Noong second semester nang muli kong pag-e-enrol sa college, nagkaroon ako ng isang lady classmate who, I’d say, was very fond of me. Let’s just refer to her as “Lady”.
Sa subject o mga subjects na magkaklase kami, lagi siyang tumatabi sa akin. Minsan, before the class started, as she sat beside me...
Lady: Uy, Kuya Gau (she called me Kuya Gau), congrats! Nasa dean’s list ka!
Goddy: Ano ‘yong dean’s list?
Lady: Dean’s list… ‘yong dean’s list… Hindi mo alam ‘yong dean’s list?
Goddy: Hindi. Tanga ako e!
Lady: ‘Yong dean’s list… ‘yong dean’s list… A, basta! Tingnan mo sa bulletin board!
Sa totoo lang, hindi ko naman talaga alam. First time kong narinig iyon. But she didn’t explain any further. So, the following day, nang maparaan ako sa tapat ng bulletin board,..
Goddy: A, ito pala’ng ibig sabihin ng dean’s list (nasabi ko sa aking sarili).
Lumipas ang isang buwan. Before the class started, dumating na naman siya and upon sitting beside me…
Lady: Uy, Kuya Gau! Congrats! Academic scholar ka!
Kinindatan ko siya, sabay ngiti.
Noong sumunod na semester, two weeks after classes have started, heto na naman si Lady.
Lady: Uy, Kuya Gau! Congrats uli. Academic scholar ka na naman!
I smiled at her.
Tapos, nang sumunod na semester, heto na naman po kami.
Lady: Uy, Kuya Gau! Congrats! Academic scholar ka na naman!
How am I supposed to respond but to smile at her, ‘di ba?
Then, the following semester, heto na naman.
Lady: Uy, Kuya Gau! Congrats! Academic scholar ka na naman!
Goddy: (In a louder tone of voice than usual) Ito ‘ka mo, nakakainis! Hindi na nasanay!
(Hehehe! Nakakainis ba? Huwag n’yo naman akong i-block. Nagsisiste lang po!)
