May 18 - 28, 1962

May 18 - Friday - Baguio


Morris picked me up this morning at 10 and we went to his home. I met his mother and cousin. It was a very delightful morning simply because Morris was there. Susie, his sister, called Mom and asked if I could eat lunch with them and miracle of miracles, she let me. Morris’s dad asked me to ask my dad if he remembers him. Morris drove me home at 1:30 pm like he promised Mom. Every day I am more attracted to him. I like his sense of humor and yet he has his serious side too. He is going to Manila to study which makes me very happy but there are a lot of girls in Manila who are much more attractive than me and maybe its goodbye Morris but I’ll always remember a wonderful guy who made this summer special. I went to the Country Club this afternoon. The gang was playing bowling. The thundercloud over Lita’s head is slowly disappearing but the cold wind still blows. I played some games with the rest of the teeners in the Teenage Room. The Ismael children are so nice especially Rosarie. They brought us home. Tony Carreon came up this evening with 3 friends. Katrin and Marybeth Ubago. Katrin has changed immensely. Brent graduation today.



May 19 - Saturday - Baguio

Morris called tonight while I was playing Black Jack with the rest of the Legarda family and since Juan Antonio was teasing me, I was laughing and not paying attention to Morris and he hung up on me or rather said goodbye rather briskly. I was so sorry. I hope he isn’t angry with me. I like him too much. I wish I could’ve gone out with him tonight but Dad isn’t here and Mom isn’t exactly on my side. I hope with all my heart I see him tomorrow and can explain my phone actions to him. This morning, all the little girls (Carmita Legarda Carreon’s little girls - in other words my cousins little girls) had a ball playing with me. Children are just wonderful. This afternoon we went to Tita Bombona’s house for a merienda-dinner for Bombonette whose birthday it was today. There was a very nice young American guy there. He had the most fantastic blue eyes. Tony Carreon says that he’s the kind of young man I should go after. Easier said than done. His name is Charlie. Tuvo que ser! I have a funny feeling I’m not going to get any more calls from Morris and that deep down inside he’s still nuts over Lita.



May 20 - Sunday - Baguio

Just before Mass this morning Morris called up asking me what I was going to do for the day. I told him I was going to Mass late so he told me he would call back this afternoon. Mom and I went to Mass at 10:30 with Beniting and when we came back, Tito Ben had already arrived. Allan and I ate lunch together in the kitchen because the long dining room table was already filled with people. This afternoon Morris called up and later picked me up. We went for a drive to the Country Club, Camp John Hay and all around Baguio. We stopped for a bite to eat at the Chocolate House and we met Sonny there. It’s been a lovely day and a magic fair tale like evening. The moon was like a shining silver dollar. (And I remember this evening so clearly, all these 40 plus years later. In fact I remember this whole Baguio trip distinctly - even more than I wrote in this diary. Baguio was always a special place to me.) The sky was a lovely rosy-navy blue and the moonbeams cast a silvery sheen on everything around us. Tito Ben took us to Mine View Park and there we saw all the mountains and valleys with the gold mines all bathed in the silvery reflection of the moon. I wished Morris had been with me to see it. We later stopped at the Country Club for a minute and I saw and said hello to Mari Valles’s mother. I’ll never forget this lovely night as long as I live. (And, I never have - it was a lovely moment in time of my life.) Morris is such a dear!



