Facebooking my way back to grade school

I’ve been on a grade school nostalgia mood for the past few days.

Thanks to the magic of Facebook, friends whom I’ve not seen or heard of for over 25 years sprung back to life – and all of a sudden, we’re back to the “carefree days of our boyhood” – back to the time when San Beda was still a bona fide all boys school.

Thanks to Facebook . . .

Lovell Marcelo and I have resumed our “dirty finger draws” ;

Multi-awarded firm director Aris Solito (Sorry mate, I still can’t spell your screen name) now knows he was the reason why I was not able to use my real nickname as I was forced by our Grade 1 teacher, Miss Nelia Santos, to use my father’s first name because teachers would get confused;

Reggie Aguda was reminded that he was once called Senyora Agueda (the contravida in the 70s soap Flordeluna) ;

Eduard Arevalo’s boredom in Saudi was eased a bit now that the “kabayo” was able to run around the old ranch – though just virtually;

Christopher Joseph S. Orozco forgot that he’s now a “respected” surgeon at FEU Hospital and professor at the San Beda College of Medicine;

Anthony De Leon’s puppy romance with (no I won’t tell here) was somewhat rekindled….with an additional revelation from Arnold Villanueva that the budding affair nearly had fatal results… (Eeeew!);

We saw Robert Castillo’s ears still sticking out….but now more prominently;

We were able to see “her” pics and congratulate Willy “Gigi” Beltran for placing 3rd in the Miss Mundo 2008 pageant;

Thanks to Francis Ampon, we’re still poking fun at each other after he scanned and posted the individual pics of the members of SBC GS Batch 83 …. and again, Chaka (Willy San Pedro), Sleestak (Edward Rellosa), Tilapia, Change (Neil Mag-Iba), Malone (Ramil Espina) and it still goes on as I write this.

It was also through Facebook that my batchmates were able to quickly organize a get-together last Nov 29 --- and another on December 16 (di pa rin ako makakasali…pakshet!)

Got to end this entry….need to reply to Lovell’s message which I will surely append with a C=========8 UPYOURS LOVELL!

****

This trip down memory lane also prompted me to Google a declamation piece which our Grade 1 teacher “forced” us to memorise.

The opening line of that piece is perpetually stuck in my mind…”Ikaw? Sino ka ba? Malamig na bungo. Matigas na mukha”

Jay-V (Labayo) and I were trying to recite that line while chilling out at their former place in Data St. We’ve been repeating that line again ad nauseam that his kid brother, James (then around 4 years old) was able to memorize the line himself.

And here’s the Ang Bungo classic….thanks to the wonders of the world wide web:

Ikaw! Sino ka ba?
Malamig na bungo, matigas na mukha.
Dati kang maganda, ano’t ang mata mo’y nagkauka-uka?
Dati kang marunong, ano’t ang noo mo’y nagkasira-sira?

Kinakausap ka’y ayaw mong sumagot,
ayaw magsalita, at ang katawan mo’y nasugpong na butong sinlamig ng tingga.

Ikaw ba ang wakas ng lahat ng taong sa mundo’y nilikha?
Iyan ba ang matang nanglumiligaw ka, balana’y tiningnan?
Iyan ba ang labing katugon ng ilong, balana’y hinagkan?
Iyan ba ang tengang kung makikimatyag, lahat, pinakikinggan?

Ano ka na ngayon?
Nahan ang puso mo, diwa’t pakiramdam?
Kahit na laitin, kahit na purihin, ayaw nang gumalaw.
Parang sinasabing ang lahat sa mundo ay may katapusan!

Kay sarap ng buhay kung may kabuhayan at taglay ang lahat!
Ibo’y lumilipad hanggang kalangitan kung buo ang pakpak!
Tao’y sumasagwan hanggang karagatan kung buo ang lakas!

Mundo’y umiinog at kumakalansing sa tugtog ng galak, ngunit ang tadhanam kapag ang sinulid ng buhay binaltak, lahat, tao’t ibon kakita-kita mo’y butong nakatambak.

Ikaw nga, ikaw nga ang nang isang araw, itong buong mundo, ay kinakaladkad mo’t iyong inilipad hanggang maging iyo!
Ngunit nang matapos, papuri’t tagumpay, ang natira’y abo. Katawang mabulas, makinis na balat, ang natira’y buto.

Hinagkang bulaklak, sa hinalik-halik, nawalan ng bango. Bulwagang sayawan, sa sinayaw-sayaw, naging libingin mo!

Ngayon bangkay ka na, nahan ba ang iyong mga minamahal?
Mga kaibigan na kasalu-salo, ano’t di-minasdan, at sa pagkasawi’y sila pa ang unang parang nagtagumpay!
Matamis na ngiti, masayang papuri’t mahigpit na kamay, ay naging halakhak at naging paglibak, sa sawi mong bangkay!

Kaydali nga namang magbago ng takbo ng sangkatauhan!
Kaya ba’t kung ikaw ay may nakagalit, huwag palubusin, ang gunitain mong lahat naman tayo ay namamatay din!

Taong nakairap at uod sa lupa na ayaw pansinin, buti pa ang uod sa himpilang hukay, una pang darating! Ang taas ng hari’t lungkot ng pulubing hahali-haliling, kakita-kita mo, magkapitbahay lang, kapag nakalibing!