Saturday, December 25, 2004
BUTTERFLIES FOR CHRISTMAS
The Damage Report - Year 3 - Christmas Break Week #1
Background Music: "A Christmas Song" by Kitchie Nadal
NOTE: This is a weekly blog entry that summarizes a series of events of a finished week in and around La Salle.
I'VE FOUND THE ONE I was looking for.
That's why I'm so happy recently. No, I haven't reached the climax of my sentimental journey by meeting the "love of my life". Clueless? Well think way back in 2003 when I was aching in pain because I was trying to be best friends to people who didn't want it.
In the past few weeks I've found refuge in someone who was always there from the start. I've just been blind to realize it. It feels so great to finally have someone to lie back on when you just can't take the shit going on in this world.
And when he calls me a "best friend" in return, I just melt. He treats me in ways I only could feel vaguely in my dreams. I finally have that someone who'll back me up and be there when my arms get tired from all the swordfighting.
Here's the testimonial I wrote to him on Christmas Day.
Tom is one of the most generous people I've ever met. He is a dedicated and hard working Managing Editor at Heraldo Filipino. He is a confident and energetic student inside despite his current struggles.
He is someone who is also possessive. But I can't argue, because for once in my life I finally met someone who is possessive like me when it comes to friendship.
Tom has been my dorm mate since 1st Year College and my colleague at HF since 2nd Year College. And in 3rd Year College he became the boyfriend of my close friend and classmate Leah.
Today, Tom holds a special place among my friends. He is the kind of person I've been looking for in the past few years, but was blind to realize he was right there in front of me all this time. For once, I can proudly say I have a best friend and have that person say the same of me. That feeling is PRICELESS... it drives someone like me to tears of joy. =')
After years of longing to have a buddy in this crazy world, I've finally found the one I gave up looking for.
Tom is, in a sense carved out of frustrations in the past, a Christmas blessing. I feel safer these days knowing I have someone who is really looking out for me just as intense as I'm looking out for him.
--
MRT
On Monday I went with Tom to Quezon City to retrieve some things from Rapids' Publishing. We met at the dorm first and left just after noon. We had lunch at KFC at Waltermart Dasma before boarding a crowded aircon bus for Pasay.
We got off at Taft Avenue and made our way into the bustling Taft Avenue station of the MRT. We squeezed into an MRT train and enjoyed the sites of Metro Manila even amidst the Christmas rush.
Tom and I got off at Araneta and took a brisk walk down sidewalks with all sorts of vendors selling Christmas items. We wounded up at the new MRT line (Santolan-Recto) and it was beautiful! It was exactly the way Tom described it on his first time there. It was like venturing off into a First World country away from the poverty of the city.
We rode from Araneta down two stops to get into QC. We left the small terminal and emerged in a place totally unknown to me. But being with Tom just made it more exciting, because getting lost was an option as long as I was with him.
We got onto a tricycle and rode to Rapids' Publishing House, which is where HF gets printed. After getting what we needed from Mang Fred, we just repeated our steps in getting there in reverse.
As we passed by Gatewall Mall at Araneta, we ran into the first Taco Bell branch in the Philippines. Seizing the opportunity, we both enjoyed a tasty merienda with crunchy tacos. The place was amazing, the ambiance was so "foreign".
Eventually we decided to also seize more opportunities and shop at the newly renovated SM Makati near Glorietta. We went (window)shopping. The two of us couldn't find a place to eat. I left my phone in the dorm because it was lowbat before leaving on our trip while Tom was lowbat already.
After spending 45 minutes looking for a place to have dinner at, we finally landed at Kenny Rogers' at G4. Yes, I know, we should've enjoyed less common food concepts but given the Christmas season and the crowds at the mall, we had no choice.
I bought "Imelda" at Tower Records while Tom went shopping for gifts for his girlfriend and other people.
On the way home we didn't get on the last trip to Dasmariñas at the terminal because the bus looked moldy! Haha. It looked so ugly. It gave our stomachs the impression that once we entered it we'd just throw up.
So the two of us took the MRT once more to Pasay and ended up doing a lot of walking to cross the big highway with fast vehicles (in front of THE HERITAGE) to wait for a bus bound for Cavite. Eventually there was a Dasmariñas bus and since it was so late we just got on it regardless of how it looked like.
The funny thing is, the bus looked similar to the one we avoided at the G4 Transport Terminal. It wasn't the same one, but it looked just as "moldy".
We stood on the bus until Bacoor when the two of us finally got to sit down on isolated seats on the bus. We couldn't sit together until Imus.
The two of us made it back to the dorm and fell asleep instantly due to all the stress of that day. But it was fun.
--
Heraldo
The Christmas Party of HF was held on Tuesday at Heidi's house. I spent Tuesday morning watching "IMELDA" by myself in my dorm room (no one is at the dorms since it was Christmas Break). Tom went home for an important medical checkup.
Eventually his medical checkup would be postponed so he would now be returning to Dasmariñas from Laguna. In the meantime, I decided to kill time and go with Lance to SM Dasma. Lance and I ate at Tokyo Tokyo before signing up at Net-o-pia upstairs.
I surfed while waiting for Tom, who was experiencing traffic in Carmona/GMA Cavite. When he arrived he went shopping for more gifts. Leaving Lance, the two of us got on a bus and rushed to Imus to catch up with the party.
The party was okay. It wasn't perfect attendance though. I drank some shots of gin courtesy the tangero, Mike Sandig, the quiet apprentice in the office. Mark and I also lit up a few times.
