" batch mates from different classes, meeting their dates. All of their dates bathed in my flattery. What else could I do? The guy who went solo just decided to try to help batch mates get it on with the ones that had dates. As early as then I was already a third wheel.
Despite being solo, I was actually enjoying the crowd, the music and being with the batch. I knew this was one of the last times we would be together as Seniors. No more classes soon. April 5 was in a few days. The real world was waiting - college.
I vividly recall hearing "Friends" by Ami Stewart". Judd Salas was with his date from Maryknoll. A couple of weeks earlier I crashed that soiree of Lorex's class and met her there. All I remember is that she was smart, tall, charming and was drop deadly gorgeous. I also remember Chito Mangubat meeting his girlfriend Lei Quimson from MC in that soiree. It was in his house!
Chatting with Lei that night I remember her wishing she could have set me up with her classmate. What a sweet and sincere gesture. I never saw that girl again. She even congratulated me for our graduation. What a darling.
As the night progresed I saw in a tight embrace on the floor, just the two of them, Judd Salas was with his date from Maryknoll oblivously intmately dancing. The primitive ticker tape generator was welcoming us to the place ....the text rolled W E L C O M E LSGH '87......Judd and ......., Jojo and.....Harvey and ..... Lorex and ........ Class 4-H..... to the music "take me top, tell me all your hidden thoughts......" Judd and his partner were oblivious, they were having a blast.
I was fixated.
Judd and his date were still swaying. I was envious. Mixed emotions. i was alone yet I still partied with the batch. I kinda wished I brought someone or just went home after LSGH. I was also scared of what was going to happen after LSGH. The unknown baffles me to a fault.
It was at that time I kinda wished I just really had someone with me to "leave my caution to the wind and tell her all my hidden thoughts". What a trip, 26 years ago and these bits of my youth come back to me over hearing a song. A song I heard over a millon times to date.
Strange. We were so young, idealistic, naive. We all believed in love. In a posh club of the time. It was still a blast for me. I went back to a reunion at Gazer about 15 years ago and got a period compliant commemorative CD. I can give you guys copies f you want.
Memories. Back then it was bittersweet, now it is just too good. A part of my life I was happy to experience it. I am glad I went to Gazer even solo.
It just seems it was eons and eons ago. Sometimes I actually think...Did that really happen? Was I that ever that young?
Oh my supposed "'date"? She was at the ball with someone else...I was hurt but hey, that's life right? She was gracious enough to tell me that her sister forced her to go to our ball at the last minute with a classmate.
In the back of my head and trying to be cool about it, I was like "But I asked you about a month before the ball....."
Oh well.
Stangely enough again, she was in the same page as I was in our Scope that I found 2 years after High School. Another adventure was unfolding for me .... I recall seeing her a couple of times that summer and no mention of that "incident" was ever made. What for? I threw it all "to the wind".
Memories. Generally good. Amusing. Part of life. Even after 26 years.
Since then, I always went stag to formal occasions. It was more fun hanging with the other stags getting plastered. The beer always kept flowin'. Etiquette was unheard of.
Oh my supposed "date"? Her name was...
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