April 21 - Monday - Baguio

I talked with Morris over the phone for a long time and we had a pleasant delightful chat. He’s so funny at times yet so sensible. He’s got a pretty good philosophy of life. I like him for his sense of humor, good manners (especially concerning my mother), he keeps his word, so far. He’s got his faults too but why mention the dreary things of life. This afternoon, the French Ambassador had lunch with us and then Mom and I went to look for Tita Lolita at their house and at the Country Club but no sign of them. Later this afternoon the phone rang and it was Lita saying that they were leaving tomorrow for Manila and that she wanted her sweater back. Finally, we decided to have her come for it tomorrow. While we were talking about the sweater, her voice still had that cold, impersonal note and it makes me so sad to hear her talk like that. I like Lita too much. I later spoke to Mercy who I missed. She said Maricar is here with the Whirlpools and Peps and that Lita spent time with Peps and Maricar. When I teasingly told Mercy to ask Maricar if I could join them, I hear a burst of laughter from Lita and Maricar in the background and Maricar tells me “Quedate con tu Morris.” This hurt me immensely. I can just imagine what they must think. Well, my conscience is quite clear and if Lita wants to make a big production out of nothing that’s her business. I, for one, think its all pretty silly. I like Lita a lot and I don’t want something as absurd as this to end our friendship.



May 22 - Tuesday - Baguio

Mom and I went to Sky View to say goodbye to the girls and Tita Lol and give Lita back her sweater. Mercy could not stay with me because she already had gotten her ticket. Lita was not cool and impersonal anymore yet there was still something going on. We bought Katrina a hair band and I saw Vicky Perez. This noon, we ate at Tita Bombona’s home with the French embassador and I never ate such a delicious and lovely lunch with such good wine. It was marvelous as Tita Bombona cooks superbly. I went to the Country Club and I spent the time with Pinky Winternitz, Rosarie, Nena, Ricky Ismael and others. Maricar came we arrived and we spent the afternoon talking about Maricar’s favorite topic Tony Ortigas. She still loves him a lot although she is at present preoccupied with Freddy Franco. I spoke with Morris over the phone tonight and he said that Lita told Vicky when inquiring about Morris over the phone tonight - “Guess whose got him now?” Nasty remarks like that really burn me up. (Heck, I’m amazed anyone at that time ever thought I “got” anyone!”) In the first place, I haven’t “got” Morris and we are just good friends so why does everyone keep trying to make it something nasty when its so innocent?! (Now, these many, many years later, I tend to think that when my friends were going “steady” with a guy then, that a little more went on than a mere holding of hands (and this is only an assumption since no one has ever confessed to me, to this day, that it went any further), which is as far as I went, and not even that. I was the original Miss Prim and Proper so I guess everyone thought that Morris’s attentions extended to more than a drive around Baguio. If they had known my mother (and they did), they’d realize that I wouldn’t have dared anything else. My mind truly never went beyond that Invisible Line that Mom and the nuns had indelibly seared in my chaste little soul.) I think everyone is going to make suffer for the attention Morris has given me and vice versa. My only hope is that Morris is not being “nice” to me to get back at Lita. I am now in a hurry to get to Manila to quell rumors that aren’t true but I don’t think I am going to be able to change anyone’s mind if they think the worse. Whatever the worse is???



May 23 - Wednesday

I went with Maricar and Vicky to the market where Maricar bought a rind and I bought ciriguelas. I mailed a letter to Mercy at the Post Office this afternoon. Mom went to play mah-jong at the Prieto house and I stayed home. This evening my hair was at its best. Not one visible pimple on my face and I didn’t have too much make up on yet my face looked perfect. Despite all that I didn’t make it to Susie’s play because Mom came back too late and there was no one who could take me. I told Morris I would be going with my Mom and aunt so I couldn’t ask him to take me at such late notice. What really burned me up is that I looked so good and had no where to go. Story of my life. I prayed the rosary with Carmita’s little girls tonight.





May 24 - Thursday - Baguio

Morris called this morning at 10:30 inviting me to have lunch at his home but I told him I couldn’t go so he told me he’d call back this afternoon. Maricar called up asking me what I was going to do and I told her I had nothing to do so she said she was going to the Country Club. Morris called up inviting me to a movie but Mom didn’t let me go (See what I mean? My mother kept me on a very, very short, tight leash!) So, he said he’d call back again. He finally called back and said he was coming over for a while so we could be together and chat. I was so nervous and happy at the thought of seeing him. He came with Sonny and we sat in Tita Trining’s second floor sala. Tonight, I like him more than I ever have. Tomorrow he leaves for Manila with Sonny and I’d give anything to go back to Manila too. I miss the gang terribly but its not going to be quite the same, for many reasons. I think I may be a little in love with him. Hey, just noticed today is Thursday!



