PARVAE LUCIES DOMINI CLASS PROPHECY
delivered by Gladyce Esmilla
4th year Tribute, March 9, 2001
formulated by Ronald Fajanel
written by Ann-Ann & Gigi Go
Hi. My full name is Gladyce Marie Esmilla-Peterson. They call me Mommy. It’s been 20 years. My convalescent home in San Francisco didn’t turn out so well, so I was lost for a few years. But I had many offers…. Christy Resultay has asked me to cover for her as ER nurse in Hawaii while she goes part time as computer analyst. Richie Aparri said he and his partner Meroy needed a third member for their growing empanara business in Leganes. Ms. De Asis even called me up to take over as dorm matron! But I couldn’t leave my boys…I’ve got 3. But then came the magic words: my uncle called and told me that if I came home, they’d make me queen of Igbaras. And then that’s it, girlfriend! I packed my bags and after 48 hours, I was flying back home. I boarded Cathay Pacific flight 709 straight to Iloilo International Airport. I brought 50 pounds of chocolate, lipstick, nail polish, and an "I love America" keychain for my pal Ronald. I’ve been dreaming of a grand reunion. I’ve saved up some money and soon, my dream of building my very own "tiangge" will stand. I’ll call it….."Tienda de Aling Gladyce".
When I arrived, no one came to pick me up. Those ungrateful scalawags…. after I’ve selflessly dedicated myself on being their full-time driver in college! I had to hail a taxi. I was tired, hot, my chocolates were melting in the trunk, but the blasting news from Bombo Radyo caught my attention, "After 6 years of intensive research, Iloilo renowned scientist Dr. Dennise Garcia is placed on suicide precautions in St. Paul Mental Hospital when her experiment failed for the 20th time. Dr. Garcia has been aiming to prove the missing link between donkey and man in subject Aimee Bautista, who, according to her, is undoubtedly animalistic". I was shocked. I couldn’t breathe. I needed cigarettes to calm my nerves! I told the driver to stop by the old-looking, rugged man standing by the roadside holding a large wooden box. How frail is that man, so skinny….he must have had TB. Then he turned around, and I found myself looking eye to eye with Kuya Gwyne Zerrudo. He told me that he now has 8 children with wife Jan Christine, who works as door-to-door manicurista. I felt so sorry that instead of a stick, I bought his entire box.
I didn’t know where to find anyone, so I’ve decided to stop over Sam’s. Surely the twins were in Sam’s. But when the taxi stopped at JM Basa, nothing was there. Instead, there stood a small, dilapidated stall, where I saw a familiar face pounding on the soles of a smelly shoe. It was Ann-Ann Go. When she saw me she sprang up and gave me a tight hug, grabbing me with her filthy paws and screamed, "I miss America". She told me that after their store fell, she had to become a sapatera while Gigi Go became a money-loaner doing 5/6 to earn a living. She continued to bombard me with news. Rachel Abelarde fled to Singapore 15 years ago and never came back. Karleen Causing has been in and out of jail 3 times for lashing her whip at anyone she wished. She’s turned into a punk – a sadist! Mary Jo Castro is now a yaya of 7 chinese kids while Nikki Espinosa is a dishwasher/labandera. And worst of all, Glenda Alcala, once curvaceous, gained so much weight after her husband divorced her, she had to be lifted by a forklift to move her out of the house. I could only whisper, "why are we all doomed?". Ann answered, "it’s karma. Must be the darts."
I felt terrible for blaming them for not fetching me at the airport, so I decided to show my sympathy by visiting Dennise at SPH’s mental unit. Unfortunately she was in seclusion, …but I found another classmate….Aprile Divinagracia, turned mental after 4 years of working in Pototan as a psychiatric nurse. She didn’t even recognize me. She thought I was a chocolate crinkle! Night was falling. I was hungry. I wanted to eat something native. I stopped by the line of "carinderias" by the SPH gate and found Elcie Solis selling her specialty: Apan-apan nga takyaw! She smiled at me and said she was proud of her job. A lot of them entered the food business: Mery Alvaran is now a fisherman in Palawan and Richie Aparri’s bangus business collapsed and turned into a fish vendor. Cheryl Libuataque’s make-up skills didn’t all go to waste. She performs them on corpses as an embalmer. Her best friend Christy Resultay found her place in Japan as a sumo wrestling referee. I asked her where else I could find our classmates and she told me: " Just across the street, near PNB; Diane Limbaga’s a famous guitarist now."
Free apan-apan in hand, I marched toward PNB. Diane must have come home from the States for a good reason; maybe she’s doing a concert. And then I saw! There she was, my good ol’ chum Diane, sitting by the pavement, strumming her guitar, empty tin can by her side. She had dirt lines all over her face. I offered her the apan-apan and she swallowed it, along with what seems like a pound of my chocolates. In between chews, she related more stories. Dorothy Lao lost the elections and now jumps from one carnival to anther as the famous "ang babaeng kumakain ng apoy"; Evelyn Tuazon now works at the ticket booth of the ferry Bullet. Donna Aquino is a successful model and can be found on the latest centerfold of Playboy Magazine. Apparently she posed for 500 pesos. And Ron, oh my beloved Ronald Fajanel, has formed a business alliance with Scylla Arroyo. He was pimp and she was the flesh for sale. What cruel fate has befallen on my beloved PLD.
