|
Sunday, March 26, 2006
Gil: It's been 35 years...
By Sandy Gil
Sunday Dunes
IT WAS a bright Saturday morning when I woke up yesterday. I knew I had a 2 p.m. meeting with four other people in my apartment to discuss important office matters. So I decided to spend the morning happily writing for this column... when something totally unexpected happened. I received a text message from someone who was not in my phone list. Hmmm...
-o0o-
I read the message, and was instantly floored -- as in, I literally almost fell off my chair. It was Mike. He said he was in Davao for a convention. He wanted to catch up with me over a cup of coffee that same morning since he was leaving for Manila the next day.
Who is Mike, you might ask.
-o0o-
Mike was my boyfriend when I was in second year high school. That was about 35 years ago. And it was about that long ago too when I last saw him. Gosh, 35 years ago! That's three and a half decades. In fact, add 15 more years, and that could have been half a century ago!
-o0o-
I was in a daze as I took a shower and dressed up, trying to recall Mike. And I smiled to myself as memories began to emerge.
Mike was then studying at St. Louis University in Baguio City, and I was studying in a private school in Manila. Either Mike would travel to Manila to see me, or I'd go to Baguio with my Mom to check the family summerhouse -- a good excuse to see Mike.
Mike was a very romantic boy. Now that I think about it, he was the only boy in my life who ever wrote poems for me. And since there were no computers back then, he wrote these poems in his own handwriting. Mike had a lovely penmanship. He also loved black and white photography, and kept taking photos of me, putting yellow flowers in my hair. I remember him wishing so hard for various camera lenses for his Nikon camera, and I always assured him that one day, he would own all the lenses he needed.
Mike was pretty much accepted by my family. He enjoyed talking to my Mom about art, which endeared him to my Mom.
I also recall that as such young teenagers, we held hands a lot. And we experimented on hugs and kisses. We were too naïve to go further than that. But for the life of me, I could not remember how and why we broke up!
-o0o-
When I finally reached the hotel where Mike was staying, I called him from the house phone. He said he would come down immediately. Then I said, wait -- and started to describe what I was wearing, my hair, my shoes, and so on. I figured that after 35 years, chances were that we would not recognize each other anymore. I continued by asking what he was wearing. Mike laughed and assured me he'd look for me instead.
-o0o-
So I sat at the coffee lounge in suspended animation. Soon, a man with a familiar smile approached me. It was Mike. I smiled back. And we did not know where to start to catch up with each other.
-o0o-
Mike is now a medical doctor based in Manila. He married his classmate who is an anesthesiologist. And they have five children -- two girls and three boys. His youngest was born with Downs Syndrome, and the family decided to migrate to the US so that his special child can be assured of care even when his parents are no longer around. In fact, Mike's wife had already left for the US middle of last year to begin the family's transition.
Mike continues his photography. He told me he had been able to buy the lenses he had always wanted. But the digital camera is much more convenient. He had his laptop and showed me his photos - mostly of his family and some artistic attempts at lines and light.
No romantic photos. Neither does he write poetry. After two hours of updating each other, we hugged and gave each other a buss on the cheek. We promised to keep in touch.
-o0o-
I pondered on lost youth for the rest of the day.
(March 26, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor. Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here. |
|
[return to top]
[home]
[network page]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
SUPERBALITA
WEEKEND
|
