January 1 - 10, 1962

1962




January 1 - Monday

I finally went to sleep at 6:10 AM. I woke up at 9:00 and went to Mass at the Ermita at 11 am and then, of course, to the ANC. Everyone who was with me last night was there. Pichuco looked just as good and sparkling as ever, as if he was never down and out last night. (I wore my new green suit today). Arno kissed me happy new year (that little tingle in me again). I ate lunch at Conchita’s house, then Luli picked us up and we went to see “Susan Slade” with Connie Stevens and Troy Donahue (sigh) at the Rizal. Luli dropped Conch and I at the ANC. We sat in the swimming pool. Sam came later with some other guy. He gave me that devastating smile and wink he always gives me. My heart was really pounding and my knees seemed like jelly. Later we sat in the Sunset Lounge. Sam came up later, he smiled again at me and my pulse started that crazy rhumba again. That man gives me a strange feeling of warmth and excitement. He’s really something. Pichuco was with us a while too. I came home alone. I called Magu and Mercy over the phone (Can you imagine if we had cell phones then?!! We would have either burned the lines out, cut off the networking system for the entire East Asia or bankrupted our parents!) Magu asked me about Spik. Marina called me up and said she saw Carlos at Marcos last night. Oh, if only I had gone with them. Marina said he was stag and he sat with them. Some people have all the luck. Its been a whole month since I’ve seen him. He went up to Baguio today. Arno’s a doll, Sam thrills me and I love Carlos.



January 2 - Tuesday

I went to school to get the money from Sister for the sound records, then I went to MBC for the records. I had to wait a while but I finally got them. Later I went to the ANC. Conch, Luli, Marina, Arno, Nacho, etc. were there. Nacho bugged me. Paqui Ortigas and Ramon Arnaiz were also there. Lita would have died. This noon I ate lunch with Pamen, Bica, Merche, Pilina, etc. Sam joined us and when I saw him at the top of the stairs, my heart began pounding. Later, Nena, Jose Luis, and Marina arrived. Sam signed for my order of olives. Once when I was looking at him he asked me why I looked at him like that, I frankly had no answer for him. I just said it was a free country. (God, were we (I) corny, or what!) Later while I was on the phone he was standing near me and I looked at him again and I don’t know why but I laughed to myself. He comes up and he gently nudges me on the chin and asked me again why I looked at him like that and I just laughed. (I swear, was this guy sexy or what?! I’d kill for someone to have done that to me when I knew what it was all about. With the exception of one man, no one else ever had “esos detalles.”) When he looks at me I feel like a 12 year old and a 19 year old at the same time. Bica told him I was 17 when he asked. He wasn’t drunk on New Year’s Eve and always remembers what he does. I asked him. I went to see “Come September” with Gina Lollobrigida, Rock Hudson, Sandra Dee and Bobby Darin. I went with Marina, Nena, Jose Luis and Tita Carmen. Marina is nuts over Jose Luis. I hope its vice versa for all our sakes. We went back to the ANC. Arno was just leaving. Mercy brought me home. (Tita Carmen told me - “Estas muy mona.”) School tomorrow - I hate it!



January 3 - Wednesday

Physically I walked into that classroom this morning, spiritually and mentally, I did not!! Gosh, how I hate school! Not my classmates, just school. Anyway, we didn’t do anything special except talk about the play, experiments and Susan and I blabbed about the coming graduation ball. She and Magu seem to have the funny idea that Spik likes me. I don’t think so. This noontime I went to the Aristocrat Restaurant for the luncheon we gave Inger since she’s leaving. We had a very enjoyable time. Marina could not go because she was sick at the hospital. We were 12 girls in all - Merche, Anamarie, Nena, Pamen, Bica, Pachie, Patsy, Pilina, Maripaz, Inger, Ida and I. We had a lot of laughs. Pamen and I were the youngest ones there. On the way from the Aristocrat to the ANC, we were nearly hysterical with laughter. When we got to the ANC we were all still laughing like mad and Nena had tears running down her cheeks. Sam was there but today I didn’t look at him once. Except, when he came down from his room to the lobby he looked at me, I just glanced at him and looked away. Mercy says Arno is having troubles with Beli and is getting fed up. Magu also said that Spik likes me. I saw Arno walking down the boulevard this noon.



January 4 - Thursday

I know I’m getting to sound like a broken record but gosh how I hate school. I get so restless sitting in the same room and chair with the same books, 8 hours a day. I get sick! I get headaches, backaches and I probably got this terrific stomach ache from school too. This pm there was a cute guy with Miss Juco and everyone noticed. We also had a lot of fun during Spanish class. Marimil came home and gave me a box of handkerchiefs this noon. I talked with Lita over the phone, she was telling me all about her romantic adventures in Baguio. I also talked with Conchita and Mercy. I was invited to Ida Calvo’s party for Inger but couldn’t make it. I did so want to go. I hope with all my heart I see Carlos, Arno or Spik on Saturday. I’m dead tired and this darned stomach ache.



