February 15 - 22, 1962

February 15 - Thursday


Today has been Black Thursday. Everything went wrong today and continues. First, Sr. Angela starts telling me to concentrate on my Tagalog more because it is my weakest point (What?! Tagalog is 84, and Physics 75 - History 79!). Then she starts comparing me to Marina and how much better she’s doing than me (We had the same grades in the prelim exams in Tagalog - 80 and today in a quiz, I got 85 and she 60!). Marina is forever looking to see if I get even half a point higher than she and when I do, she blows a fuse. And frankly I don’t care if everyone gets higher grades than me. Then to top it all, Mom starts nagging me again about fixing my aparador (it’s the millionth time she’s told me) even when I told her I’d finally fixed the records. I can’t do everything at the same time. Then Ruby bawls me out about perennially talking in class when everyone else is more than half as noisy as I am. This evening the television set breaks down again. Last week I waited just for Thursdays to watch “Dobie Gillies” and “Tombstone Territory” and the TV broke down then. Today, same thing happens. I’m getting even more pimples and I’ve run out of medicine for them and heaven knows when I’ll get some more. My face is getting lumpy and my back is a horrid mess. (Gosh, I sound really repulsive - yet, funny, I don’t remember having that big a problem with pimples - don’t have any acne scars on my face or anything but I guess everything does get blown out of proportion at 17. Now-a-days, girls at 11 sound like me in 1962!) We have supper late every night so I don’t get enough sleep, thus causing more pimples. My mother is forever nagging me about something I haven’t done. My teachers keep picking on me. I haven’t got a date for the Graduation Ball and I don’t blame anyone for not wanting to go with me. (At this point, I wouldn’t have gone with me!!) My only dream right now is to go to Baguio and get away from all of this. But since even everything I dream about NEVER comes true. Today I got a lovely locket and ring from my grandmother in Spain - conclusion - my mother locks it up in her closet!!



February 16 - Friday

Same old corny routine in school. The rest of the Hi-Gayles were very excited about the party tomorrow but I frankly couldn’t care less. Anyway, Carlos, Arno and Spik won’t go so....Tomorrow - Study Class - ugh.



February 17 - Saturday

I typed all day long today for the annual. I also got a letter from Cosme, just as I thought I would. This evening Lita picked me up for the Hi-Gayles party. It was WONDERFUL! In the first place, as we walked in, right behind us were - CARLOS, Eddie, Juaco, Peps, Tony O. etc. Spik was sitting and talking to Margot. I was so excited and nervous I shook all over. All that jazz I gave everyone (and wrote in here) about not caring a hoot about Carlos flew out the window tonight. While I was dancing I caught him looking at me twice and Mary Ann Ojeda said that he was watching me while I was dancing. I wanted so much to go up and talk to him and besides I have invited him to our prom but I wasn’t brave enough. I knew that if I talked to him, I’d stammer and blush. He is positively the maximum utmost! I danced with Juaco, Jack, Billy Castelvi, Mari Valles, Peps and some other guys. Fritz kept teasing me about Carlos. The Falcons were also there tonight - just as crazy as ever. Wait till Mercy hears that Mari danced with me and that Tony Ortigas was there. It was a stupendous party and I should have stayed later. I came home with Maureen, Mary Ann and Ditas Hagedorn.



