SNNHS BATCH 69: REBUILDING MEMORIES 2015

by: Norberto Betita

I was blessed to have been temporarily relieved from the pains of afflictions and I thought it best to meet with high school friends in the reunion. I was trying to daily check on possible invitations from any groups of SNNHS Alumni for the date of the reunion on Facebook, but I found no schedule. Until my daughter who is also an alumnus (and so with all my five children) told me that it will be on Saturday, September 5, 2015. That was Friday afternoon after office hours. I requested my wife to prepare my casual clothes for me to wear during the parade. 

Early in the morning of Saturday, I again hesitated to join the parade, but my children insisted that I go. They wanted me to enjoy life with friends of long ago to add wonderful memories for my remaining days in mortality. I decided late so I was not able to meet with the group during the start of the parade. I waited in the road corner where the parade was expected to pass, and then unexpectedly I was informed by the traffic aide that the route was changed. I decided to walk to the Church and there rest before going home. While on the way I met the long procession of the SNNHS Alumni Reunion. Following the police vanguard was the group of Batch 68. I thought the next was our batch, but found those were much younger batches. Until I arrived at the church I never observed the Batch 69 group. Later I had seen Batch 67. I gained confidence that probably our batch was also late in the parade, until I was finally recognized by Florida while I was standing on a shade of palm trees at church enjoying the view of the parade. I was then invited to join with them. There were only a few---Merlyn, Bobby, Florida, Maria, Juling, and Fideciria. They informed me that Phillip will be joining later. We were accommodated in one vehicle provided by Merlyn, whom we knew had just recently been widowed. I joked that “we should be grateful we are still among the few survivors. More might have taken their final rest six feet below the ground.” Then we all laughed out loud.

After the parade Phillip led us to his favorite restaurant. There Estelita joined us. So there were only a total of nine from batch 69, rebuilding and upgrading memories and sharing updates of our lives. Some shared the sorrows and joys of retirement and while others are still waiting for forced retirement. We talked of afflictions attendant to old age and even about medical maintenance, and what’s all about marital intimacy, even sexual dependability at seniority. We talked about Phillip’s plan to run for mayor in 2016 for the Municipality of Placer, Surigao del Norte. It was nice to know that Phillip’s son and mine were in the same mining company and they knew each other.

While I was interviewing Fideciria for his story to be included in our Batch 69 Book of remembrance, she seemed to have a hard time answering my questions. I told her loud, “bagan bongoy na man kaw!” She replied that she could not hear because of many interruptions. We again laughed out loud. I just knew that she married at age 38 and gave birth to her last born at age 49. What an extraordinary fertility, when most women that age were already menopaused. I hope to be able to write her story and that of Florida soon. Earlier I have completed my writing about Jaime’s story for our book of remembrance.

At night we met at the Tom’s Avenue Videoke. We were joined by the ever beautiful Sandra who just came from Manila. We enjoyed singing the old songs and dancing the old craze. There were just a few bottle of beer and a bottle of lady’s wine and some finger foods. We found that the kind of steel-boned seniors---Merlyn, Florida, Maria, Juling and Fideciria, are still very capable of dancing. The dancing grace of Merlyn even in seniority surprised me. I was all the while thinking that she is not that dancerous. Of course we have with us the best entertainers---Phillip, the singing Board Member with his favorite “Totoy Bibo” backed by the dancing five; and Maria, the Imelda Papen of Batch 69 singing the popular tagalog songs and dancing like Madonna, figure-hugging the center post of the room. There was our best singer of Batch 69, Bobby with his rendition of “Hello” by Lionel Richie and “One in a Million” and “Bridge Over Troubled Water” by Simon & Garfunkel. His voice has always been a delight and never dulled even by ageing. Juling rendered best her version of “Skyline Pigeon” gasping for air to cope with the beat while battling against the pressure of cholesterol level. I did never assume that Florida would choose the high pitched songs of Celine Dion, but she reached the limits. I have never seen these talents exposed during high school days, except for that of Bobby---he has always been a singer since high school. Perhaps all these talents were developed later in their lives. 

I so loved and enjoyed witnessing the SNNHS Batch 69 seniors as they are acting like the youthful group of long ago. I also felt like I am part of a much younger audience. With Sandra, who had recently undergone an operation, and Estelita, who had always been a silent and most kind audience, I should have chosen to be with them on the pew, but they wanted me to perform. Perhaps they thought that after my singing, all their bad renditions will be overlooked and forgotten. It had been long since I have sung a song in a videoke. All I have been singing daily are lullabies for my grandchildren. However, I wanted to prove them wrong, so I rendered for them “Oh, My Darling” by the Beatles; Kenny Roger’s “Coward of the Country”; and for our batch muse, I sang Barry Manilow’s “Sandra.” Except perhaps for Sandra herself, all were surprised to know that there is such a song of the same title. I should have rendered more if not for time and resource constraints. Sandra looks much younger than all of us, but she was the first to offer her senior citizen’s ID to request for a discount.

We thought we are just only having so much fun in so short a time, but we realized we are rebuilding memories and rekindling friendships. When I think of reunions, reflections and memories; sharing wonderful happy moments with friends and classmates, and write the events in pen or in the hidden tablet in the chambers of the heart, those memorable celebrations become treasures kept for a lifetime.