kaibigan

Thanks to Facebook. The networking site has given me a shot in the arm after I saw a birthday message for my youngest brother a name so familiar. Princess Katrina is my longest friend’s daughter back in my college days.

Princess was like four or five years old then and her siblings are so dear to me. As in love na love ko lahat ng anak ng kaibigan kong ito.

Orpha is such a lovely lady. Very practical, a very good cook and a lovely singer. She is a trooper. I don’t drive motorbikes but she does.

The last time we were together, she dropped me at the NAIA for my Riyadh flight. But I felt guilty after arriving in the Kingdom. I made a big blunder that made my friend in trouble. She was okay. She got off the hook but that incident made me hide in my cave for years.

Now, with one click I am reconnected with my friend of around a quarter of century ago.

Last week, my friend dropped her eldest son to NAIA again. I know she would miss Neil.

Neil is the eldest of the siblings. Wafu na talaga si Didik noon pa and he is very loving sa mga kapatid nya kahit puro pasaway sila.

Neil is now happily married with two kids. He works in U.K. and was only on vacation for two months.

The second is Laurence who is now, of all places, working in Iraq. What can I say. Laurence is the cutest among the siblings. Pretty face. Kamukha sya ng pinsan ni Orpha na si Joel, who now works in Laos as an education consultant of Asian Development Bank.

Then it’s Princess, now a dentist. Nagkakilala pala sila ng bunso kong kapatid sa nursing school. Classmate sila. Princess quit the nursing school and attended her clinic in Davao City. Also in that clinic is a small travel agency owned and managed by Princess’s boyfriend.

Sa clinic, naka chat ko kanina si Princess na katabi pala ang friend ko na mama nya. Bongga talaga.

Then si Moymoy. Malambing si Moymoy. Mabait, ngayon ang laki-laki na nya. Ang ganda rin ng girlfriend nya. Police na sa GenSan si Moymoy.

Then ang pinaka baby ni Orphs ay si Matu. Nakakatuwa si Matu kasi pagnagtatampo sa friend ko noon ay lumalayo at umaakyat sa sako-sakong mais o palay na nakasalansan noon sa tindahan. Pero after ng saglit na tampo ay magkaka-bati na sila ng mommy at super sweet na naman ang dalawa na napakasarap tingnan ng mag-ina.

Ngayon, may anak na pala si Matu na kamukhang-kamukha niya, si Gabriel.

Noong minsan nag chat kami ni Princess, kalaro ng friend ko si Matu.

Nagbalik lahat ang ala-ala ko sa bahay ng kaibigan ko, 25 years ago.

Halos lahat ng kapatid ng asawa ni Orpha ay kaibigan ko rin, lalo la si Erwin na super crush ko noon pa. Si Benjie naman ang friendly rin pero si Onet ay napangasawa rin nya ang isa ko pang friend na teacher ko sa Theater Arts. Andami kong masyang ala-ala sa buhay ng friend ko.

I miss you all, Yambao family.