Our Pisay Days...

      My two daughters finally gave in to my pleading that I use the computer this weekend. Bal-an mo na. Ilonggos love and pamper their children so much, Tatay pa ang nakiki-usap.

      I am reading all the messages backward, starting from the latest. I'm glad that PISAY Dos members are doing well, especially those working abroad.

      I can't help reminiscing our PISAY days during moments when making a living and bringing up my two daughters take a backseat.

      It's funny, but every time my thoughts stray to PISAY, Steve H. the jolly fellow, always comes prominently into the picture. The heavyweight Cabby Cabado comes next, followed by 'Charlie Chaplin' Sibayan and the lanky Clarence Agarao (God bless their souls!). It's funnier still that Soli Santos, Rodel Rodis, Emil Sanchez, Dan Cantiller, Joel Valer, Angelus S. (our Math genius in O-2) Nadja Lleva, Ante Trinidad, the tandem of Nonette Puno (Pls send my B-day greetings to her) and May Bullo (who were always seen together, sometimes joined by Rene Olvina., appear in my thoughts). You, of course, and the rest of the Ilonggas (Beth P, Eve M, Marubeth C, Ella D, Edurne V (did I miss someone?)

      The funniest thing is, in my memory, you all look as 14-year olds when I last saw you in 1969, Kung may TIME WARP, may TIME FREEZE din, FROZEN FOREVER IN MEMORY.

      May reunion pa ba tayo? 'Wag na lang kaya tayo magkita. I want to preserve that memory when you have not yet lost your INNOCENCE and you were not yet CORRUPTED by the ways of the world, as the late Prof. Aurelio Estanislao used to say, with the matching 'taas ng kilay'.

      Among the instructors, I will always remember Mrs. Agnes Banzon Vea and Mr. Larry Ramos.

      Ah, the PISAY of my youth is a high school of serendipity. If I were to live my life all over again, I would not exchange for anything else the training and the privilege of interacting with the best minds of our generation at PISAY, even if I have a mental blackout every time I see numbers. It's really funny. Up to now, I'm not sure if my cell number starts with 0916 or 0917, although I've memorized with a big sense of achievement the rest of the numbers, 531-4648. It's really embarrassing to look for my codigo when somebody asks for my cellphone number.

      My two daughters are always laughing at me. I could not help them in their assignment in Math. "Ay naku, Daddy, BOBO ka talaga sa Match," they said in jest, but tagos so puso at kaluluwa. It really hurt and brough back painful memories of the past. But I quickly recovered and told them that there are more beautiful things in life than Math. And how they smirked when I delivered the coup de grace with a triumphant grin. "Eh ano kung mahina ako sa numbers, magaganda at mababait naman ang mga anak ko!" (Illogical, but a very effective way to end an argument with girls).

      Hindi ko alam kung saan nagmana ang eldest ko. She was in the Director's List when she graduated from PISAY, Batch 2003. (May konting yabang din, ano?) I married late. He! He! It took me a LONG, LONG time to forget my first love. Aaminin ko na, para wag na kayo magtanong sa reunion natin. May moratorium sa love life, ha? Iba na lang ang pag-uusapan natin.

      But most of all, it's the experience of a lifetime to have been acquainted with all sorts of characters found ONLY in our batch. PISAY Dos 'HAS GOT THEM ALL!' 'WALA KA NANG HAHANAPIN PA!' (With due respect to the chain of malls and a liquor brand).

      Every time a PISAY Dos is in the limelight, I proudly tell my wife and two kids, "2nd Batch ng PISAY 'yan!"

      But I also remember with sadness and a deep feeling of loss our contemporaries who chose to tread the path less-traveled and paid dearly for their conviction. Alex B was my roommate for two years. He was always holding a small transistor radio and mimicking the disc jockeys. He had a passion for music. Lazzie was an orig XYSTS member like me. BTW, I coined the name of our group.

      Every time I reminisce our PISAY days, I remember my youth and my BP returns to normal levels. I feel young once again and I am rejuvenated just thinking of my 14-year old batchmates. If only for these, I will always go back to our PISAY days...

      I'll bring plenty of beta blockers during our reunion. Baka tumaas ang BP ko pag nagkita tayo. Dapat may transition period muna. From the memory of innocent and virginal 14-year olds to the reality of facing the middle 50s groups! Kung may CULTURE shock, may AGE shock din. Hindi pa naman SC, pero malapit na. Bilang na ang mga araw! (Joke only!)

      Talking of serendipity, 1970 was a year before ML was imposed. Will Batch 70 be in the limelight again? So much for the flashback. Fast forward to the present, 2007. (If you are a numerology enthusiast, you will notice the significance of the numbers 7 and O in our Batch. Batch 70... 1970...2007. Seven is supposed to be a lucky number. But we have also a zero, nada. It's ALL or NOTHING for PISAY Dos!) This year, 2007, will be significant for PISAY Dos).

"ART IS THE HIGHEST EXPRESSION OF FREEDOM. LET THE OTHERS FIGHT OVER POLITICS." -- Michelangelo

"IT WAS THE BEST OF TIMES. IT WAS THE WORST OF TIMES -- Charles Dickens

Unfortunately, Michelangelo and Dickens are talking of our country today.



Cris Servano

25 October 2007