NDJ Hi-Sch Reunion. The Aftermath

Notre Dame of Jolo High School Homecoming Reunion. The Aftermath
Day 04 – Monday 28 September 2009 - Part I

With too much booze & coffee, my aunt urged me to spend that night with my cousins who was also scheduled to leave for Manila late that evening. I didn’t realize that we slept nearly 2am that day, so everyone was up only at 11am, except me who was already up by 4am. Back in Malaysia, my body clock had been tuned-in to 4am waking time, as it was the time I usually prepare breakfast for my son & my wife. The school bus normally would picked my son Jared at 5.15am and my wife ‘s shift also starts around that time.
Altho’ I still linger on the bed tossing from left to right, I finally got up around 5am and had a long walk, along the boulevard then traced my way to the stadium. Despite being Monday, there were a lot of health-freaks doing all sorts of exercises from simple body bending to vigorous running. To the farthest end of the stadium there a group doing aerobics some isolated groups playing basket ball.

I slipped into the arena and started a slow jog, too slow that one voluptuous lady could out-run me in just a matter of minutes. I told myself I just try to finish one round in the track & field circuit, but my one round became two then three and before I could stop, I was already running at the outer lane of the circuit which was already the 8th lane. I guess my body was clamouring for exercise since Friday, ‘coz in Malaysia I ran on Wednesday & Friday and sometimes on Saturday & Sunday. Especially when I train for long cross-country running, I would intensify my exercise to log at least 50km per week.

I finished to the last circuit again and the sun was already biting my skin. From there I decided to return to my aunt’s house. To my surprise all my cousins were still asleep, only my aunt was at the kitchen preparing our breakfast. The aroma of coffee all the way from Jolo was already inviting even I was still at the bathroom. After shower, I had another full breakfast even with so much pleading to my aunt that I wanted only toast with jam, I ended up with garlic rice plus sweet meat (tocino) & salami as well as omelette eggplant with ‘bagoong’ & sunny side-up.

When all my other cousins were awake, I bade goodbye to all of them, as I promised to meet with nephew Doods for lunch. We went to “Mi Abuela”— literally means “My Grandma” with recipe said to be passed down from Spanish grandparents of the owner mostly of Spanish-Italian influence. I particularly like torte de pescao – fish fillet and wrapped with crab omelette garnished with spicy clear sauce. The ‘lumpia ubud’ is also excellent with its smooth texture on the outside and rich filling inside. My nephew opted for adobong hipon (prawn) & kare-kare (oxtail cooked with peanut sauce).

For dessert we adjourned to Minpro the nearest shopping center and grabbed a pint of Selecta ice-cream then sat inside Dunkin’ Donut for coffee. That’s where I got a call from Annabelle asking me join them for hi-tea at Nida Manuel’s house. We all met at Des’s office at DPWH then waited for Queenie to transport us there. The gang included Maridel ‘Madel’ Serrato, Irene Ulama, Mary Arnie Perera, Des Demerin , Annabelle Yanga, Queenie Wadja-Espinosa, Jennifer ‘Fheng’ Isahac. After shifting here & there finally I ended up doing 69 with Belle inside the booth.

Nida’s house is tucked away from the bustle of the city at San Roque area. It was a long drive to her place but the unending banters & jokes from Fheng made the journey enjoyable. Nida’s blue house stands majestically & was the only one in the newly open housing estate completely fenced in an equally friendly neighbourhood. When we were ushered in, there were already ‘bang-bang Sug’ waiting for us. There were 'Ja, patulakan, pitis, gallang-gallang, pasung' & two other unknown cakes & pastil complete with hot sauce. Of course the ceaseless flow of Coke & orange juice complemented the generous spread that even her hubby Damsid remarked that it was way too much of only few of us. Not satisfied with the cakes, we also had crunchy raw mango ‘kilaw’—a concoction that most Notre Dame Girls have perfected it since our time before the civil war up to the present. In between giggles & banters of old days—their days of awakening, Belle poured out to us her frustration & relief in her life. Only that day have I known that Belle’s brother Rene was kidnapped for ransom in Jolo and she was still mourning the death of her mom. To her greatest consolation; her eldest daughter who is taking up nursing will be graduating this summer & the younger one is in Melbourne on student exchange program with a good chance of getting scholarship in one of Universities in Australia.

Later Damsid excused himself as he had to leave for Jolo that night accompanied by their son and then Queenie summoned her driver again (she’s really a queen with entourage of chauffer, handyman & escorts/bodyguards at snap of her fingers). Tobe continued...