Happy Birthday to Me

I turned 27 yesterday, two years late for a What's Up by the 4 Non-blondes moment and two years post quarter-life crisis.    I forgot what I wanted to be at 27, but I was pretty sure it involved earning big bucks and sleeping with lots of women.  So here I was, on my birthday, contemplating where I am now and where I was headed.  I'm still broke, immature, taking life too easy and drinking too much.  Nonetheless,  I have developed a sense of pride in myself.  Despite having lots of crap in my bag,  I have gone a long way in my chosen career.  Little by little,  I am earning the trust and respect of my peers and the reverence of the kids under me.  Nevermind that I am still broke and drink too much, at least I am the happy and contented kind.  But sheer happiness and contentment don't pay the bills, so even without wanting to,  I uttered a short thanksgiving prayer for my birthday, dragged myself out of bed and went to work.

I was late again, as usual.  I exercise Filipino time in everything I do, which will fearfully soon become a liability as I endeavor to work outside of the Lupain ng Ginto't Bulaklak.  I arrived at the school to the kids' smiles and well-wishes.  They then hurried in to prepare for the quiz I was about to give.  The mood inside the office was a more festive one with greetings and pats on the back for my birthday.  I guess it becomes reflexive to smile back and thank people who greet you on your birthday when you've done the exercise for more than a quarter century.

Lunch came, and we were in agreement to eat at Nora's, a small eatery near the post-office which serves seafood at a fairly reasonable price.  I was hesitant at first, thinking the place didn't fit the likes of Dr. G, my boss.  Surprisingly, he appeared intrigued to try the place as many of his acquaintances have recommended the place.  When we got there, the place was already packed full though thankfully we were able to squeeze ourselves into a small table.  Now, I can honestly say I am rubbing elbows with my boss but of course, I mean literally rubbing elbows with one another, savoring the food we ordered and enjoyed everybody's company.

The afternoon was somehow eventful but that's another story.  I wrapped my classes up and waited for 7 o'clock to meet up with the kids for a small celebration.  And then bam! Small celebration it isn't :

  The kids, I learned later on, planned on giving me a surprise party.  They weren't very subtle that night, as many of them left the table allegedly to buy something, to pee, change clothes or whatever.  I started getting suspicious even before they started leaving because there were several "anti-social" kids who were there but let it go.  And then the few remaining kids gave away a little bit more, they were fidgety and though they tried to feign normalcy, there was a twinkle in their eyes that made me think something was coming up.  Something really did come up.  The kids took to where we were with food, booze, cameras, gifts and songs.  For that I was genuinely touched.  I expected them to give me something but I didn't expect it would be this grand.  I learned that they even sold siomai to people at school to help pay for this party.  They even troubled me with their gift, wrapped in a neverending fold of old newspapers.  I did guess correctly what they were about to give me though:  


I demanded from Maui she gave me her Zippo for my birthday.  She did more than that.  Together with her classmates, she bought a new one for me, original and expensive.  I wasn't only surprised by the kids' action, I was moved.  I was moved because this birthday is special.  It is a turning point in my life.  A few days after this I will be a husband.  A month after this I will be working in an alien world, alone, no friends, no relatives, no nothing.  I have conditioned myself never to cry when I get there.  I don't think that notion is even remotely possible.  I will most probably weep by myself when I get there, maybe out of frustration or out of loneliness or pressure or whatever.  This birthday marks the end of my childhood.  This day I become a man, on my own, for my own, my ownself.

The booze flowed, yes, it did.  And we danced and laughed and made fools of ourselves and danced and laughed and drank the night away.  What the kids don't realize is that they will never know the impact of this night to me.  They will never know how much more meaningful they made my special day.  They will never know that by staging this surprise party, the first one I ever had outside of my family, they made me whole.  This is the last birthday I will spend in my comfort zone.  The last birthday in a place of inexpensive booze, easy talks, abundant comfort food, people and places.  These are faces I will not forget and experience that I will forever take with me wherever I go.

Today God manifested Himself and made me understand why He made me a teacher.  I understand now what it takes to push yourself and the people you shepherd so hard we break, inorder to build bridges strong enough to withstand the test of time.  I understand now that truly, when one loves what he does, it shows.  Passion comes naturally from someone who knows love.  It saddens me a little bit that only now have I reached the pinnacle of my teaching career when I am already about to end my journey at St Paul. Without sounding too self-absorbed, I have always regarded myself a good teacher.  However, I didn't think I was that good to have an entire class go out of their way, sacrifice, maybe even lie to their parents to pull off a surprise party for me.  A party given to a mentor which wasn't political in nature and without expecting favors . A party reserved for the closest of friends and loved ones.  Perhaps I have become one of them.  If I did and if I am, then as an educator, my friends, I have had my mission accomplished ahead of me.  Thank you for this night.  Thank you for the regard.  Thank you for the friendship.  For all of these, thank you....