Curly tops and Beer (An Afternoon in Baclayon)

It was one of the final Sunday outings on our final year in college, around a month after our Mantatao experience in 1984. We decided to spend some time together on a Sunday afternoon.

Unlike in the previous outings, Jeffrey and I, both Tagbilaran residents, were no longer keen on spending Sunday afternoons with our family. At the back of our minds, we knew that soon our class would be going on our separate ways and that our remaining days together were numbered.

So after lunch at the seminary, Jeffrey went home to get a vehicle. I went home to deliver my laundry. There were classmates who went with me and some went with Jeffrey. I cannot remember who went with Jeffrey and who went with me. I only recall waiting for Jeffrey at home.

If I recall it correctly, our class was complete that day. Other than Jeffrey and me, there were Mario, Soc, Chris, and Gents. Just enough to fit in the car that Jeffrey drove.

Along the way, we bought canned San Miguel beer and Curly Tops chocolate. Then we proceeded to Baclayon which is around 7 km from Tagbilaran.

In front of the famous church was a seawall. We parked the car near the pier that jutted out of the seawall, carving a pathway that led to the lighthouse. There were sprig pine trees that line the seawall. We looked for a nice shady spot at the back of the one storey structure, and there we sat on the concrete sea wall, dangling our legs over the side.

The shade of the sprig tree was cool in February, as an occasional spray of water touched our skin. The sun shone brightly that afternoon--a perfect day to enjoy the sea. And there were no people to disturb us. Not a soul stirred. Only an occasional hum of buses on their way to the eastern or interior part of the province would break the silence. It was a perfect day to waste time with close friends who would soon be parting ways.

The beer was no longer cold. But nobody noticed. We were more interested in the companionship, the conversation, and even the occasional silence that prompted us to watch the sky and listen to the rushing sea. We talked about our dreams and what we planned to do next after graduation--over promises to keep in touch.

We lost track of time, until the sun was nestled in the horizon. It was time to go back to the seminary for it was past 5:00PM. (nox)