'ATTA NIGHT! 
by Fr. Erick Santos

     9 October 2001.  I had a long, tiring day today.  I had to be present at the flag ceremony of my students at the Manila Cathedral School at 7:00 a.m.  I felt so jittery at the thought that several visitors are coming to observe my school and I wouldn't let this morning pass without reminding my students, 1,850 all of them, that they have to be courteous and polite to the guests, to keep the surrounding clean, to behave, etc.  After all, we would be dealing with VIPs from other catholic schools who expect so much from our institution which is considered as a flagship school of the church.  But far from the real concerns, I was actually excited about my appointment late this afternoon.  I would have a mini-reunion with the staff of "Ang Sulo," THS official Pinoy school organ, of which I was the editor-in-chief with Leonor Rivera- Paquing Cancer) as may co-chief.

     Olive Griarte Seña (E1, Literary Editor) came at 5:30 p.m. together with classmate Dolly dela Cruz Ramos (a budding businesswoman, manager of a network selling shoes).  I had to take a quick shower and off we braved the late afternoon traffic jam of Manila.  Good that my driver, Roland, was good enough to discover some "secret passages" enroute to Makati.  Still, it was a long trip. Perlie Gonzales Amat (E1, assistant literary editor) was so anxious that we were still in Manila at around 7:00 p.m. She kept on monitorning our location through mobile phone calls.  She did not know that as early as 6:00 p.m. Leonor Rivera Paquing (Cancer, Editor-in-chief) and Ellen Directo Fabie (Cancer, Features Editor) were already at our rendezvous.  It was a very hot day, yet, Olive was feeling cold.  She and Dolly had to "negotiate" with their children about this night out.  They're not used to mom going out without them. (A little trivia:  Dolly became a widow at 23 and remarried to a bachelor with whom she stays at the moment together with their children and her only son from her ealier ill-fathed marriage).

     7:30 p.m.  Perlie was back on the phone.  We were actually 30 minutes late.  But we have reached Glorietta in Makati City at about the same time.  We hurriedly trooped to Saisaki (Japanese Restaurant) where they were waiting: Perlie with daughter Pennie still in her school uniform, Rey Medenilla (Cancer, columnist), Ellen, Leonor, Edmund Liao (Cancer, editor of Kalahi) and his wife Lala.  We readily devoured the buffet table. Rey provided the funny stories and a very natural spoof of the mannerisms of the late Mrs. Loreto Fernandez, our Sulo adviser.  The journalism class under her, back in the late 70s, was actually a riot.  Madalas mapagalitan si Rey dahil sa kanyang kakulitan.  While Leonor and I were busy with our jobs as editors-in-chief, Olive would write her poem one of which Rey could recall and recite that night, "Pasukan, pasukan . . . pa sukan na naman!"  Olive was amazed by his sharp memory.  Perlie recalled  how happy she was to see her name at the byline of several literary articles in one issue of Ang Sulo.  Leonor, Eleanor and I recalled the happy days of going to Liwayway Publishing together with Kobang (Mrs. Fernandez) where we would read and proofread each initial printing.  (Rey could only sigh at the thought that the computer nowadays would deprive the present student writers of the "challenging" tasks which goes with the primitive way of printing).  Kobang used to treat us with a merienda of siopao which we gamely feasted on with delight.

     Perlie tried to contact and invite Leah Espino Ponio (Cancer).  She would have wanted to join us but she was already home at BF Homes Parañaque.

     We also recalled the lampoon newsletter which Cancer published the day before our graduation.  It was entitled "CANCERous."  And we wish to come up with a new issue for 2001.

     On the sidelight, Edmund's wife Lala shared with me a precious secret:  the lullaby which Edmund thought her and could readily put their children to sleep.  We sung together, "A little love, that slowly grows and grows, the one that comes in gold, that's all I ask from you . . ."  Edmund sung his alternative lullabye: "Little Peter Rabbit has a fly upon his nose . . ." Oh, how we laughed at those precious memories in high school carried on to these days!