May 25 - Friday - Baguio

I miss Morris already. Funny how you get to like someone yet don’t realize it until that person is gone. I’m so glad I’m leaving for Manila on Sunday. I only wish I could take Baguio’s climate with me because they say Manila is sizzling hot. I went to see “King of Kings” with Mom and Georgina this afternoon. The picture was nice but I wasn’t completely convinced with Jeffrey Hunter’s portrayal of Jesus. I miss the gang and Morris.



May 26 - Saturday - Baguio

Well, this is my last night in Baguio. I’m so sad and even a little misty-eyed at the thought of leaving. I’m leaving a lovely city, a beautiful climate, this friendly Legarda home, the sweet little girls - Katrin, Terelen, Paypay, and my darling Rosemarie, whom I adore. I will miss the rosary sessions and the memory of 3 lovely weeks with a guy who was very nice and wonderful to me. Here I feel at peace with the world with no worries and cares. Now I have to go back to the heat and Manila. I WILL return here soon if it kills me. I’m listening to Joni James sing “There Must Be A Way” on the radio. I finally won Rosemarie over and she gave me a package of M&M’s. Beniting and I went to see the Barangay Dance Troup at St. Louis School this evening. It was very entertaining. I wonder what the gang is doing? They’re playing Morris’s favorite “I’ll Be Seeing You” over the radio. I miss him terribly and I feel so sad tonight. I sure will miss the little girls.



May 27 - Sunday

Phew, here I am back home in hot Manila. I miss Baguio already especially that lovely weather, clean air, uncrowded streets and generally peaceful atmosphere. I talked to Mercy mostly about Morris and Lita. She made me realize I was being pretty snobbish and Lita is very sensitive. So I guess I didn’t think very clearly and took the chance that Morris was attentive to me and I hurt Lita without really meaning to. But I miss Morris and he was so wonderful and its all so complicated. Sometimes I hope I never see him again so no more heartaches either for me or Lita. Oh, that Morris! (I may find out differently as I continue this but I think I get my wish - I really don’t see him again.....) I spoke to Lita also and she has a lot to tell me tomorrow at the ANC. She said she saw Morris yesterday in his car. I received letters from Cosme and my uncle Carlos. Cosme is still his very wonderful old self. I wish he were here. I like the way he ended the letter - “To the small girl with the pretty eyes, I bid goodbye ‘till soon.” Wasn’t that sweet of him?! (Actually, it was. Cosme was always good with words - in my “slam” book in 1960, he wrote - “Lea, you are the salt of the earth” - What he meant at the time, I don’t know, but I liked it.)





May 28 - Monday

Dad and I picked up Mercy and he dropped us off at the ANC. Arno, Belen, Jose Luis, Javi and Gerardo were there. Lita must have told Arno about Morris and me because he was a little cold and not his old teasing self and making it a point to direct most of his conversation to Lita. Later, the subject of Baguio came up and that unpleasantness came up again but it passed. I like Arno so much so it makes me so mad that he’s reacting this way but what can I do? Mercy ate lunch with me and Dad brought us back to the ANC at 3 pm. Lita, Luli, Luz, Mercy and I were sitting together. Ramon, Gerardo, Nacho, Javi etc. were there too. I later went to Mercy’s house and we had a long chat about Morris and Mitch. Despite all our differences in opinion, Mercy is still my best friend. I’ve gone through all of my teen years with her and we’ve shared many experiences together. I like her very much. Honey was simply irresistible tonight and there are moments when I feel like throwing my arms around him and kissing him. (Gosh, I’ve never WRITTEN that down about anyone else! Anyway, now, a zillion life times later, Honey Muniosguren was, is and always will be my real first love and, more importantly, a constant and true friend.) I saw Fr. Reuter and Joe Avelino on TV tonight.