In good times and bad times, I'll be on your side forevermore
That's what friends are for.... Dionne Warwick
MER'S CLUB MEMBERS:
Myrene Holgado Mendoza, born July 24, 1967
Eileen Barrios Fajardo, born March 15, 1968
Rosalie Fajardo Mendoza, born April 28, 1966
YOUNG ANGKERS:
MER'S Club members plus
Virginia Vergara Casalme, born May 21, 1968 &
Maggie Dacasin Vergara, born March 13, 1969
LOCATION: Poblacion, Agoncillo, Batangas, Philippines
GEOGRAPHY: I lived in the main highway. Directly parallel to my street in the south is where Maggie who we called Neenee, Osang and Myrene lived. Virgie lived next to Neenee's house in the westside.
It started as MER's club. For we were classmates in grade school at Agoncillo Central School, and we have something in common. Rosalie or Osang, is Myrene or Mye's and my first cousin. That felt like Mye and I were are cousins, too! We used to walk to school (about half a mile or so) together. Mye and Osang live next to each other and in the next street parallel to mine. But we they will wait for me in the morning so we could go to school together.
That time, Osang was the smallest, Mye was the tallest, and I, obviously, was in between. Today, Osang is still the smallest but I am the tallest. I overtook Mye in the height department.
Osang's house was our "tambayan" (hang-out). They have a great grandma there we called "Inampo". She was a fragile, old little woman. I cannot forget her, for if I remember it right, she taught us this little poem:
Barasong bakal (arms of steel)
Ulong matalino (intelligent head)
Pusong walang gulat (heart that can never be shocked)
I'm very well, thank you!
The 3 of us did a lot of things together. If I were to write them all, I would not be able to sleep at all. So I will just share memorable ones.
Once, we were walking in my street going home from school. We started to play a game where we would leave our slippers behind and pretend we forget them, then sprint back to retrieve them, laughing all the way. We did that over and over again.
When we were in grade school, we almost always eat lunch at school. I remember Mommy cutting up a banana leaf into 2 rectangles, then heating them up over fire or heaping coals to make them soft, putting one on top of the other to form a cross, then wrap my lunch with them. which normally consisted of rice and meat, or fish, or eggs. Sometimes, I would request that she put rock salt in between the leaves when I had hard-boiled eggs with my rice. How I miss the aroma of the food upon unwrapping them.
But there were occasions when we would go home to Osang's house for lunch. (In Osang's house, there were lots of cats. I did not like them, but Osang would always carry one.) Once, we all decided to take a bath after we ate before we went back to school. It was in front of Osang's house where the hose ran. Since I did not have fresh clothes to wear, we decided to do it without, as in totally naked. We were sparying each other and having fun, totally unmindful of what's going on around us until our boy classmates happened to walk by. Then we all rushed to cover our private parts, panicked and pink in the cheeks. That was the talk of the class for a while...
When we were in 2nd grade I believe, our school distributed "nutriban" or should be aptly spelled nutri-bun, for that was what it was - a big, nutritious bun. I remember not being able to finish any of them. They were made by our classmate Resty Reyes' family, who distributed them after lunch everyday.
There was an afternoon that Mye did not go home with us. Osang and I and his brother whom I fondly call Taking Gerald, walked home with our relative and classmate Geraldine (Gene) Fajardo. Again, it was in my road. Halfway down our house, she saw "tuba" plants (croton oil plant). They have fruits. She then enjoined us to eat them, for she said they taste good, and "tuba" is a proven medicinal plant. So we did. It really tasted good, like nuts.
That night, Mom brought me to Tita Nerre's house for I was throwing up. There, we saw Osang and Gerald were throwing up too!. Then they asked us what we ate. We told them "tuba". Then Tita Nerre, who is a faith healer who uses herbal plants, remarked "that is not edible for it can poison you". Ate Julia, Mye's mother was so thankful that she was not with us that time. Lucky Mye!
