Initially appeared on vox.com 8/9/2009.
Marwin and I have known each other since fourth grade. That's a full 22 years - longer than even Gianina, who I've known for only 20.
When I first met him he was (at least in my estimation) "just" the studious guy at the top of the class. I clearly remember that when he'd give reports in Araling Panlipupan, the question-and-answer segment would always be replete with prizes for the ones getting the right answers; cheap stuff such as candy and pencils to be sure, but decent enough spoils for fourth graders. And of course, he was the son of Mrs. Matic, one of the most-feared teachers in all of De La Salle-Zobel.
As time went by and we became constant classmates every year - from sixth grade all the way through Medical School, our friendship grew. We learned to play the guitar, went to various UAAP games with the Dedma Boys, lifted weights on-and-off (but still ended up flabby), pioneered Human Biology in DLSU, became "Histology Majors" in college, started a car "footwash" (a step below a car "pool"), tried to start a garage band, completed innumerable class projects, wasted countless hours playing Battle Realms/Starcraft/Warcraft 3 when we should have been studying for Evals, and lost a good friend to cancer. The list goes on and on, but suffice to say that short of homoerotic experiences, we've gone through almost everything.
One central "theme" to many of our interminable conversations was always the opposite sex. Of course, we started getting interested in girls in early high school... and of course, those early years were equal parts awkward and traumatic. How to do ligaw (courtship)? What was the proper diskarte (technique)? Where to buy cheap but not cheap-looking flowers? Where to go on a cheap but not cheap-looking date? Where to buy cheap but not cheap-looking presents?
(Obviously another central theme was how to save money. Unfortunately we were not as blessed as some of our classmates with overflowing coffers and parents eager to disburse the contents thereof. If you detect a little bitterness in my tone, rest assured that it's not just "a little," but that's neither here nor there.)
One spark of "brilliance" that we hit upon was the concept of a ligaw company. I forget the details, but I think there was talk of sliding scales for specific events, such as a standard date vis-a-vis the Junior-Senior Prom. We wouldn't be cheap, but we would be full service - from providing you with the appropriate script to ask the girl out to actually purchasing a nice corsage to tie to her wrist (the ones you pinned to the chest were allegedly passé).
In retrospect, it seems like the kind of idea that only some nerdy kids in high school would cook up, which is okay because we really were just nerdy kids in high school. Still, despite our bumbling efforts, we seem to have hit on some good ideas, because we are now both happily married - and not to each other.
Not being a person who frequents weddings (in fact I've missed two important ones - Francis' and Jerome's - which I will regret for the rest of my days), I'm not a good judge, but I think he managed to pull off a rather nice extravaganza. The wedding ceremony was at the recently-renovated Magallanes Church and the reception was at the Manila Peninsula. The only wedding I really have to compare it with was mine, which - while I am undoubtedly proud of it - was practically DIY. But more important than all the guest lists, all the presents, all the speeches, and the final bill however is the fact that my best friend is beginning this new chapter in his life, a grand adventure into forever with his new bride.
Here's to Marwin and Cathy - I wish them all the best. Mabuhay ang bagong kasal!
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