The person I got for exchange gift was, believe it or not, Tom. While the person who got me remained a mystery until I received a gift from Manilyn Valdezco, the apprentice literary staffer also of Broadjourn blood. She didn't give me gifts during the Php 10.00 rounds. Hey.
We played these games. They were odd games, but most of all memorable. Eventually we stayed overnight. It was sweet seeing our EIC, Paul, with his girlfriend JC (staffer) while our ASSOC, Joanna, was with her boyfriend Earl (former Literary Ed). Kuya Jheck showed up and Kuya Jake was also around. Of course Kuya Marthy was the "game master". No other alumni of HF were present.
Eric, Kate, and Upper were present from my classmates. Maycee was out sick and she didn't attend the party. Maycee and Jose were the editors that were absent.
--
Gifts
I gave out several cards to people this semester. Sort of a tradition I guess. But leaning onto giving gifts this season? I'm late.
I've had various shopping opportunities this past week. There was SM Makati, Glorietta, and then there was Festival on Wednesday.
Since I was at the dorms from Monday to Wednesday, I decided to accompany Tom in visiting Leah in Taguig. We travelled and went to Festival Mall on the way. There I answered my cravings for Dinugoan (A dish with lots of black pork blood). Tom had Pork Sinigang.
It was my first time commuting to Leah's place in quite some time. We had to dodge several entrances to Christmas bazaars littered near the South Luzon Expressway overpass that loomed between Festival and Metropolis.
Eventually we did make it to Leah's to catch two trains vibrating the house a little bit. Tom gave Leah and her family his Christmas gifts. I chatted with Kate on the phone for a moment.
We had to go home because I had my pick-up. We left early and commuted back. We eventually passed by Festival again to pick up a few things like a quick dinner at Sbarro... hahaha.. our cravings. It was my fault actually!
We joined a group of Dasma-bound peeps to convince the terminal to provide another Dasma van after the last one left already.
--
Butterflies
Thursday 2:00 PM was the meeting time for this year's Christmas reunion for me and some of my closest high school friends. Joy and Erika arrived first followed by Rom and then Nikki.
The five of us commuted to Tanza Bayan so we can rent a movie at Video City. After moments of deliberating on what movie we were to enjoy I ended up arguing with the lady behind the counter.
It so happens we couldn't check out any movies since I wasn't an extension of the principle member which is my dad. My mom is the direct extension. I asked for a re-consideration but they didn't allow.
I then wanted to apply as a member for their branch, since it was in my home town. They said I needed a picture, which I had. Then they said I needed a copy of my Meralco Bill.
"Policy kasi Sir..." they said.
I started mumbling words in anger and eventually we found ourselves crossing the street to ride on a baby bus. We got off at McDo to enjoy sundaes... but they didn't even have those!
I ordered another meal to cover another craving and we also enjoyed some Apple pies. The brand new KFC across the street was also about to open.
We walked back to my house from McDo as the sun started to set. We decided to watch "The Butterfly Effect" instead since my brother has a VCD copy of it.
Lance showed up late and then we would've been complete if Candy and Bryan were also with us.
After watching the movie we took a brisk walk to the main road. The six of us squeezed into one tricycle and set off back to Tanza Bayan to have a "Christmas feast" at Calle Real.
We ordered sizzlings and just enjoyed whatever we could talk about. The latest about this and that person, what's the word... in short... chismis! Haha. It wasn't the negative chismis, it was chismis that needed confirmation. So far, nothing terrible has happened to anyone we know... (that is if you use my definition of terrible).
After enjoying our meal and taking some pictures we found ourselves outside sitting at a new table playing a game of questions.
"What is your biggest regret of 2004."
I told them I'm very happy with what I've done this past year. There are things that I did to avoid regrets this past year and it makes me proud. But to cite one, it would have to be "not doing enough" or only being "80%" efficient as a Copy Editor for HF this past year. There's so much I can do but I'm not doing it.
"What is your greatest memory of 2004? Something most thankful for?"
I told them that the best memory for me in 2004 was finally having someone who would call me and treat me as his best friend. Becoming best friends with Tom was one of the greatest memories I'll have from 2004. (I don't have to repeat this, just read the start of this entry)
We took a baby bus back to Daang Amaya and walked the rest of the way home. Back in the house while we waited for Nikki's pick-up I took out my photo albums from 2nd and 3rd Year HS. It felt good to reminisce.
Great reunion
I enjoyed the reunion. It was simple and it had more people in it. I didn't want to dive into the crowded malls and go to distant places, it felt good just having it in some rural town like Tanza. I loved to play host for the reunion.
Thanks Rom for the hard cock you gave me.
Joy, thanks for the good lick.
Huh? Rom gave me a wooden fighting cock (go figure?!) while Joy gave me this yellow lollipop.
--
Mass
I went to Christmas mass with my mom and my brother. We arrived at 9:30 PM for the 10:00 PM mass, but we still had to stand. At least we stood at a good spot where we could see the altar.
After the mass we went home to enjoy mom's traditional spaghetti for noche buena. It was a simple noche buena for the three of us. My dad is still in the Persian Gulf on board a ship. No fancy parties, no drinking bouts, just a quiet meal with my mom and my brother.
Merry Christmas, everyone! I hope your Christmas was merry. I am thankful for all of you guys, blessings to make me a better person.
I just wish you were with me... (sigh).
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