isang kaibigan kahapon

Nagtataka ako dati, at natatawa na rin, kapag nababalitaan ko o nababasa na may batch reunion ang mga dating nag-aral sa Morong National High School (MNHS), na nuong mga panahon na ako ay nag-aaral duon ay mas kilala na sa pangalang Rizal Technological and Polytechnic Institute o RTPI. Nagtataka at natatawa, dahil iniisip ko na ang mga oldies na yun na magre-reunion ay hindi pa rin matanggap, o nais pa nilang kumapit sa isang kahapong lumipas na. Ang “kahapong” MNHS na ngayon ay RTPI na, naiisip ko nuon.

Fast forward to 17 years after (o sa panahong ngayon, skip to the next chapter dahil DVD era na), ang aking “RTPI” ay isa na ring kapahon dahil mas kilala na ito sa pangalang Rizal Polytechnic College (RPC). Binago ito nuong March 1, 1995, by virtue of Republic Act Number 7933. Di nagtagal, naging bahagi ito ng University of Rizal System dahil sa Republic Act Number 9157 (June 2001) which lapsed into law on August 11, 2001. The University of Rizal System (URS) was established by integrating the Rizal State College, Rizal Polytechnic College and Rizal Technological University Antipolo Annex

“Rizal Polytechnic College”… hindi ako sanay na bigkasin ang pangalang iyon. Isa siyang estranghero sa akin, bagama’t nasa dating lugar pa rin ang aking RTPI. Same place, same school, pero parang iba na sya kapag tatawagin kong RPC. Parang isang dating malapit na kaibigan na 17 taon mong di nakita at ngayon ay nakasamang muli, pero iba na ang kanyang pangalan. Nakakapanibago. Sya pa rin, pero iba na.

Ngayon ko lang din naunawan ang mga oldies na taga MNHS. Hindi nila pinipilit kumapit sa isang kahapon. Ayaw lamang nilang kalimutan ang isang kaibigang apat na taon nilang nakasama.

Rizal Polytechnic College na siya ngayon, pero para sa akin, RTPI pa rin ang kanyang pangalan. At kung taga RPC ka ngayon at binabasa mo ito, malamang ay magtaka ka din, o matawa, dahil sa nais ko pa ring tawagin itong RTPI. Maiintindihan mo din ako, kapag nagpalit muli ng pangalan ang RPC.

Pramis.

a walk to remember

The RTPI cafeteria doesn’t remind me of food. Maybe because the food there, at least during our time, was bland at best. The cafeteria reminds me of Ricky Dionisio and his glasses of water. Every afternoon, before going home to Cardona, Ricky would go to the cafeteria and drink water. Eight full glasses. Straight.

Besides, I don’t eat lunch in the cafeteria. I always eat out. Sa gilid ng school nyuk nyuk nyuk… Tatlo lang ang mahahalagang kainan sa gilid ng school.

If you’re a guy, you almost always eat at 3-Js, near the school gate. Paksiw na lechon ang fave ko dun. Kainan daw ng mga tunay na lalaki ang 3-Js probably because only guys eat there. I dunno why girls don’t eat at 3-Js. When eating there though, you should always be aware of your surroundings. You might become an eatery-thief and you didn’t even know it. Like yung isang kaklase natin na nakalimutan ko na. When he opened his bag after having lunch at 3-Js, he saw spoon, pork, and a plastic cup inside, amoy 3-Js, courtesy of a few classmates. The best was when someone put in a patis bottle in some poor guy’s bag. What a poor guy. Eh kasi naman, di ko naman alam na may nilagay sila sa bag ko…

A few steps away from 3-Js was this other eatery (X1). I forgot its name. It’s situated at the back of this particular house. Two things that reminds me of this place: Russian Radio and saba-con-yelo. They have this jukebox and those damn Narra people knows only one song, Russian Radio. And the saba-con-yelo? Nothin’ special about it, and I don’t know why that desert reminds me of that place. Girls also eat here, and those guys who no longer have vacant seats at 3-Js. I always walk slowly to 3-Js so I wouldn’t have a seat and I’ll be “forced” to eat there and be with some pretty girls from the other classes. Este--- from our class pala hehehe errr….

Then the third eatery (X2), a few steps away from X1. I forgot its name also (was that “Guevara’s”?), but for all I know, it might as well be called Heaven’s Eatery because mga anak lang ng diyos ang kumakain dun. The beautiful people. Only the pretty ones. The chosen few, the elite. It’s almost an exclusive girls’ place. But I remember, I had mirienda there with Ethel once, one lucky afternoon for me.

But if you’ll ask me what do those three eateries at the side of the school reminds me of?

It reminds me of this walk I had one time, with one of our classmate I had a huge hard-on, I mean… crush on. I wouldnt name names, she will remain anonymous to protect her integrity hehe... Anyway, we were on our way home then. It was starting to rain. Instead of riding on a tricycle or a jeepney waiting near the gate, we decided to walk all the way to the jeepney terminal at the town center, sharing one umbrella. Under one umbrella, ella, ella, ey, ey…

Errrr... where was I? Oh yeah...

I was holding the umbrella, she was holding the umbrella and we were practically holding hands and pretending not to notice it. There were a few students walking too, ahead of us. When we reached 3-Js, this big drunken student-goon walked towards a girl in front of us but she was walking fast and the goon shifted his attention to us. But fortunately (for the goon), his friends pulled him away (or I would have beaten the living shit out if him hah!) and apologized to me in behalf of his drunk friend. Whew! Swerte.

When we reached X1, a guy coming out of that place pulled out his umbrella. It was those type that when you pushed a button at the handle, it would automatically open. But the wind was starting to howl then, and it blew his umbrella away, leaving only the handle in is hand. He run after his loose umbrella all the way to X2. My crush and I had a good laugh, while not letting go of our umbrella of course. And oh yeah, she gave me her hankerchief with her embroidered name on it, to wipe the rain (and the stupid smile) off my face.

Now I’m asking you, is this story about those eateries or just my shameless way of reminiscing lost high-school romance?

Don’t answer it…

*UPDATE
X1 - Jing said X1 is called "Fun Nook"