Time flies like the wind: My grade school classmates grew immensely tall. Six years have passed and I'm still five foot one.

Yesterday night, after learning about health models from my five-hour long subject in that intensely hot classroom (read, CN's sauna), I finally hit the road to SM Manila to have my gift for Malou wrapped. (I didn't have time to cover it myself the night before that. I guess I went too busy swearing at Tokyo Tokyo for ruining my block's dinner during CN's socialization party last Friday). I met with Urag that same day so I won't be alone if I arrive at the party late, fashionably (as my mother had cracked while we were in the car). It was a blessing, though, that we didn't make a grand entourage at the Le Auditorium (the venue) with our unkempt hair and casual outfit on. I even had enough time to change my clothes and pretty up my hair and face. Putting makeup myself is terrible since I hate using them! So I resolved to coat my face with a thin layer of pressed powder to prevent my face from shining in all directions or I'd be like a disco spotlight.

It's been years since I last made contact with my first barkada in grade school. Only three were present in my circle of friends last night, but that's okay, because some guys friends from elementary were also there, and the last time I have seen these pack of outrageous people was six years ago. After such time it went pretty hard for me to recall those great and sad times I had with them. Unlike Malou, I barely keep contact with my old pals. And it's terrible that my vivid memories of high school and college had taken the limelight.

So anyway, at the grand room where the party's held, I carried my backpack (I was a dreadful sight to see that time) toward my SHS friends' table instead of my MaSci friends' (they already occupied three tables... we're just too many a crowd). Boy, have we all grown so fast! Criselle had gotten so tall and slender. I've never seen Mecki look so chic before. And Roan had her hair straightened up. And the guys, definitely the guy pals I have messed around with in elementary. Most already have girlfriends. Velden speaks, dresses, and acts like a father. Plus, I never thought Mozart could turn out to be one of the most charming guys I would ever see in my unexciting life. (Wushu!) Eric, Aries, and Chester still seemed reserved (at the birthday event. What happened in Malou's house is another story). The rest of us enjoyed looking/laughing at Matthew as he painstakingly kept standing beside Malou throughout the party. And Angelo (now Gelo) remained as noisy as before. But that's okay. He claims that without his presence, grade school life would have been monotonous.

Oh, and Jackie Lou?

We headed to Malou's crib for a post-party together with my friends in MaSci who decided to hit the sack there just for the night. The air was so warm and humid that time. Tita Nieves had prepared us tons of siomai and lumpiang shanghai for pulutan. And outside by the garden, we ate and talked a lot. And while our MaSci friends slowly drifted away in their lovely sleep, we talked about the greatest issues/controversies in grade school upon which have never been backed with straightforward answers. And that day was the perfect time to reveal everything. It turned out somewhat an open forum. It was more on the silly love teams we had and whatnot, but the main discussion of the night was _______. What the people hate and like about _______. And why _______ wasn't with us and such other things. We had 'great, clean fun' as Papa Velden mused that ungodly time of morning. Malou's housedog even successfully tried to piss me off by barking too loud at us. RRRAU!!! RRRAU!!! RRRAU!!! RRRAU!!! RRRAU!!! ("YUH INA BIG CHOBLE, DOG!!!")

I was able to come home at five in the morning yet the moon was still visible at that time. I was dog-tired and I thought, 'Yeah, you got the entire day for sleep.' (3-4 VII 2004)