Osang's place was where we used to hang-out. It was there that we decided to call ourselves the MER's club. I guess I must have loved writing by then for it was me who wrote our so-called "charter". I wrote a copy for each one of us as photocopying was unheard of by then. For the life of me, however, I can't remember a word on our rules no matter how much I try. Oh, I would give anything to have a copy of that! What I can remember though. was Osang's request that it be an exclusive one and we don't include a certain somebody in our club. (Her name does not start witn M or E nor R, duhh!)
"And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.
And Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father's house.
Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul."1 Samuel 18:1-3 New King James Version
And Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father's house.
Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul."1 Samuel 18:1-3 New King James Version
It was my grandparents' custom every Lent season to have the Passion of the Christ read (actually, sung) in their house. It could take the whole day and sometimes night too, for they sing in a slow, flowing, uneven tune in a very high pitch that gave birth to a description given whenever a person sings in a flowing, out of tune manner - "parang nabasa ng pasion" which means "like singing The Passion". Family and friends gather and were offered refreshment. It was in one of those events that we first tried to smoke a cigarette. It was late at night when I walked in on Mye and Osang inside Nanang's retail store smoking "alhambra", an unfiltered cigar. I asked them "what are you doing?" "Smoking, dummy! Wanna try?" they replied. I did, and coughed. I did not like the taste. Luckily, we did not get caught.
I got transferred to Pook Elementary School when we were in 5th grade, allegedly because of class merit issues. Myrene and I were always in competition for the first honors since 1st grade. My cousin and our good chum Baldwin Cantos always was next. Myrene and I were always tied for 1st, except in 4th grade. They said I was supposed to be the 1st honor, but during graduation day, they had it in such a way that there was no mention or announcement of 1st honor, just honors, but whoever's name was called first was the first honors, and so on. My name was called first, then Mye's, then Bald's.
Anyway, in 4th grade, our teacher was Mrs. Glory Solis. During the finals, Mrs. Solis separated the three of us in order to determine who really was her best student to be given the 1st honors. Unfortunately, for her, she did not stay to watch us. (She must have trusted us so much!) While she was out, the three of us copied from each other answers to questions we found hard and thought we might have had answered wrong. So when she checked our papers (which I clearly remember we used a big, wide spiral ruled notebook), we all got the same answer to all the questions. I believe we all got perfect scores! Sad to say, We did not deserve the trust she placed on us. (The sins of our youth. sigh!)
So I spent the rest of my elementary days with Virgie. It became her then who I used to walk with to and from school almost everyday. Maggie's family still lived in Pangasinan that time.
It was in Pook that I got closer to the Sarmiento Family. I chose Ninang Fe as my girl scout sponsor. Virgie and I used to go to their house day before their fiesta to help in the preparations. Once, our brothers were with us, Kuya Ronald and Tess. We were walking on the way to Ninang Fe's house from our other relative's house when Tess suggested Kuya and myself put our arms around each other, as he and Virgie would do, to fool people who did not know who we were. into thinking we were sweethearts instead of brothers and sisters. That was so fun that our belly hurt from laughing. I still remember how Tess' and Virgie's dimples will show when they laugh or just smile.
We were in 6th grade when Kuya Noel Cabello and Kuntil Mendoza got transferred to Pook too. Kuntil had very little desire to study then. He would not do his homework and sometimes cut classes. Since he lived very near to us, his teachers asked me to relay the message to his parents. And obedient that I was, I did.
The following morning, Kuntil was waiting for me in front of their house. He was carrying a rock to throw at me. He was crying. He said to me: "Bakit ka nagsumbong sa mga tatay? Napalo tuloy ako". (Why did you tell my parents? I got whipped! I was so scared that I did not have the nerve to pass him. Luckily, his dad, Manong Ceres, was just lurking behind, anticipating what Kuntil would do. He told me "go, Eileen, go! After that, I changed my route so I did not have to pass by his house anymore until the time he finally came to his senses.