February 18 - Sunday

It’s been a wonderful Sunday. I went to Mass at Ermita at 11 am and there I met Margie and Mercy. Later I went to the ANC. Marina was talking to Nacho. I said hello and joined Arno, Luli, Conchita and Lita. Arno is simply wonderful, the greatest, the sweetest. He still insists on going to the prom with me. We talked after everyone else left, about he and Beli. He says he’ll let me know for sure on Saturday but says he is going to the ball, Beli or no Beli. And I keep telling him I don’t want him to come if he is going steady with Beli. Then he says that many things can happen between now and March 10th. I like him so very much. I ate lunch with Mom and Dad and then Conch, Lita, Luli and I went to the Rizal to see “The Devil At 4 O’clock” with Frank Sinatra and Spencer Tracy. Spik, Freddy H, Ricky Catala, Gordo, Mari Cacho and Peps were sitting in the row in front of us. Then Conchita, Lita and Luli went to the Polo Club and Marina, Annie, Vicky and I went to the Assumption Fair. Everyone was there. I stayed with Magu and Fritz. Beli gave me the invitation to her party. I saw Mercy with Judy and Betsy Arrastia. Spik came later. Fritz tells me that Spik will go the prom with me if I ask him. Now, I don’t know what to do. There’s Arno and Spik and I still don’t know about Carlos. (Pretty loosey-goosey affair this asking people to the prom was in those days, weren’t we?!) Then while we were walking, who should be walking in our direction than George Roux. Of course, my heart lurched again. I dragged Susan with me to try and follow him. When will I ever be introduced to him?! Mari Valles kept popping up in front of me every time I turned around. Imagine, asking me for chicklet?! He’s nuts. Then later, while I was sitting with Freddy, Jay, Rafy, Ricky, Peps, Maricar, Mon, Susan, Magu and Fritz, Marina comes up to tell me that she’s seen Carlos. This time my heart leapt up to my throat. He waved to Magu when we were about to leave and then and there I decided it was now or never to ask him about the prom. We called him over and he comes up to us. He tells me he’s got two failing grades so he’s not sure he can go (Man, couldn’t I tell B.S. then when I heard it?!) I told him I needed an answer soon and he said he’s know by the 3rd of March (Beli’s party), (And since I can suddenly remember and visualize Beli’s party that day, am I in for another letdown....) And if he knows anything earlier, he’ll let Arno know. He so thrills me but I still don’t know who I’m going to our ball with. I’ll probably end up with no one - (Bingo!!!!)





February 19 - Monday

I’m furious with those classmates of mine. Now they want to move the date of the prom to the 17th instead of the 10th of March and Carlos specifically told me he cannot go on the 17th because he has exams - and as he says “Al paso que voy, voy a fallar.” But if he can make it and then finds out the date has been changed then there goes that slim chance. I want to go with him more than anything else in the world, so now, see what happens.



February 20 - Tuesday

One of the girls I like most in that class of mine is Tere Carballo. She’s so good to me. I know now who her crush is - Jack Aguirre. I went to Confession today and I feel so much relieved. Now, about that never ending problem of the prom. The dear Section -Y girls all refuse to go for some unkind, nasty and malicious reasons. Susan was at her wits end this afternoon. So, it looks like we might not have a ball at all!!! All the Section -X girls are broiling - and after all the heartache and trouble I’ve been going through to get someone to come with me and now they may cancel the darned thing. My heart plummeted to the pit of my stomach. PS. I love Mrs. Buencamino!



February 21 - Wednesday

I’m slowly making up my mind about who I’m going to take to the ball. I’m not going to wait forever until Arno and Carlos make up their minds. Much as I like them both, they can’t keep me dangling on a string. Carlos is dilly dallying around with his grades and I don’t think he wants to go very much and Arno. I think, wants to come with me, just to “get back” at Beli. If that’s the case, they can just skip it. Skip gave Fritz a straight answer – yes, the first time so I’m gonna ask him. Then Marina can ask Freddy and everything’s arranged. Anyway, like Spik a lot although like the story of old, he doesn’t like me too much but he’s a nice guy to be with so why wait forever for darling hopeless cases - Arno and Carlos. Magu, Susan, Linda and I went to Wack-Wack this pm to see about the reservations. The place is lovely and if everything comes out the way we hope, we’ll have a lovely graduation ball. If only these corny Section-Y girls hadn’t backed out everything would have been fine - anyway, we’ll manage somehow. The big problem is as usual - m-o-n-e-y.



February 22 - Thursday

I am so fed up with classes I think that if the 2 remaining weeks don’t pass by quickly I’ll take all my books and burn them (except History and Religion) or go nuts. For example, just this evening at 9 pm, Teresa calls up and tells me that we have a test in Physics tomorrow. How does anyone expect me to study for Physics tomorrow when at 9 pm I haven’t eaten my supper yet?! Then, we also have a test in Religion and Marimil hasn’t returned my book. Call me lazy or what you want but I can’t stand studying any longer. Then Mom now tells me this evening I can only use a measly handful of newspapers when we need all we can get for the graduation ball. Darn! Now what am I going to tell Magu and Susan after they’ve seen the big pile already? My mother can make me so mad at times. Now I don’t care of this ball/prom comes or goes but I care about the rest of my classmates. Anyway, neither Spik nor Arno or Carlos really wants to go with me so why should I fuss or bother. I wish I could skip school tomorrow and not take those darned tests. I know its cowardly of me but I don’t know a thing. I met Fr. Ferreira this afternoon because he came to school. What a wonderful priest he is! Such a wonderful man of God.