It was one summer when our class held a picnic at Talao-Talao Beach. The sun was really hot so most of us chose to stay at the hut to eat, drink and share stories.  Then out of nowhere we heard somebody yelling "help !"  At first we thought that he was an American.  It turned out that it was Danny Garcia.  "Holy Molly" he was drowning.  We were all panicked striken except for Ross Tolentino and James Penamora who immediately saved Danny Boy. Soon he was alright. We asked him why he shouted "help" instead of "saklolo".  Danny smiled and said, " mas mahaba kasi yong saklolo, eh".  Sure he was right. Kung saklolo eh di sak.. pa lang lunod na sya, di ba?

Heto pa rin ang iba

Here's one which may be nakakatawa - during our JS Prom.  4th year 'ata tayo noon, ang partner ko ay ang iti-nu-tukso n'yo sa akin. If I remember it right ... so, by tradition, (hindi ko na matandaan kug ano ang tawag doon pero something like) during the opening dance (not necessarily the ceremonial dance of the Cotillon) ang first dance ko s'yempre e 'di sa partner ko; it was a waltz with "Blue Danube" pa. Hindi ko alam kung na-notice ng crowd, baligtad pala ang posisyon ng paghawak-kamay namin, at sa nerbiyos naming pareho ang nagka-ka-tapakan kami ng PAA!!! He! He! He! 'Buti na lang pareho kaming hindi mahilig sumayaw kaya after ilang ikot e tumigil na kami!

Again related to JS Prom. Rehearsal time for Cotillion. Remember the Alumni Building. In front of it is a square where we used to do the practices. It was late afternoon. Makulimlim kaya ok lang mag-practice walang init ng araw. 'Di ba sa Cotillion, pa-ikot-ikot ang pagpapalit ng partner habang nagwa-waltz. All of a sudden, nakaramdam tayo ng tremor ... may lindol, saglit lang pero ramdam mo ang pag-shake ng ground. Ang swerte(?) ko noon ay the fact na ang napa-tapat sa akin for that particular step ay ang "crush" ko noong tayo'y 4th year. Siyempre sa takot ko, nalimutan kong holding hands pa rin pala kami for a long time!!! Buti na lang Cotillion ito hindi "sweet" ano? Heh! Heh! Sino siya? Hindi ito taga-section xxx. Pero cute, at iba ang kanyang "it". Hindi scholarly, but just the same - pogi (to use the term that time) at gentleman po! Alam kong mya "crush" din ito sa akin dahil kahit pa man noong elementary days namin eh na-bisto ko na ito eh. Inis ako sa kanya noong elementary days...pero noong nag-high school, dahil nagkahiwa-hiwalay na kami into different sections though nagkaka--kitaan pa rin naman ... mukhang na-develop ang crush ko sa kanya - pero...katuwaan lang! From far alam kong naroon pa rin ... pero alam mo naman noon - ang layo ng section niya from section xxx - may distance. In fact, hindi ko nabalitaang nagka-girl friend ito noong high school. kasi boyeto eh, at tipong parang kapatid na lahat! After high school, I was surprised to see him once in a while passing by our house on a bicycle, pa-sulyap-sulyap at kung minsan nagkaka-lakas-loob tumigil at bumati. cute pa rin pero, duwag yatang mag-tapat eh! Kaya na-unahan ng iba! Heh! Heh!

Crush ko non? Sino? Si Lxxx. Do you remember him, the tall guy na namumula ang kutis, barkada nina Exxx sa Vocational Class. Actually he courted me nong high school kaya lang mas type ko si R. 'non (ewan ko ba ha...ha...ha....).

My other experiences/incidents: Tinataguan namin (of course, buong class 'yon) si Mrs. Luce (Chemistry) if she does not come on time. Lagi kasing buntis!

When Olive encouraged me to join the selection of Miss Sophomore and I didn't notice na punit pala ang sleeve ng blouse ko, siguro sa kakahila niya sa akin.

During the convocation (3rd or 4th year?) we presented a play and I portrayed the role of a sweepstakes vendor at kung bakit ba naman nagka-sore eyes ako before the play timely rin naman and I wore sunglasses as if blind ako.

May ugali ako noon and I don't know how to categorize it ... bahala ka na ... Espie and Tessie were my best friends then. Kapag minsan si Espie nakakasama nina Dada, Ofel and Marie, umiiyak ako noon. Of course all of you guys will always be in my heart.