By the way, in our 6th and final year in elementary, Mye and I both graduated valedictorian in our respective schools. Balds was her salutatorian while mine was Estelita Landicho.
We were already high school sophomore when Nene's family moved back to our place. She was a year our junior. She went to St. Mary's, Osang and Virgie to Agoncillo Institute, I went to OLCA (Our Lady of Caysasay Academy) and Mye went to Sta. Teresita Academy then also St. Mary's later on.
It was then too that the Young Angkers was formed. It was our sisters who coined the term for us. I've been searching for the best english translation for the word "angkira" which was native to our town, where angkers came from, but the closest I can get is the word flirt. Angkira though, was used to refer to flirting not only concerning boys, but flirting with life. It had to do with fun and being carefree too.
Virgie's dad ran for Barangay Chairman when we were in high school. During election day, I was wearing my brand new blue jeans (which was a very rare occurence). Voting precinct was Agoncillo Central School. In the northern entrance of that school was a steep concrete stairs. While waiting for each other, our friends Jerry Villanueva and Biloy Vergara were talking with each other very near the top of the stairs while Virgie and I were down at the opposite end. Jerry was on his racer bicycle, going front and back in a playful rhythm. Then he missed the brake later on, causing him to roll over downwards to where I was. Thank God, both of us were not hurt, but for whatever reason, his bike caused a rip forming an L shape in my brand new jeans. I was so afraid of Mom getting angry that I borrowed something to change with from Virgie. So I came home in a skirt, which, thank God mom did not notice at all, and placed the torn jeans at the very back of my cabinet/dresser, praying Mom would never see it. My prayer was answered. (So if, by any chance, you are reading this, Bade', remember you still owe me a pair of jeans. hehe.)
With the exception of Mye who was an only girl, all Young Angkers have older sisters who were also friends with one another. Nene has Geocilyn (Joy), Marilyn and Marilou, Virgie has Precy, Osang has Milette, and I have Ate Yvette. It is good to note that our families were good friends as well.
Joy was a born organizer. It was she who would always think of fun games and activities for us. When the TV show Tarzan dominated the boob tube, she led the gathering of vines in the nearby forest so we can hang it in the mango tree in the "lagnas" (a shallow dale) in between my aunt Reking's and Virgie's grandparent's property. Girls and boys alternate on swinging in the vine while imitating Tarzan yelling wo-o-wo-o-oh. It was our turn to swing when the boys connived to join us girls in the vine, that the vine broke. We girls got squashed by the boys. We were so mad at them for aside from the pain and humiliation, it ended our precious game.
Neenee's house became the hang-out place of all, young and old. Their house always had snake when we were young, but it never stopped us. The snake(s) did not bother us, anyway. It was in their house that Joy made us replicate the Flores de Mayo celebration, where we would kneel holding flowers in our hands to offer to the Virgin Mary in a make-believe altar, while everybody was singing "Itong Bulaklak na Alay" meaning this flower of offering. As in the real one, we were given goodies after our turn, and that time it was chicharon (pork skins) and candies.
We loved to go to dances. We were always invited to one, whether local or next barangay or next town, starting in high school. It is the camaraderie and unity that I cannot forget for in those dances, our boy-friends, consisting of our brothers, relatives and friends would protect us at all cost, even from shame, dancing with us first before dancing with the girls of their choice to make sure somebody will dance with us. It doesn't look good for a girl to be branded couch-potatoes. With pride I will say, though, that they really need not do that, for we were not lacking for partners who invited us to dance with them. Those dances provided us one of the opportunities to see our crushes.
When we attend dances, a jeepney from the host club would come before dark to get us. Since Osang is the slowest to get ready (as in turtle slow), we would give instructions to the coordinator to go to her house first so she can get ready before everybody else. Then she will be the last to be collected but everytime, we still had a long wait.
Another most-awaited annual event we had was All Saints' Day every November 1st. There was just one town cemetery so that was a good opportunity to reconnect with friends, families and especially boys. You could not imagine how many sleepless nights we had during sleep-overs talking about them boys.
