On his turn to receive the empty ‘diploma’, Luisito Vidanes, hunchback and with a big bandage, received the wildest cheers!
Staring at the big flower pots adorning the altar, Mario Alano thanked the wooden statue of San Ildefonso for his luck at tonight’s graduation. No one in his immediate family knew about the ‘little incident’ that could have landed him in jail and a possible expulsion from the school. While engaged in a bantering joust with a classmate at the second floor, he accidentally pushed an earthen flower pot placed on the window sill which fell onto the ground floor before landing directly on the head gear of Sister Altagracia causing the latter to bellow the most prohibited word, “Punyeta!” He couldn’t recall now how he came out of it only that, for a good two weeks, he and his classmate were models of perfect decorum and admirable behaviors in the classroom, sneaking even to the church during unguarded hours to re-affirm their solid vow of silence!
At the call of his name, Valentin Carpio stood up and nervously walked towards the altar to receive his diploma. He had something to be proud of. Just a week ago, at a jam session held at Cora Arciaga’s place, he invented the “double step dance,” the better to hide his total ignorance of dancing properly the popular cha-cha.
Seeing Amadeo Fulgado smiled while receiving his diploma, Eulogio Guinto couldn’t help grinning as he confessed to Hector Andallo nearby the mortal sin that, had no kind soul intervened, could have cost them their graduation. It was in their biology class and the sometimes-boring lecture had kept the boys uneasy, their eyes darting from the blackboard to the white, uncrossed legs of their unsuspecting teacher. The languid phase of the day’s lesson had made ‘peeping toms’ of some daring few, and Oyong topped them all. He brought to class a piece of a broken mirror evenly covered with paper tape to hide its rough edges. As the teacher lectured while seated in front of a sparsely covered table placed on a raised platform, Oyong slowly slumped oh his seat and slid the mirror underneath the table. The ‘reflected glory’ that his eyes feasted on made him wiggle in delight, something which caught Amadeo’s attention nearby who, as one of the youngest in the class, innocently asked: “Oyong, ano yan?” By this time, however, the teacher had gotten wind of what was happening and Oyong, quick to the draw, threw the mirror in Amadeo’s lap who again innocently, curiously held it at just about the time when the teacher took a look.
It was a high school reproach that shamed his elders, made passable only by the fact that Amadeo was only 14 years old! His self-imposed silence save Oyong, but not for ling. Feeling emboldened by his narrow escape, Oyong brought to class a borrowed album of nude couples in “Fighting Fish” poses that, unfortunately, landed in the hands of Sister Imelda, the Principal, who threatened him with expulsion from the school. Castigated in front of his elders, it took the pleading wordsof Mr. Bernardo to save Oyong’s neck.
The background graduation song did not appeal to Redenter Penano. From across the aisle, he could see smiling girl classmates, one of whom gave importance to his favorite song, “Roses are Red”. The whole class, of course, knew about the popular group knows as “The six Roses,” all budding beauties: Sarah Villamor, Grace Santos, Herminia Matienzo, Catalina Cometa, Corazon Arciaga, and Erlinda Gesilva. One of the six certainly feels no differently, Red thought, the highest medal notwithstanding. After tonight’s graduation, their ‘future’ looks bleak, almost as unpredictable weather that hoarded them all inside.
The long ceremonies stretched close to midnight, capped by the graduates’ rendition of the Alma Mater Song. A happy, collective sigh was heard when it ended. Almost immediately on their way out of the quadrangle, cheers of congratulations poured out from friends, neighbors and relatives who witnessed the affair. Tears of joy consumed the girls while the boys patted each other’s back, all of them oblivious to the reality that the end of daily sight of each other has come. But youth has its plus point. The attention – span on regret is short. College promises new friends, new environments and new sweethearts.
The prospects alone were enough. A great many, of course had doubts. Penury was widesperad. Only a blessed few can manage the costs. Resigned to not becoming “somebody”, they’ll just be themselves. But tonight, of all nights, was different.
It was theirs to enjoy…and they did. Let the future take care of itself.
The Lord God certainly, in His mercy, will see them thru even if, in their hearts, they fervently wished that they wouldn’t be put to the test!