     No wonder, the dinner which started at 7:30 p.m. went on until 10:30! Tempura, sushi, sashimi, teppanyaki, sukiyaki, etc. found a delightful appetizer in endless stories and laughters. 

     Questions kept hanging in the air:  Nasaan na si Miss Yanguas?  Kumusta si Van de Bogart?  Me kalburo pa ba sa Torres?  Tumutula pa ba si Miss Anatalio?  Naka-shorts pa rin ba si Sir Rudy?  Nasaan na kaya si Nenette Cruz?  Bakit mas close ang Cancer sa E1, M1 and Sc1 kesa sa Libra at Virgo?  Naging girlfriend nga ba ni Edmund Liao si Evelyn Alcaraz (E1) na may ambisyong magmadre noon?  Nasaan na si Gaudencio Malubay?  Naging mag-on ba sina Olive at Ferdie Lomibao?  Naaalala pa ba ninyo si Rossana Diputado who was one year our junior?  Dalawa na pala namatay sa M1?  Paano ba natin mahuhuli si Rosanto?  Naging mag-on ba sina Jaime Centeno (Libra) at Maybelle Limasing (E1)? Niligawan ba ni Sander Bondoc (Cancer) si Fenchie Eugenio? 

     Sino daw yung secret admirer ni Olive noong fourth year tayo?  Paano ba natin nagawang lusutan ang mga teachers kapag may practice ng kung anumang program?  Nasaan na si Mr. Pecatoste?  Sino nga ba yung Pilipino teacher na banlag?  Bakit wala tayong mga bisyo noon samantalang halos umusok ang Saisaki sa paninigarilyo nina Olive and Perlie (and me)?  Paano tayo naging sosyal at kumakain na ng pink salmon na hilaw samantalang lumaki tayo sa banana cue at fish ball?  Bakit lousy na ngayon mag-uniform ang mga Boy Scouts? Ano na daw ang nagyari kina Victor, Romeo, Au and Manolo after the New York bombing?  Totoo daw bang nagmukhang espasol si Victor?

     Shortly before 11:00 p.m., we were about to say our goodbyes but Rey and Olive stil had some stories to tell each other.  Edmund and Lala decided to take the long trip to Las Piñas while the rest of us proceeded to Hotel Intercontinental's music lounge, Le Boulevardier.  After ordering drinks and pica-pica, we were treated by the performing bands to an array of our own music:  that of the late 70s.  Everyone was humming while Perlie's daughter could only smile in disbelief.  Suddenly, we felt old.  Suddenly, we felt young.  The band even announced the presence of Torres High Batch '78 group.  Huh, we were mighty proud!  And were undisturbed by the time. Nobody cared about having to go to to work the following morning.

     10 October 2001.  It's 12:01 a.m. and no one seems to mind.  We were still enjoying the retro music spiced up with servings of margarita and vodka tonic.  Leonor enjoyed her coffee while Perlie settled for mango juice. Ellen was complaining that the vodka wasn't strong enough.  Dolly had red wine.  Olive loved margarita.  Rey drunk Mule.  I settled for Vodka (double) tonic. Man, it was party time! 

     The last set of the band was over a little past 1:00 a.m.  We had no choice but to call it quits.  Perlie and Pennie took a cabbie home.  While the rest, Olive, Rey, Ellen, Dolly and Leonor took refuge in my Mitsubishi Adventure.  They sent me home to my parish in Tayuman.  Another round of goodbyes.  My driver Roland took them home one by one:  Olive in Antipolo St., Dolly in Kalookan, Leonor in Manuguit, Ellen in Valenzuela and Rey in Manuguit.  He decided to keep my driver company until the last person was sent home as per my request.  My phone kept on ringing with text messages of  "I'm home."  Roland reached home at 3:00 a.m.  But he enjoyed every bit of it.

     What a night!  And we won't stop until an encore comes.  We will not stop pestering Ross Misa until he gives in to another night when he would treat us.  Watch out Ross . . . the night owls are coming!