It was a custom in some parts of the Philippines to offer food to the departed during All Saint's Day. Tita Nerre, Osang's mom, followed that. Once, on a sleepover at Osang's house on All Saint's night, we got so hungry that we ate the offered food for the soul of Ate Chita, Osang's departed sister while everybody was asleep. If I remembered correctly, there were banana, suman (rice cake in banana leaf)and meat. The following morning, we woke up to the sound of Tita Nerre's voice excitedly remarking that her daughter Chita must have liked her offering for she ate it all. The three of us, Mye, Osang and me were giggling and rolling over with laughter upstairs. (It was almost 3 a.m. here and I was suppressing my giggle while writing this, for John might be woken up).
Except for Virgie who went to school in Batangas, we all went to Manila for college. We visited each other while we were there. Osang and Neeneee once shared Aunt Reking's boarding house and it was there that we painted Kuya Ronald's face with make-up. Neenee and Osang helped, but i think it was me who did most of it, for I liked experimenting on make-ups then. When we saw our finished product, we were satisfied. For Kuya would have been a pretty girl had he been one.
The Young Angkers would always be part of the Santacruzan, the culminating activity for the Flores de Mayo Festival in honor of Queen Helena and Constantine in their search for the cross in Jerusalem. We would all be Queens with diffent partner every year. We would all be dolled-up and dressed with gowns.
Because there were limited mode of transportation then, we walked almost everywhere we went. We walked to the lake to go swimming, a good 3 or 4 miles or so. We walked to attend fiestas together, from Adia, Subic to Coral na Munti or San Jacinto. We had to make sure Neenee would not be bored, though, for she had that habit of wanting to go home even if we were enjoying ourselves. So we would always make sure Neenee was happy. For we would not allow her to walk home alone.
Another unforgettable activity is the fund-raising activity for our dances. We would tie a big rope a tree or post while holding the other end by hand to stop vehicles so we could solicit money from drivers. It was always held in the main road and done during Black Saturday for we have lots of visitors swimming in our beaches that day, taking advantage of the long vacation. Boys and girls in unity would contribute time and efforts to ensure the success of those endeavors. When we were done, all of us would walk to the beach to swim and relax.
After college, we had our own circle of friends, jobs but we would still get together whenever we can. Then Neenee married my Kuya Ronald. I was Maid of Honor in her wedding. All Young Angkers were part of the entourage. The rest were bridesmaids. Then Virgie married Rolly. I was a bridesmaid, too, if not Maid of Honor too. Then I did. Because I didn't want to get married, I didn't invite most of my friends nor chose who will be part of the entourage. I let them do it for me. I was pregnant, I think, or having domestic problems when Osang got married so I regretfully wasn't able to attend. It was the only one I missed.
Last to wed was Mye. How I wanted to be part of the entourage but that was contrary to custom. I was already married. I had my moment though, when it was announced that single ladies should come forward for the ceremonial throwing of the bouquet. Mye wanted me to be in the picture, so I went. I remember Mye's sister-in-law Sonia being confused, because she knew I was not single anymore. Mye hushed her. And I purposely turned away when the bouquet was being thrown for there is no way that I should catch it at all!
Leading our different lives, we still had time to connect even if we were all married. Thank you Lord for special occasions which made them possible like birthdays, christening, fiestas, or whenever Neenee would come home for a visit.
At present, Neenee and her family lives in London. She and Mye are godmothers to my eldest child MJ. I am godmother to Neenee's only daughter Megan. Mye lives in Manila and works at China Bank. Virgie is in Italy. Osang lives in Cavite and works in Manila. I am here and so homesick. But we still find time to communicate to one another especially during birthdays. Praise God for the advent of high-tech communications that made it possible for us to reconnect especially now that Osang is already a Facebook member.
We might be getting old, but we will forever be the Young Angkers.
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work:
If one falls down, his friend can help him up.
But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!"Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 New King James Version
--that in all things God may be glorified--