Alam ninyo namang napakaregimented ng buhay ko noon kaya kung may escapades man ako ay siguro kasama si Bebot at hanggang Antigua lang o Lucky Bookstore. Ang nakakahiya siguro ay yung nahulog ako sa hagdan ng Main Building pero nakabloomers naman ako kaya walang censored na naexpose. Wala naman akong crush noon pero niloloko nila ako ay Rxxx pero hindi ko naman type, friend lang siguro.

Oh, those days. Oo, hibang na hibang ako noon kay Mxxx Fxxx kaya wala akong naging crush na mga bata sa Quezon High. Sulat ako nang sulat ng love poems sa mga klase na kinatatakutan ko like Math, Geometry, Trigo and Science. What did I do? All those subjects are important foundation of basic education.

I remember being given the charge to open a convocation when we were in the 3rd year. It's a Girls Scouts gathering for Junior Girls Scouts - Freshmen and Sophies. I should lead the opening prayer. Simple lang naman - ang problema na mental block-out yata ako dahil when I was praying with the Hail Mary (in English), na-stuck ako sa parteng Holy Mary pray for us ... hindi ako makaalis doon! Could you imagine me to do that? How did I know that I did? This "blunder" may isang first year na taga-Hollywood na nag-feedback sa akin asking me if I were nervous that time!!! Heh! Heh!

After school, si Perla, Mely at ako we usually hang out at Perla's Tita Arit's house. We were in their backyard and we loved to climb up in this shack below a big and old star apple (caimito) tree. The shack is pretty old made of old and used yero and we enjoy sharing some girls' stuff there like bungisngisan, nibbling snacks, etc.  Below that shack is somewhat tambakan ng kung ano-ano na. Pagkatapos naming mamuti ng star apple at habang napakasarap ng kuwentuhan namin on top of that shack nang biglang may malakas na ugong or crash na bumagsak.  It happened so fast and it took us a split second to realize na kaming tatlo ay bumagsak.  Hindi agad kami makatayo.  All I could think was:  "nasan na yong star apple ko?"  Parang maiiyak kaming pare-pareho na natatawa na nahihiya dahil sa "topic ng kuwentuhan" namin.  Mula noon tuwing maaalala namin ang pangyayaring ito ay hagalpakan na lang kami ng tawa.

Noong Seniors Day ay nagsayaw kaming tatlo nila Dada, Perla at ako ng aming dance rendition of "A Horse with No Name." Although we didn't have enough time to practice (excuses), we still have to represent section 2 for some reasons (talent show yata at gustong gusto ko ring sumayaw talaga). But we still went ahead with our dance program performed in the middle of that basketball court (not sure) in front of that big grandstand with all those 4th year students. Si Perla ang nasa gitna dahil siya ang leader/choreographer. Habang kami ay nagsasayaw ay panay ang tanong namin kay Perla kung ano ang kasunod? Sa bawat change of step ay tinatanong namin si Perla at si Perla naman ay ganito ang sagot: "teka iisipin ko pa."  Pero tuloy ang sayaw namin.  Sayaw dito at sayaw doon. Natapos rin ang aming performance na puro turuan on the spot. Nagkaigi rin kami at nakahinga na kami ng maluwag. Up to this time the tunes of "A Horse with no Name" still rings a bell. I guess what is important is we had fun.

During Senior Day ay kuntodo porma kami ni Perla. It was in the 70s so ala hippie ang style namin ika nga at siyempre gusto namin na meron kaming souvenir picture. Groovy-ing groovy talaga kami. "Meron pa kaming headband sa aming noo at kami ay naka-chaleco." Pabalik na kami sa QPHS Senior's Day celebration at dumadaan kami sa secret passage (sa bakod) mula sa bahay ng Tita Arit ni Perla. Merong photographer na dumaan at merong dalang kamera at kami ay tinanong kung gusto daw naming magpalitrato. Tuwang tuwa kami ni Perla at pose agad kami. Kailangang daw ng piso per person as deposit. Binigyan namin ng deposit na 2 piso.  No more questions asked ika na.  Hindi na namin tinanong kung kailan puwedeng makuha at makita ang larawan at kung sino siya. Excited kami pareho at nag-dance performance pa kasi on that Seniors Day.  Dumaan ang maraming araw walang pang photong dumadating.  Dumaan ang isa at maraming buwan wala pa ring litratong naka hippie style kami. Dumaan ang maraming taon talagang wala. After 27 years ay hindi namin nakita ang photographer or kahit na anong larawan namin. Nadenggoy pala kami ...