Popularity Contests and Reminiscing

The recent web “squabble” in the current popularity awardfest in a medical blog caused me reminisce about the last time I was involved in a popularity contest. Think think think. (I’m beginning to feel like Pooh Bear). Well whaddaya know, it was in my 2nd year high school circa mid-70s! It was one of those beauty contest between class sections wherein each section chooses its “muse” and pits her against the others’. Unlike previous years it was not judged by a parade of bored teachers but by the amount of old printed matters (newpapers, magazines, phone directories, etc.) that each section can gather for recycling. Of course the one with the most will win, with the proceeds of the sale of the recyclables going to good causes in school. That was all well and good.

Our muse was very very pretty. She was Marivic Arguelles (Vicky wherever you are pls. contact me), with brains to boot, too. If it were just by those measures, she would have surely won. But still we all have to work for it and work hard the whole class did. Our high school building was along Buendia Ave. in Makati almost right beside the railroad tracks and the Southsuper highway overpass. Fortunately, we were in the midst of an office district so there were no shortage of office receptionists to harrass to ask for old yellow pages. We trudged thru Ayala Ave., Buendia, Paseo de Roxas, even as far as Pasong Tamo. We had to move fast because other class sections were trawling thru the same strips as we were. Imagine that skinny 13 year olds (yes I have been skinny before) walking with enormous heavy bags of yellow pages and old papers. We didn’t have any chaffeured cars or protective parents to help us, we were too skint to take buses besides there were no buses in the ‘village’ areas of Makati, so we walked for miles while lugging these heavy stuff.

Side note: While going up and down the tall buildings of Makati we obviously have to take the lift (elevator) and since I was a promdi – I actually got motion sickness from it! Hahaha! Nahilo ako!

After a day we thought we were doing well until we caught a glimpse of the other section’s haul. Man, their mountain of newspapers were really something. Either they have parents working in a printing press or they were really that good in sniffing out big stacks ready for the taking. One look at that and we became depressed knowing that no matter how hard we try we were not going to win. :sigh: But we were not a poor people’s school for nothing, all of us were street smart and someone had a brilliant idea. ::Ting!:: This time we were more zealous than before. We dragged everything we collected to a “bote dyaryo” (recycling) dealer. Sold everything at a good price. We then went to the Quad (do you still remember ?) and the whole class saw a movie! Hahaha! When we realised it was a lost cause we thought we might as well benefit from our own sweat. How’s that for ‘gulang’ (smarts)? Of course our class adviser (tutor) was furious when she found out our collection was zero, nada, buta! Worse came when she found out the truth. We got a right dressing down, the mother of all sermons which made us all feel guilty but well at least we had a good time. ;) And I didn’t even remember what movie we saw … Hahaha!
Let's have a little song now:


Reminiscing
[Little River Band]

Friday night, it was late, I was walking you home
We got down to the gate and I was dreaming of the night
Would it turn out right
How to tell you girlI wanna build my world around you
Tell you that it's true
I wanna make you understand I'm talkin' about a lifetime plan

That's the way it began, we were hand in hand
Glenn Miller's Band was better than before
We yelled and screamed for more
And the Porter tunes (Night and Day)
Made us dance across the room
It ended all too soon
And on the way back home I promised you'd never be alone

Hurry, don't be late,I can hardly wait
I said to myself when we're old
We'll go dancing in the dark
Walking through the park and reminiscing

Friday night, it was late, I was walking you home
We got down to the gate, and I was dreaming of the night.
Would it turn out right.
Now as the years roll on,
Each time we hear our favorite song,
The memories come along.
Older times we're missing
Spending the hours reminiscing

Hurry, don't be late. I can hardly wait
I said to myself when we're old
We'll go dancing in the dark
Walking through the park and reminiscing