How Did I Court My Wife in High School?

It was sometime in 1968 when I met my wife in an open study hall where we used to hold our music class under Miss Mercy Parroco in La Carlota City High School. She drifted to the said hall to take shelter for a sudden afternoon rain that fell unexpectedly.

Gil and Rebecca at the Mabolo Tree 2011

I came to know her from Mila Tapales, her classmate who was my neighbor and lived just across San Agustin Street, La Carlota City where I lived.

I was attracted to her mysterious actuation and to her lovely black long hair. I surmised that it was probably due to the adjustment period she faced for she's a third-year high school transferee from Saint Vincent Ferrer Academy, a private Catholic High School in La Castellana, Negros Occidental.

Our friendship grew and edified as we used to meet at the flagpole just across the facade of high school main building where we held our literature class under Mrs. Angeles Garin and where they had their community class too in one of the rooms there.

Why Three Daisies?

In 1968, that was forty-four years ago, I still remember my first visit to my wife when we were still friends and wanting to court her. I was perplexed why she gave me three African daisies. Anyway, read the following an  unforgettable incidence I had had:

Three African Daisies

Second Meeting

In one school day, I saw again the girl whom I met for the first time at the high school campus buying an ice cream from a "sorbetero" (ice cream roller vendor). I came over to her and smiled and greeted her. She smiled at me back. I broke her silence by asking where she lives. She replied, "I live in the Barrio site of La Granja." I nodded and silently noted it.

"Wouldn't you mind if I visit you this coming Saturday?"

How To Steal a Kiss and Have a Sleepless Night

I remember 44 years ago how I stole a kiss from my high school sweetheart and didn't sleep for the whole night.

It was in the month of February that this unforgettable experience happened. I was in my third year high school and I belong to a section 1, while my sweetheart belong to the last section for she was a transferee from St. Vincent High School, a Catholic private school in La Castellana, Negros Occidental.

Two-Teenage Lovers

That red day was February 28, the annual patron festival of Valladolid, Negros Occidental, just a 15-kilometer from our place, La Carlota City. Most of the students in our high school used to skip classes to attend fiesta. But I was not used to it. However, just after lunch, Rebecca, my sweetheart suggested to go to Valladolid for some of her classmates were already there. I wouldn't go instead for I wasn't used to skip classes. However, I didn't want to fail her, so I'd to allow her to go. But I thought she was alone. Besides her home was far, a 9-kilometer from the school. Therefore I decided to accompany her. We went together. We took a passenger jeep from the "paradahan" (terminal) near the market place.