When I discovered to whom Rina was newly married, I cringed and remembered this story from my vault.
Vault: meaning it has never been shared with anyone-- not even my sister Karen, whom I have told almost everything to.
The year I had turned 16, I got a birthday card in the mail from my friends, the boys from
La Salle Greenhills (to whom I was one of the guys).
Raffy, Ferdie, Ricky, Gary, Jobet, Dennis and a bunch of other guys signed my card.
One name in particular stood out: Alvi Siongco.
Alvi Siongco was this cute guy that all the girls in my all-girl school raved about.
So, you can only imagine that I felt that I had scored a major coup with that signature.
"Alvi? Siongco? greeted? little? me????"
"He actually touched? this card??"
"Sigh."
The following weekend I was at a religious gathering held at La Salle, when lo and behold I bumped into him.
Yes, Alvi Siongco. Him.
He must have been in La Salle on a Saturday to practice for a school function or something.
Anyhow, our eyes met.
We smiled at each other briefly.
I took it as an invitation to audition. Suddenly, I felt as though I was in a movie …
LOCATION: RAMP TO LA SALLE SCHOOL GYM
CHESCA
(face flushed)
Thanks for the birthday greeting.
ALVI [YES – THE ALVI] SIONGCO
(looks puzzled … raises eyebrows inquisitively … says nothing)
CHESCA
(a look of doubt flashes across her features)
The birthday card you signed? to me? I'm Chesca?
ALVI
(His look of confusion suggesting that he has NO knowledge of a signature, a card, or even a Chesca.)
CHESCA
(Suddenly, the music changes from pleasant to the sharp and unsettling sounds of a horror film. A mortified expression now seizes hold of her face with the sudden realization that her wonderful friends Raffy, Ricky, Ferdie, et. al. took the liberty of signing the heart throb's name, stammers)
I...uhm...ah...never mind.
And that my friends, is why despite the fact that Alvi Siongco and I have 40, I repeat FORTY mutual friends on Facebook, we still do not know each other IRL (in real life).
Happy Birthday Rina.
And tell your husband Alvi that I hope to God that he does not remember me.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
COMMENTS:
Rina Azcuna-Siongco and Eric Roa like this.
Stella Yaptinchay-Manalansan at 9:38pm March 16
hahaha Cheska, funny....
hahaha Cheska, funny....
Mark Parco at 9:38pm March 16
hehehe hahaha! parang pang cine! Is there anything else in your vault that you would like to share?
Albert Arcenas at 9:49pm March 16
ay naku chesca!!! More stories!!!! What other juicy stories do you have in your treasure chest of memories?
Karen Silva Crisostomo at 9:49pm March 16
Chesca!!!! and I thought...
so what else have you been keeping from me?
hahahahaha ;)
I love you!
Raffy Barreiro at 9:52pm March 16
I think I know the suspect!
Malamang finorge ni Gary Borja yung writing ni Alvi! hahaha Pero puedeng ring si Jobet... o Ferdie... o Dennis...
Alvi! Just say it was you! Wala kaming kinalaman dun! hahaha
Margarita Evangelista Jardiolin at 10:30pm March 16
Cute story... Good memory... I wish I could remember all those HS stories I locked in my vault... Then again, they're probably in my memory vault for very embarrassing reasons... So baka dapat nga manatili nalang sila doon. Hahaha! Hugs and kisses to your whole family. Tell Hali that we're missing him terribly. The house is extremely quiet without him and with Alo grounded.
Jen Paredes Abella Quinto at 10:45pm March 16
chesca - your stories are the best!
Cecille Javier Pajarillo at 11:00pm March 16
You are sooo sooo funny !!
Elizabeth Siojo at 11:20pm March 16
more stories from the vault please!
Rina Azcuna-Siongco at 1:25am March 17
ha ha! great story chesca! thanks for sharing. that's your bday gift to me :-) i guess being friends with alvi now in facebook is at least a big improvement from the strange encounter at the la salle ramp. next time you're in manila, we must definitely meet up, para in real life na! you can buy na rin our condo unit while you're at it ;-)
Leah Ledesma Sanchez at 1:43am March 17
hahaha! chesca! aylavet! alvi? hearthrob? LOL love you alvi! :)
Anabel Morelos-Ceguera at 1:54am March 17
This is too funny!!! Thanks for sharing.
Wendy Chan at 2:20am March 17
unrequitted love????? awwwwww.............:(
Marco Malimban at 2:43am March 17
It is our policy to neither confirm nor deny anything alleged, implied or alluded to in testimonies, articles... (I have no idea why I just said that)
Michelle Mella at 3:55am March 17
25 years aFter! this is something to laugh about!!!!! hmmm the LSGH boys should be ...........proud!!!
Alvi Siongco at 4:14am March 17
Hi, Chesca. I'm pretty sure I signed your birthday card. It's just that my memory started deteriorating as early as grade five. Imagine the things I forget now. Anyway, I'm really happy to re-acquaint with you on FB. I really love your storytelling. ;)
Angeli Lacson-Calanog at 10:22am March 17
Hey chesky! that was sooo funny!
Pia Ermitano Lim at 10:55am March 17
Chesca, that was really funny!
Alvi Siongco at 11:22am March 17
Marco, Rina said you're so kooky.