January 5 - Friday

Why is it that when I have school I get circles under my eyes, my appetite goes kaput and my head and stomach ache perpetually. My hair always is a straggly mess. When I was on vacation I looked fresh, alive and like some people said, almost pretty. My appetite is great and I’m full of pep. Boy, I can hardly wait till March when no more crummy classrooms. Our graduation ball is on March 10th at Wack-Wack. Who in heavens name can I ask to go?! I know who I’d like to ask - the only guy in my life - Carlos. But dreams are dreams. I haven’t a chance the world. There’s Spik and Arno but they don’t compare with Carlos. (I am truly getting boring about this guy.) After play practice I went to Luli’s house to see pictures from Spain. Bica was there and I was talking to her about Spain. I get the impression she doesn’t like me very much. I talked with Magu and Mercy this evening. Mercy got a letter from Cosme too. She also sent Louie to .......!!! Cosme’s worth a billion Louies. Tomorrow is the feast of Three Kings. Everyone troops down to the Casino Espanol. I wonder how it’ll turn out? I don’t know what’s wrong with me these days. I haven’t lost any weight but my appetite is a mess and some people say I look thinker. Probably because of my straggly hair, and I feel so out of sorts.



January 6 - Saturday - Feast of the Three Kings

I went to the ANC this am and Paqui, Ramon Arnaiz, Arno, Carlos RA were there. Paqui is quite handsome if only his pimples would go away. I feel that strangeness between Arno and me again. Mitch was there with George Gallent. He smiled and said hello. He’s very attractive and reminds me of Bobby Darin. This afternoon I went to the Casino with Mercy. Everyone was there except Spik and Carlos. Fritz Infante is the nicest. Victor Franco came up to me and said hello. Tony Ortigas looked good enough to eat. He wore a canary-yellow shirt and there wasn’t anyone around who could have looked better. Later Conch, Linggoy, Peps, Mon, Maricar, Maripaz and I played “electricity” in the patio. Then we all went in Juaco’s car to Marcos and stayed for 20 minutes. (I did anyway). I danced once with Peps, Linggoy and Rafy. Juaco and Peps took me home at 9:30 pm. Juaco is another great guy. Very nice manners and is a very likeable guy. Arno got on my nerves tonight. He kept telling Juaco not to bring me home at 9:30. Conchita was on cloud 9 with her one and only Linggoy. I saw Sam this noon. I feel so alone and unwanted tonight.



January 7 - Sunday

Went to Mass at Ermita at 10 am then Dad brought me to school because I had practice for the play from 11 to 12. Later I went back to the ANC. No one was there except Nacho, Arno, Joe and Ramon Faustman. I sat with them. Nacho kept teasing me about Carlos. I ate lunch at the ANC. Arno asked if I was going to the Rizal. I went to see “El Golfo Que Vio Una Estrella” at the Paris. Luli, Lita, Conch, Vicky Pertierra were there. Later we sent back to the ANC. Sam was playing tennis and he waved hello. I was with Conchita and Vicky. Luli and Lita and Pichuco arrived later. The rest of the girls are happy but I’m down in the dumps. I have not seen Carlos since December 2. Its almost a month and a half and its an awfully long time. More like 100 years and a half.



January 8 - Monday

Magu and Marina were back in school this morning. Margotin has gotten a little thinner and she looks fine. They are making me very anxious with a “surprise” they say they have in store for me coming up. I don’t know what they’re talking about but once when I mentioned Carlos’s name, they both looked at each other very peculiarly and again this pm Magu said Fritz was going to talk to Spik about something. Magu, Susan and I went to MBC to get another sound effects record. We went to Johnny Wilson’s studio for a few minutes. Radio is so interesting and I had play practice this until 7 pm. Dad’s curious about my grades - Physics - gulp.



January 9 - Tuesday

Magu and Susan don’t stop with their “estas spikao?” in school. They keep giving hints about the surprise on Monday and all this is going to make me a complete nervous wreck. I went to Bingo this evening. Mom and I sat with Luli and her parents. Mitch was there with George Gallent. He positively thrills me. Tonight when Luli and I came back from the ladies room they (Mitch and George) were sitting in the Sunset Lounge and George says as we pass by “buenas noches”. Mitch also held the door open for us when we were going out of the Pavilion.



January 10 - Wednesday

It’s been a nice day in school (for a change). All we do is talk about the graduation ball and whom every one is taking. Everyone is giving me the bit pitch to invite Carlos and believe me there’s no one else I’d rather go with but its easier said than done. All I do these days is think of Carlos....we were practicing for the play this evening so we had no classes. We just blabbed. Then, the 5 Most Talkative Girls in the Class - Magu, Margot, Susan, Nanette and I played hooky from review class and talked to Sister Mildred. Got my report card and though I’m not failing in anything it could stand some improvement, believe me!