Angela

I was inspired to write about my "kababata" because of a facial wash TV commercial(Joey ha!?).Nostalgia and reminisce occured to me; what happend to Angela?

Most of us have had childhood friends, whether you'd ended up growing up with him (or her) or concluded as separately grown; they matter to us. Even if I and Angela didn't become best friends in the latter part of our lives, I just hope she thinks about me-in whatever way. However, my sentiments and thanks-to-her might as well be mutual. I hope.

We became friends during our crazy elementary days, on grade one to six. She and I were under the average level of intelligence, both were over the top ten of our class. We do not normally raise our hands on our lecture even if we know the answer, we were just waiting for our teachers to call our names to recite, and we don't even excel even in Filipino!Our sports teacher would frequently persuade us to join them on their games. Angela submitted to sports afterwards and become a school runner, and as for me, I excelled in our English class.

My tita and her auntie(as she calls her) are good neighbors and she frequents her auntie's house for us to meet up. Early in the morning, I clearly remembered how she would knock on our gate to call me: "Nathan, Nathan laro na tayo" That was for me the never ending bliss for it was a time for our four-hour continuous playtime! She would ask "Naligo ka na?" and I would say"syempre no, kanina pang 7 am". It almost became a ritual; asking if I had taken a bath and replying steadily forward. I vividly remembered a scene were she and and her cousin offered me for what they called "mani."
"Kinakain to sa amin, sa Ilocus Sur eh!" her provinciano looking cousin rendered.
Of course, I had to try it. It was one of those palm-like plants that gives a monggo like morsel as a seed and reddends when it starts to ripen. I had to snip off a very small fragment so as to facilitate the removal of it when it doesn't taste good. It tasted very bitter; so bitter your mouth has to secret it its juices to dilute its numbing bitterness. I spat it. Good thing i hadn't stuffed it all in my mouth. On the other hand, Angela and her cousin enjoyed it. Like munching a piece of jellystick-sweet and chewy-there are no withdrawals and they even swallowed it! "kadiri naman to" i told them with a mortified indignation tone of voice. They just looked at each other and staretd giggling.

We would play mataya taya, piko, sipa, volleyball-and her favorite-running which I always win on second place. She became a master of her chosen sport, oftentimes winning on a regional level. Gold and silver decorate their tidy house and irritably flaunts them on her thin neck whenever she wants to-school, wet market-even in our house. She often gets constant attention from people. "Hoy, ang talino" a stanger once told her. Little did the man know that she's a sports fanatic and not academically wise. I once told her "tingga lang naman yan eh" for I am dying of envy. She would bite back statements that shuts me for minutes like: "at least ako may achievement eh ikaw wala pa!". It's true, she has some and I have none. But, we're friends for so long to take offenses so, it's a bit "ok lang."

As for most teenagers' we were so hard-headed-just like you!
There came a time when I was hooked on computer games(supernes,sega genesis...my era). I would go to a computer station to fill-in my vice. I became a thief! Well, I only steal from my mothers purse, nothing bigtime. Coins were my only intentions but It was never enough. I got a php500 straight from my mothers purse. I decided to meet up Angela for it was too much for me to spend alone.
Eating galore!

We were eating barbecues form all chicken parts, from lean meats to innards; marshmallow from all shapes and sizes, junk food, bananacue etc.And when my mother found out her commision is missing, she went straight to a computer shop where Angela and I were munching to a game and Voila!"Nasaan ang pera?" my mother furiously asked while blocking the tv screen. We were scared to death-like facing a angel of death!.. We ran and our neighbor caught us(mga traidor!)just outside the shop. Angela scuffled away while holding a marshmallow pack on her left and a barbecue stick on her right. I was beaten up so bad. Bruises were apparent(leather belt ba naman eh) My vice stopped after my mother's disciplinary action. Our friendship didn't end there.
Were still close as ever on our grade six days as it was before but it was numbered. I learned that change is completley inevitable. After graduation, we started to part ways. She enrolled in a private high school and I decided to go to a public school.

It was quick and senseless. We started to ignore each other everytime we meet. Feels like a road is separating us instead of a wall! No hand gestures, no plastic smiles, no quirky eye movements. Nothing of a from of a discreet hi's and hello's. At first I thought it's just what preteens naturally go through: intimidation to the opposite sex, mood swings; you know, "stages of preteen development". But I was wrong. I had a hard time adapting to it. Just think of it; once your like best buddies and now your completley different strangers
What had gone wrong?

She was having another set of girl friends and I was doing the same-four sissy friends for her and four "masculine" friends for me. Just to be fair!
Our intimacy completely broke on our sophomore years, No more uneasiness when we pass by. Just plain strangers.We learned to cope with it.
Now, it's finally over, she's now bonded with her girlfriends. Clearly we had moved on-whether we liked it or not. And as I listen to the radio playing APO's song..."san na nga ba,san na nga ba, san na nga ba ang barkada ngayun, I just hope she's listening too.