Teary-eyed, I slumped in the dust with Diane and started pounding her tin can on my forehead. We drowned our sorrows by singing those monotonous verses of the class song we so proudly sung 20 years ago. And the somber song became louder…and louder…and louder… it was getting painful… it was at least 200 decibels. I screamed: "My tympanic membranes!!!"…
I woke up. I found myself slouching on my airline seat, pillow all wet – with drool, sweat and tears, and the flight attendant offering me a steaming face towel. The song! The blasting noise was coming from the first class section of the plane. In what seemed like a millisecond, I dashed toward the lofty area to find two ladies singing Parvae at the top of their lungs. Wearing full Nike sportswear with cut tops and cycling shorts that appeared painted over, both were sporting tanned, tight, bulging muscles. They were Karleen Causing and Gigi Go. I screamed so loud and so did they the airplane almost crashed. And that was it. As expected, as soon as they started talking, they couldn’t stop. Then began a marathon of stories. Karleen is now a professional tennis player, and is the oldest, at the age the of 40, to be playing in the pro tour. Still single, she’s making hots with rising star Stefan Agassi, Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi’s 18-year-old son. Gigi joins Karleen from tournament to tournament, travelling all over the world, staying in ritzy hotels as tennis’ most prestigious and professional… ball girl.
Other than Christy in Honolulu, there are a few others who succeeded as nurses:
Mery Louise Alvaran is an ER nurse in Texas who also owns and manages a grocery store with businessman husband. She has three bubbly kids and is coming home to meet with college friends and pals back at St. Paul’s Dorm.
Cheryl Libutaque has been working as Harvard University’s school nurse for 3 years. She was dining at Hard Rock Café when a movie producer spotted her. Tantalized with her eyes, he helped her career soar to become the first Filipina to conquer Hollywood. She’s now filming her latest movie, X-Men: Part 10, as Phoenix. She also owns Avon.
Dennise Garcia has become a forensic nurse investigator and nurse researcher who works with Walter Skinner. Formerly a prima ballerina, she now tours the world as research journalist, has recently gotten married to a French guy and enjoyed her honeymoon at Tahiti.
Kuya Gwyne Zerrudo is not a cigarette boy but a retired ICU-CCU nurse in Chicago. He has pursued another job – stand up comedian in a club. His wife Jan, who has been his partner as CCU nurse, also retired after her husband has been earning so much money. She decided to become a full time housewife of their 3 children.
Donna Aquino has devoted her life in putting up a hospital specializing in the cure and care of patients with AIDS. This new realm of endeavor is to be added to the chain of nursing homes and medical labs she already owns.
Mary Jo Castro has reached her dream of becoming a linguist by being a foreign service nurse. After ten years across continents, she settled in New Jersey with her loving family.
Rachel Abelarde, mother of five, is now the president of ORNAP. Working at the OR for nineteen years, she could scrub with her eyes closed. Her name appears at the Guinness Book of World Records as the fastest sponge and instrument counter.
Four hours of chitchat flew swiftly. Before we could even breathe, we have landed in Iloilo International Airport. To my surprise, we were welcomed by a marching band with confetti and the works. A black stretch limo complete with chauffeur awaits. Above a streamer wider than the "Welcome to SM City Iloilo" sign swayed in the wind. It read: "Compliments of Mayor Lao." Mayor Dorothy Lao?! "Char!" we screamed. Who knew Dorothy would come this far? She’s surpassed every record: she has nine children, has won every election, has taken up law and topped the bar exam, and now gives panto on a daily basis.
As we drove by the familiar streets of Iloilo, I realized that my dream couldn’t have been more opposite.
My beloved Ronald, world-known designer, owns the largest and most luxurious fashion line, "Le Ronne". His latest styles have put Armani, Givenchy, Prada, Gucci and Versace out of business. Evelyn Tuazon who became a household name after becoming the first Asian to have reached the peak of Mt. Everest – alone – is his hottest model in the line of sportswear. She’s happily married to a ship captain with five children.
Ann-Ann Go has taken over the 28th season of the X-Files, playing Special Agent Dana Katherine Mulder, and after a few Hollywood miracles, she now has thick, flaming, real red hair.
Apple Divinagracia, who now owns a psychiatric unit, is married to actor Sean Patrick Flanery and has five children. She was recently travelling around Europe to shoot the 20th video of her latest album. A music channel exclusively features her songs.
Glenda Alcala, still sexy and former Miss Congeniality, is a retired military nurse at Bosnia-Herzegovina. She’s presently a CNN field newscaster, married to Lieutenant Blank with four kids.
Nikki Espinosa flew straight to Los Angeles after graduation, painted nails and plucked eyebrows on her way to becoming world-renowned beautician and model. She owns a parlor along Rodeo Drive, has a staff of 40, and charges up to 500 dollars for hair and makeup.
After working as nurse for 3 years, Elcie Solis has entered the convent, marching at the aisle of the Sisters of St. Paul of Chartes, Antipolo City. She received her first assignment as the new Christian Formation Coordinator of SPCI.
The shocker of them all is Aimee Bautista, who became the poster obsession of every teen boy for the past 15 years, suddenly cast off her riches to serve God in seclusion in Assisi, Italy.
Scylla Arroyo-Iglesias has upheld the Paulinian principle of selflessness. She works in one of the refugee camps in Congo and is married to a Spanish singer-researcher who aims to establish the missing link of the human specie.
Finally, Diane Limbaga has hit the stage. She’s a proud back-up dancer of Janet Jackson’s videos and a co-choreographer of Tina Landon. She has three beautiful kids, namely ¼… 2/4 and ¾.
AFTERWORD
That’s the PLD dream. But one has to dream with eyes open to touch reality. And reality has no distinct clinical pathways, for life is as changing as the tides and the seasons. We have just presented two opposite poles of what may be, for truth is, we may fall anywhere in between depending on God’s good mercy. Thank you for teaching us the humility to realize that. For unlike youthful dreams, we don’t know the future. It is always two-tailed.
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