Eleven – A Tribute to Friendship

How long is eleven years?  For a kid that might seem an eternity, but now, looking back it seems like a small bleep in the timeline of life. They say that when a man dies they see their lifetime flashback before their eyes. Now looking back I can say eleven years is really just a moment in life.

It all started on a hot October, it was 1997 and Y2K wasn’t even an issue yet. No one still cared about the millennium, 9/11, jihad, terrorists and the financial meltdown, things which hunts us now. All that concerned me back then was the upcoming presidential elections, where I was decided that I will vote for Roco - even though I was still years from being able to vote- and to be able to enroll myself for the second semester in college. Who would ever guess that this story would begin from that moment, a simple chat which led to the beginning of memories, people, connections, camaraderie and bond that spans eleven years?

The day began as another peculiar day, I was decided that I would finally enroll myself in Holy Angel University. I had already finished the process of submitting my application and since the next step in admission process was to take the entrance exam which I have already done before, I was already assuring myself that this was a sure thing. Being always ahead of time during those days, well it seems time had really changed now since usually I am late, I decided just to settle myself in one of the vacant classrooms. However, being a social character as I am, and not being able to dam up the contents of my mind, I tried to find a poor soul whom I can pour my heart out.  Who would have known that by certain swish of the wand of destiny, Marlon was loitering at the bottom of the stairs of the Main Building just opposite the testing center? Marlon, doesn’t look like what he looks now, I can still remember that just by simply placing a big piece of bling-bling around his neck would put him in ranks of Ice Cube, Nelly and P. Daddy. However, me being a poor judge or a good judge of character, I decided to have a little talk. I immediately told him that the exam was a no brainer and I am sure that he will pass with flying colors which as you can see he actually did eventually and the conversation went more until finally it was time to take the exam. After the exam, I just wished him luck and again reminded him of what I told him before that the exam, that it was easy and I am sure that we would make it. I really never thought that I would meet Marlon again. However, fate seemed to have already written our paths and come enrollment time, guess who was there, it was again Marlon.

Marlon, who I think was also a poor judge of character back then, willingly offered his friendship as well. Coming from almost the same situation – a transferee from a school from Manila, both irregular students, and kids undergoing a form of teenage rebellion or some sort of last stage teenage rebellion for Marlon, we decided that we would stick it out.

The group never really remained small forever. Two individuals wasn’t enough for the passion, desire and ideals of the Marlon and Evan tandem, so the Solution came into the picture, then with this event Jervis was in the picture, and the Three Musketeers /The Godfathers was born. Together the three went on their quest to make their mark on the world and make a difference. They set out their eyes first on the campus for the Solution wasn’t big enough to contain them. During their eternal quest for fairness, equality and freedom other people of shady characters and references joined the group - Caryl, Jem, Ambie, Robert, Kups, Glenn, Nina, Perlie, Cha, Arvy, Dean, Caloy, Mands, Ceejae, Thy, Ann, Joel  and Jen are just some of the people which were added on later.  The group went on to celebrate life - we ate, drank, dined and partied.  We also suffered setbacks, went into the lows and valleys on the journey of life.  We cherished and celebrated the victories and success of one and shared the pains of others. The collective memories of the group which can be recalled in a matter of seconds will take an eternity to write on a piece of paper.

The roster of people that Marlon and the gang shared our lives with couldn’t be contained within this page to its rims.  Some stayed on, while some of them left to make another chapter of their lives but the core stayed on. However, now it is time for one of the originals to move on and make their destiny.

Eleven years, looking back and recalling all the people that we have met and shared our lives with, I always think to myself, how can so diverse of a people be united and share a bond? Well, they say that people of the same feathers flock together, however, I think this isn’t the case for us. Yes, I think that some of us share some common passions and some even have the same interests – the command of the pen, the love for conversations, boring thru books, debating politics, studying history, Solution, taking snapshots of life, endless desire to lose poundage, parties and nightlife. However, looking deeper the connection that lasted eleven years wasn’t simply those things for none really shared the same passions. Pondering more, I finally thought that it was the bond of friendship which stuck as together a bond even stronger than brotherhood and sisterhood. Some say marriage are supposed to last for a lifetime, however most people say that true friendship last forever.

Eleven years with Marlon in our midst makes the Musketeers without Marlon not the musketeers anymore. The Gang without its de facto leader will always be incomplete-  the endless debates, conversations over cups of coffee, staying out till the dawn breaks will all be different without the Big Man.  However, unlike buildings, and other structures built by men, the structure and the bond that our friendship built together in eleven years only grew stronger. The eleven years of test didn’t erode and crumble the friendship but strengthened it further.

Looking back, eleven years is in the past they will always be memories that will be remembered and talked upon forever. Now, we are celebrating what our friendship had become and tomorrow, the future, I know that our friendship will last even longer. As a friend parts way, I know that the crossroad of life will always lead us back to where we always belong, to the Gang….

To eleven years and more….