29.9.08

First Impressions

I received some generous comments from two high school classmates, Mikey and Auric, when I did the post Finding Classmates. Grateful for their comments, I thought maybe I can return the favour by writing about them on this blog. So travel back in time I did! While reminiscing about these two old friends, I realised that the memories that struck me right away was when we were high school freshmen. We were just entering our teenage years and still full of innocence.

Of the two, it is Mikey I have not seen in a long time. The last time I saw him personally was in 1991, in a batch reunion held at the Janssen campus. I last saw Auric in May 2002 also in a batch reunion party. He did not seem to recall it, which was understandable as I only spent a few hours in the party. I was going to Cebu later that night with my soon-to-be-my-wife then. I was getting married the following month and was in the thick of preparations for the church wedding.

Mikey and I joined the Student Catholic Action (SCA) in our freshman year. Membership training lasted the whole year and this was capped off with a weekend of induction rites. Although I have to be vague about what happened in the induction, what I saw from Mikey there was his "fighting" (dili palupig) attitude. On hindsight, I have to say I was impressed with what he had shown. I was the opposite, suffice it to say that I was a softie during that event.

Auric commented in my last post that "...your blogs...really bring back good memories...not only making (him) homesick...(but) want(ing) to travel back in TIME." So bay (mate), join me in my travel back to time when we were in first year high school.

My "takyang" (Tagalog - sipa) skills is quite respectable, but against Auric I felt like a bumbling novice. The coolest dude I have seen playing takyang, he makes it appear very easy to play, indeed. In our freshman year, takyang was the "uso" or fad. We used to play a lot of it in virtually every nook and cranny we can find in the Janssen campus. But, our favourite spot was beside the chapel. And then there was the quadrangle, where many an intense and fiercely fought takyang battles were fought during lunchtime period.

The quadrangle matches were started by a few of us who brought our own "baon" (lunch food) to eat in school. Auric and the others would join in as soon as they arrive for the afternoon class. These takyang matches became popular and soon most students would be watching us play. The principal later banned those lunchtime matches as it was killing the grass, I think.

It is true what they say about first impressions are lasting. These memories happened 25 years ago and I still remember them although not as clearly as it once was. Still, I hope Mikey and Auric would be smiling as they reminisce about them.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Jig,


You opened the portal of good memories, I jumped in and there we are back in the high school days like they just happened yesterday. Your reminiscence of the "takyang" encounters/tournaments really hit me on the bullseye. I thank you for your generous praise. It never occured to me that I was that good with the so called sport. Wernher was among those who joined us in the fierce battles at the quadrangle...remember? My favorite lunch baon at that time was chorizo...pero panagsa ra man to, he, he. Bay, thanks again for taking the time to do these blogs, you yourself deserve to be put up on a pedestal as most of us would attest to the fact that when it comes to General Information knowledge ..... you are the number 1 pambato.

Beauty Sensation said...

it's an honor that i am being remembered by one of our respected classmates,magalang at take note hindi bastos, di kahibalo masuko,mao gyud na akong tan aw sa imo jerry, sa mention pa lang sa imong name, so sweet na kaayo, jerry oh jerry i like you na,hehehe!"di palupig" na attitude brings back memories,thank you ani,i did not know na ing ana diay ko sa una,murag diva na?

jigs said...

oi! kakuyaw ba aning ni bisita sa akoang payag parehas man nako og pangalan. ahaha! kakluba kangilignig og kakuyaw sa akong gibati sadihang nakita tika! maayo kay taga bohol man diay ka. nang hinaot ko nga kanunay mag uswag ang imong gipang buhat og unta ikaw maka hatag og kalipay ngadto sa imong mga pinangga og isig ka ingun. salamat. mabuhi ka amigo!

Pinoyborian said...

Auric and Mikey:

You are both welcome! It's good to hear from both of you again.

jigs:

'Ngay, kumusta man diha sa Davao? Salamat pud sa pagduaw sa aho-ang mansion :) Hinaut nga nalingaw ka. Nganong di man ka modu-aw sa ahong beach resort, Pinoyborian, para makahanggab kag preskong hangin. Bitaw balik-balik unja, ha?

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