43rd Year Class Reunion Socials - Feb 6, 2010

The group attended the anticipated mass at St. Joseph’s Chapel in Lag-on at 6:30 pm. (I noticed on the way to the Chapel, just a few hundred meters away, there was a store or a shop with the signboard “Lehman Bros”. Wow, big time na an Daet). After the mass, we headed back to Dorset’s residence in Bagasbas. Ebo, Willy, Felino, Mendy and Remo brought their vehicles and those were enough to transport the members. Boboy rode his motorcycle.

When we reached Dorset’s place, the band was still busy setting up their instruments in a covered portion outside the house. Remo brought the tables and chairs and we helped set them up on the grounds outside Dorset’s house. In a little while the class members were already sitted and bottles of ice-cold san-mig lights were passed around. Willy and Marybeth brought the “stateside” drinks. The band led by Felix Abano (Anabelle’s brother) started singing 60s and 70s tunes. Maning’s lechon came. There was enough crispy balat for everyone who wanted to stay young. We had plenty of cholesterol for pollutants. Food from Kingfisher’s arrived and Mendy was again busy setting them up on the bigger table. I can no longer recall what the food consisted of (senior moments or i’m just not too particular about the food).

Estring Asis and Tita (Teresita Quinones-Cadag) were no longer able to attend the socials, while Adonis Bertillo who was not around in the other activities due to an appointment in Bagacay, Camarines Sur was able to make it. Adonis - (beautiful name, kung sa babae, pareho man kan “Lovely” - dai gabos binabagayan ka iyan - maray na lang ta si Adonis ta pogi man, problema kun naging kalalawgon ni Max o Martin – Alvarado/Marfil, tapos aapudon mo, hi Adonis!). Estring couldn’t make it because she was not allowed by her strict mother to go out unchaperoned, joke lang. It was her turn to take care of her 80+ or is it 90+ yr old mother since the caregiver took the day off. Tita had to take care of her apo.

In a little while, the ladies were dancing maski pops on the grounds, may mga duot-duot pa, garo pabayle ni kapitan sa barrio, pero enjoy! Maray ta mga babaeng cowboys man si mga girls ta. But it would be hard to imagine Nemia/Baby nagti-twist sa daga na may duot. Among the guys, HATAW si Felino! He did not only sing, he danced ala-DI, mayong panama si John Travolta. Pati attire niyang all black – DI na DI ang dating.

Remo was the first to sing. Adonis did several duets with Felino, Boy Rios sang solo while Boboy jammed with the band.

Then there was clamor for Marybeth to sing “Downtown”. She must have sang this in the 2008 reunion, kaya tumatak na sa mga fans. This time, it wasn’t downtown that she first sang. Instead it was a sentimental song – “Crazy” ..... i’m crazy for feeling so lonely....... crazy for feeling so blue .... “ sang ala-Barbra Streissand, naks! But far from feeling or looking lonely or blue, Marybeth should be giving seminars on the Art of aging gracefully. She looks radiant and regal. Maybe it’s in the genes (I saw her Mommy Beth in Daet, and like Marybeth, she looked much younger than her age). But it must have something to do not just with the body but with the mind and spirit..... having inner peace.... She should start writing about this.

I heard the band say that somebody requested for “Bikining Itim”. ..... but nobody knew the lyrics.... I wasn’t the one who requested the song. But it became my sort of favorite novelty song when I heard a “band” as in bandang pang-parada play it in Naga City..... the tune is playful and the lyrics naughty ..... “ang iniingat-ingatan ko, kaisa-isang bikini mo, na tinatago-tago ko pa at katabi sa pagtulog ko...ako’y dumadalangin na kahit manawari, huwag sanang sungkitin bikini mong itim na alay mo sa ‘kin”.

Another sentimental songstress, Mona, belted out the song “Twilight Time” – heavenly shades of night are falling, it’s twilight time..... out of the mist your voice is calling..... I was able to catch a portion of that song on video. Just listen to the voice because for the most part, all you’ll see are dark shots.... i was trying to adjust my camera but forgot how.....

Yoly and Fechie were the dancing queens of the night. Emily and Mona, danced too. Several of the guys did not loosen up and hesitated to ask the ladies, “May I dance over you”. Kwento-kwento na lang while drinking. Maray ta nag-sunod man kay Mommy Dioneysia na nagsabi sa Ginebra commercial – MANNY! Dapat.... may polotan!

In between songs, Boboy was able to make a few privilege speeches, thanking several persons but almost always forgetting until reminded to thank Dorset, the host of the day’s activities. I also heard him thank me for being the “nerve center” (the NERVE!...... he, he, joke lang Boboy! I don’t know what it really means. I’m just a messenger who delivers and facilitates communication among the members).

Around 12 midnight, the band played their last song, and we started clearing up the place – putting empty bottles of beer back to their cases, folding up the tables, stacking up the mono-block chairs, picking up the litters, “balotizing” the left-overs, etc. Masupog man kay Dorset na basta bayaan si mga kalat.

I rode with Ebo together with the brothers Alito and Pepe. Boy Rios, Adonis, and I’m not sure which other guys rode with Felino, who I could hear was shouting, asking me to join them. Bitin pa and I’m sure may lakaw pa ang mga ito. Boy was leaving for Manila at 6 am, so he could stay awake the rest of the night (or early morning) and just sleep in the bus. I was already in the hospital (bantay sa brod ko) when I received Felino’s text asking for Boboy’s contact number. Hmmmm..... mahagad nin tip kun sain marhay magduman.......

It was truly an enjoyable night, again thanks to the Daet core group – Mendy, Remo, Dra. Yoly, (by the way tulo na ang doctor ta sa klase!), Boboy, Maning, and our host Dorset.

Postscript

There was a send-off dinner for Marybeth and Willy at K-Sarap on Wed evening, then another gathering the following night for Chi-Chi Venida at Marybeth’s place. Manila group will be hosting a dinner on Tuesday, Feb 23 in Makati.