The Green Year

Mr. Lopez could bring the house down without even trying. He was funny enough to be one of the most popular teachers at UB prep. Small, dark, chubby and well groomed; he was our class adviser at first year.

One time he asked the class what do our parents tell us before we go out the house. Without even raising my hand I blurted out, “drink moderately”. My classmates’s laughter stoped when Mr. Lopez’s face went into a serious mode and asked the same question again.

There was nothing fresh about being a freshman at UB prep. We were held way down the high school building near the Dangwa terminal. It was like a dungeon and our classroom was poorly lit. The smile of Carmela Batil, one of my classmates, was way brighter than the dim flouricent lights. Carmela was small but her looks took her to compete for the school pageant. One teacher advised her to eat plenty of potatoes, to make her tall. I thought milk was better because to a Benguet beauty like Carmela, potatoes would only make her legs bigger.

The ones sitted near the wooden wall that divided us from the next room, had dificulty in concentrating on what whatever that was being taught, because they could hear the other teacher in the next room lecturing another subject.

Geofrey Dagarag nominated me as class vice president and he became my friend. I won by a mudslide. All those who voted for me didn’t know that I was as dumb as a rock. In the suceeding years to come no one dared to nominate me again for any position.

We also elected for our muse. And I remember one nominee who wore a yellow skirt. She kept covering her mouth with her hand when they were presented infront for class viewing. This nominee became my first.

The dark and deep stairs that led to Dangwa had some graffiti on the walls. The names of some students; Jodrix, Madrix, Orlix, Hodrix and so on were visible in silver glittering spray paint.

The names of my classmates that sounded nice and cool were Shedrac Ciriaco, Van Clayton Pagaduan, Yvette and Monday Wagis.

I had my first fight with an afternoon kid name Mavin Diocares. It all started when we both knew we had the same liking for a girl. The referee, Ronald Quirimit, another classmate of mine, took all the punches and kicks and spit that we threw at each other. It was declared a draw after and Ronald survived the beating. 

The brians of the class were mostly males. Geofrey was one, then there’s Jonathan Montemayor, Micheal Ochoco and Julius Paduyao. The only girl I knew who topped back then was Minerva, but she was with the P.M. class.

I think it’s safe to say that the first person to believe I could write was Mrs. Clarita Sumahit. She taught us Journalism and was the adviser of the UB Newlite school paper. Mrs. Sumahit took me and Edwin Oligo as reporters.

One of the coolest places to hangout was at the Dap-ayan hall. With its red carpeted steps and pine wood furnishings, I fell in love with this place. The view from there of the city market and the disaster waiting to happen condemned building of the Hilltop Hotel, was breathtaking. There was a black grand old piano on the stage. And we held leadership seminars and afternoon dances at the Dap-ayan.

The secluded steps of the RnR canteen, that sold us corned beef sandwich on a bun which was 99% potato and 1% corned beef, was another site.

At the side of the downward road that lead to the high school building from Asumption road, stood Alnos trees. And students sit at the ledges where the Alnos gave shade was a nice hangout too.

Campomanes where no one played chess at those chesstables. The library at the Commerce building. The scouting office of Sir Jorge Borja and I remember there was a makiwara there. All these were nice “tambayans”.

Finally the morge at the top of the Engineering building. With the foul smell and dead bodies laying around, there I had my first kiss with the nominee earlier. We also puffed and smoked Marlboros there.

All these places are gone now and these led me to do this piece. To remember and at least preserve the memories of being a freshman at UBHS.

~ by musashiboogie on June 6, 2009.