Date: Wed, 10 Jan 2001 10:35:11 +0800
 To: "Prepians Class 1965" <aburbina@nfa.gov.ph>
 Subject: Bakit wala pang kuwento, Elmer?

 Hindi ka ba natuloy sa West Coast?
 Ana B. Urbina

Date: Wed, 10 Jan 2001 08:23:29 -0500
Subject: Re: Bakit wala pang kuwento, Elmer?

Hi Ana,

Natuloy, abangan......

Elmer

Date: Thu, 11 Jan 2001

Subject: Kuwento ng West Coast Trip ni Elmer, to start off our new
  millennium reunions!

To Prep 65 (thru the courtesy of Ana B)

Las Vegas

Espie and I agreed to meet for dinner Thursday, Jan 4th. I would be coming
with my daughter Mylene and Espie would be by herself as Ed has to entertain
some out-of-town clients the same night.

We ate at the Rock Lobster restaurant at the Mandalay Hotel which is near
the Luxor where I was staying with my children. Dinner conversation centered
around my brush with death four years ago and how it changed my priorities
in life. This was actually in response to Espie's jibe about my doing
nothing but 'la mierda' to which I pleaded guilty. I said that I now spend
as much time as I can enjoying quality leasure time with my family (Note
that I am on this trip with my son Dennis and his wife Romalyn, my other son
Dexter, and my daughter Mylene).

Anyway, Espie said that she wants to do the same (meaning pasyal) but
somehow, the geographic location of Las Vegas being 'in the middle of
nowhere' always dampens her desire to even go away for a weekend drive.

My children and I had tickets to the 10:00 PM magic show of Lance Burton at
the Monte Carlo. Espie was aware of this that is why probably, as if on cue,
Ed called around 9:00 to say that he is nearing the hotel and would be able
to drop me and Mylene off at the venue our show. I asked for the check but
Espie would hear nothing of my offer to pay for dinner. I let her pay.

We got to the Monte Carlo with more than half an hour to spare so I asked
Espie and Ed to join me for a drink prior to the show. They opted for ice
cream instead. Ice cream it was...ang sweet ng dalawa, sharing an order of
ice cream. There was just enough time to finish the ice cream and it was
time for our magic show and we had to say goodbye, but not before promising
to see each other at the next reunion at the Niagara on the Lake.
 

Los Angeles

We started on our drive to Los Angeles just before Friday noon. With just a
short lunch stop at Barstow, we arrived at my cousin's place in Glendale at
around 4:30 PM. Pagdating na pagdating namin, tawag na ako kay Ceso who
informed me that we are going to have dinner at Abet's place in Chino Hills
the following night and that Daddie shall be picking me up at my cousins
place. I, thereafter, called Daddie who confirmed the arrangement. Daddie
actually offered to take me around that night but I already have plans with
my cousin, his family, and my kids.

The following afternoon, I called Daddie (Noel answered the phone) from the
3rd Street Promenade at the Santa Monica Piers area and asked if they can
pick me up from there instead. Noel said it would be difficult since they
are also meeting with Ressie and, likewise, picking up Ferdinand who happens
to live in Eagle Rock which is practically the next town to Glendale where I
am staying with my cousin. So, I separated from my family at Santa Monica,
and taking my nephew's SUV, drove back to Glendale to wait for Daddie.

Noel, Daddie, Ferdinand and Ressie came to pick me up around 6:00PM that
Saturday. The first thing out of my mouth was 'Ferdie, am I so glad to see
you. Now, I would definitely look in shape compared to you. Ang laki mo
pare!. We drove to Abet's place in Chino Hills and made it there around half
an hour later.

We were met by Abet and his wife Pearl, Ceso, and Willie Tenorio with his
wife Ging and daughter Carissa. As we were introduced, Ging Tenorio said
'You don't know me but I know you'. As it turned out, she taught some
courses at a computer school (Systems Education Center) where I also used to
teach; and while it turned out that I was no longer teaching when she did,
she still heard of my name. I did not bother to find out (I was afraid to
find out) what kind of reputation I had for her to have heard of me.

Aida showed up another half an hour later bringing her 'pot luck'
contribution of Peking Duck, I think. Soon we were partaking of a sumptuous
dinner which also included some kind of adobo, lumpiang shanghai, pakbet,
and nilagang manok. For matamis, we had puto bumbong, halayang ube, and even
a cake with something like a 'Welcome Elmer' on it.

The night was spent making kwento and singing. Noel brought his brand new
guitar and started playing 60's music. Ito palang si Noel ay 'professional'
na folk singer in his younger days, actually having gigs at various folk
houses in Manila. Ewan ko lang kung sa kanta niya nakuha si Daddie. Of
course, Ferdie is also a professional musician and he and Noel also
alternated at the piano. In between the kwento and the singing, Abet managed
to show us his beloved Harley bike and some of his 'champion' model racing
boats. He used to race his boats in varlous competitions and he traveled as
far as New Mexico to race. But he said, he stopped when he reached the top.
Wala ng challenge!

The surprise of the night was Ferdie. One minute, he would be into his
'green' and crude jokes. The next moment, he would be serious in his
testifying for Jesus. He was really very forceful and earnest in his desire
to share his faith in the Lord.  That night, I had the feeling that he was
witnessing to Aida. Ferdie said that he had been into 'all' religions,
including among others being a Hari Krisnah (pardon the spelling) and a
Muslim. But now, he is a devout Christian and attends a baptist church where
he is very active as a leader of the worship group. Conversation about faith
is obviously not out of place in Abet's household as Pearl, his wife, had
been a Pastor's kid.

So, the evening that ended just before 1:00 in the morning was a combination
of comaraderie and fellowship and I came away not only feeling good
physically and mentally, but also spiritually. God bless, Ferdie.

Noel, Daddie and Ferdie had me back at my cousins place before 2:00 AM. We
dropped off Ressie at her relative's place in San Gabriel. She would not be
going to home to the her Valley residence that night.

I can't wait for the next reunion at Niagara on the Lake. I, of course,
reminded everybody in Los Angeles about it.

Elmer

 Masayang-masaya ang aming welcome party for Elmer.  Lalo na kapag present
si
> Ferdie... siya ang center of distraction... attraction pala.  Kainan,
> kuwentuhan, kantahan, tawanan, kainanan ulit, tawanan, kuwentuhan, kainan
> ulit. Ang daming kain!  Si Propesora Aida..mabuti naman at naisingit sa
> kanyang very busy "checking of final exam papers"... dumating with her
> PekingDuck dish.  She warned me when I called her the day before the party
> that she is going to leave early at marami pa raw siyang che-cheking na
> papel.   Sabi ko dalhin niya sa party at gre-gradan namin lahat ng "A".
This
> is the first time (of course) na nakita ko si Elmer mula nuong high school
> tayo (almost 36 years..wow!).
> Basahin mo ang kuwento ni Elmer re details sa LV and LA escapade niya.
> Nag-enjoy din daw kayo diyan!!  ako din, next time ha?
>
> Talk to you soon!
>
> ress

Abet

P.S.  I think the Niagara Prep65 reunion is on!