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The Superman and The Crush ng Bayan
By Yna Valenzuela-Torres
Offhand we confess that we did nothing but sing and profess…our undying devotion to….videoke! Superman Jojo from Illinois, the new singing champ and kilig ng high school Angelo Sanchez from California, and the straggler group of batch 80 from all over Metro Manila, converged to make one happy, memorable afternoon. There was no damsel in distress to rescue, there were no girls hyperventilating, instead, there were former classmates, ex-crushes and new friends eagerly awaiting the arrival of these two well-loved gentlemen. It was a well-planned bienvenida. Near perfect. Expect no less when the gracious hostess is our very own Gina Navarrette. Hers is a cozy, pretty house made prettier by the warmth of its owners.
First to arrive on the scene were Gina’s best friends since high schools; Leah and Fides. Then Happy and I came with Tippy, Happy’s super talented daughter, and Rey, her “boy”-friday. Raul Garcia, from Constantine was the first ka-chikahan ng mga girls. He, of the 25 meter Olympic size swimming pool! Raul, we will take up your offer another time soon. While the boys were taking a long time coming, and we were munching away the junk food Gina provided, I was introduced to the wonderful world of lash extenders, by Happy, of course! After a little more of waiting, Leo’s car arrived and deposited our much-awaited balikbayans onto the pavilion’s doorsteps and into our arms. Or should I say, us, into Jojo’s arms?
It was a kodak moment! Handshakes, hugs and kisses could not sufficiently express the delight in simply seeing old, familiar faces from sweet past. Teng came with the group followed by Chie-Chie, Benjie Mallari, Anthony Castillo and Arnold Aranas… and the singing machine was activated. Happy, armed with a song (what song? Songsss!) and extended lashes, started the singing. To our pleasant surprise, Angelo Sanchez matched her beat for beat, song after song. Bumangka sa kantahan etong dalawa. Jojo was definitely not shy to join the fray, complete pa with show-hosting, disc jockeying, and dancing. Name it, he can do it! Swing, cha-cha, tap dancing, slow-drag, macho dancing, etc… Everyone, but one, sang. Some sang with style, some sang with passion. Some danced, some danced with grace. Everyone grabbed every little opportunity to exchange gab with each other. Stories and lives were shared. We were all, as Jojo would term it, drinking the moment.
In time for lunch, the group was medyo complete na. Rey and Lisa Rey-matias came with Sigrid Ferrer, Rey Espino, Johnny and Jun Villamayor, who came much later. Food was yummy and healthy and the coffee— the coffee was “packing” good!
Jojo cannot be anyone else but Jojo. Still the same uniqueness (and I am being nice here, Jojo), still the same good heart. Those are two qualities that have set him apart, have caused him some major trauma and, most important, made him the great person that he is. Live your dreams, Jo, and see them come true.
Angelo, I admit and I regret, I did not meet in high school. I heard lots about him, he was the crush of my good friend Lynette Nepomuceno and a horde of others. He was the crush ng bayan, unfortunately, he said, he did not get to marry the bayan. Angelo Sanchez, kaya mo ba yon, kaya mo ba yon? You are as good looking as your high school photo. Ang hirap mai-stereotype, ano? Common, he is more than good looks! He is good voice too. (-: And much, much more.
We loved that Saturday afternoon with these two wonderful men. They did intimately share with the group their life stories and we all listened and drank in, not so much the details of their stories, but the trust and the feeling of oneness with them and with those present. There were common grounds, same desert experiences, same conclusion that life is short, that it could be meaningful or meaningless, all depending on how we live it, the choices we make, the trust we put on the God we profess. These are simple moments, mere moments that could soon join the past. Or, we could savor them, drink them and free them from time suckage, to be real, here with us.
The batch is a haven to those who come to give.
COPYRIGHT 2005 LEO RIINGEN ALL RIGHTS RESERVED