May 29 - June 5, 1962

May 29 - Tuesday


I washed 3 sweaters of mine this morning and washed my hair. This evening I went to Bingo with my Mom. Luz, Luli, Lita, Arno, Carlos and Pichuco were there. Arno was his old self this evening. It’s too bad Mitch wasn’t there and Pichuco couldn’t stay. Carlos is very simpatico too, he made me laugh a lot. I won 60.00 pesos. I’m very sleepy.



May 30 - Wednesday

The heat is absolutely killing me. I feel so hot and sticky that my make-up smears and the pimples are coming out again. Oh for the wonderful climate of Baguio! I picked Mercy up and we went to Aunty Kitty’s for Karen’s address and then to the ANC. Carlos, Gerardo, Javi, Lita, Luz, Luli, Miren and I sat at one of the tables by the sea wall. Mercy and I had lunch at my house and later we went to see “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” with Audrey Hepburn and George Peppard. It was one of the sweetest, loveliest movies I’ve ever seen in a long time. Simply adorable. And its theme song “Moon River” is absolutely - everything! I hope to see this movie again. We went to the ANC later and later yet, Pichuco, Luz, Luli, Ramon, Mercy and I sat by the pool and chatted. Saw Arno. Talked with Ditas Hagedorn about Morris. She likes he a lot too. He is back in Baguio and is returning to Manila on Friday. I sure would like to see him again. Pichuco is nuts about Lita. I have to write to Angel, Cosme and Karen. Still haven’t seen Mitch.







May 31 - Thursday

Went to Mass late so had to repeat it. Mercy and I ate lunch together at the ANC. Luli and Lita also had lunch with us. Then we went to my house to change and went to Alemars. I bought a clipboard, a bottle of Desert Flower Spray Mist for Mom and a bottle of Blue Grass cologne for myself. Saw Linda Hinkley who just got back from Hong Kong. She saw Yan. Monchu asked me about Morris and Lita etc. so I told him the story. This evening Mercy and I talked about Morris and Lita and everything. All this is getting to be a strain on my nerves and I’m up to blow any minute. I still don’t see what Lita is so fired up about. She’s said to practically everyone that I “stole her boyfriend.” My eye! She wasn’t going steady with him and she vowed 2 times (before Morris asked me out) that she was never going to talk to him again and that she was going to concentrate on Peps. So now she comes up with this??!! Anyway, my conscience is clear so whatever else everyone else thinks..... Monchu says that Steve Golden told him he like me. How sweet. (And, who in the heck was Steve Golden???) Steve is a very nice guy. Tita Marina was so nice tonight. If only her nephew were half as nice to me too. (That’s Marina Asparren, Carlos Garcia’s aunt for those of you not in the loop.)



June 1 - Friday

It has been one of those days...Mom was sore because I went out this morning. Then I went to Metro Drug to buy mascara and later to the ANC. Lita was in the Beauty Shoppe. Lita went swimming and later she joined the rest of us. Jose Luis sat and chatted with me. Vicky knows about Morris too! Carlos G.G. was teasing me and I insisted that I liked Carlos GARCIA. This afternoon Magu was at the ANC and she’s going to St. Paul’s for college. Tomorrow I have to go to enroll. Monchu, Leslie, Nacho were at the ANC also. I’m so fed up with everyone. My mother’s wonderful and all that but she nags me too much. Dad keeps insisting I take a BA course in college and all I want is a secretarial course. (THIS must be the most embarrassing revelation that I’ve ever discovered while transcribing these diaries. I never realized how little ambition I had and that my Dad wanted more for me. And the only thing in my empty head were those silly guys. No wonder someone later told me that I was “shallow” - I WAS. Then. But, I was 17!! I don’t know why I’m getting riled up now as I transcribe this - I guess its one of those “the road not taken” moments...) Everyone thinks I “stole” Morris from Lita and there are so many chismes flying about I am absolutely sick about it all. I wish I were somewhere where I could be independent of my parents and meet an entirely new group of people. (Another truly dumb comment.) According to my mother, I will end up an absolute disaster and she keeps comparing me to Margie and what a perfect girl she is! Let me change the subject. I saw Betsy Brewster today and heard the song “El Paso” after 2 years. Coincidences are weird.



June 2 - Saturday

The undercurrent is getting stronger every day and if I I’m not careful I’m going to be swept along with it! This morning I went to school to enroll and I had to take an exam. I ordered my uniforms and heavens, are they long! I went to the ANC and the whole clan was there. I was with Arno and his parents. This afternoon I invited him and Mercy to the movie “Rear Window.” This evening Mercy and I went to the Faustman home. The party was very nice. I danced with Arno, Carlos, Ramon, Inaki and Victor. Carlos gets nicer every day. He’s very sweet and has a nice smile. Arno danced with me a lot and when he danced slow drag with me (after 3 years!), that old feeling crept in. He’s so wonderful, sweet, gentle, and I hate him! I hate him because I like him so much and I know he’s being extra nice to me so he can suddenly leave me out in the cold, so he can get back at me to “avenge” Lita (And maybe for his own avenging, too. Gosh, we would’ve all been great “Survivor” contestants!) I know this is true because at the end of the evening, he had a whole whispering session with Lita, which entailed a lot of looks from both of them, at me. I think Luz also likes Carlos because when I was talking with him, Luz gave me a look that would have wilted a flower. Lita must have given Gerardo the sad story too. I am so fed up. Why didn’t she just put out a news bulletin! So, maybe I WAS beaming when I walked passed them all with Morris at the Baguio Country Club but so would have any one of them. Lita confuses me. She says she doesn’t give a hoot about Morris but she says that I knew about her wanting to go back to Morris and that I stole him. She swore to me several times before I started to see Morris that she didn’t want to have anything to do with him - ever! And the next day I walk by with Morris and she goes nuts. So, now we have Arno playing I’ll-defend-you-and-get-back-at-Lea. I think he’s getting back for himself!! Anyway, they can all fly a kite. I like Arno very much and he can try to hurt me but I won’t let him and if they want to play dirty, let them! Morris was right about everything! I did end up losing, while he’s scot free.



June 3 - Sunday

I went to Mass at 11 this morning and then to the ANC. Lit, Luli, Luz, Javi, Carlos, Pichuco and Gerardo were sitting at the pool. The boys all said hello but got only a feeble hi from the girls, She didn’t say a single word to me the whole morning. Arno was in a sarcastic mood this morning. Carlos was singing the whole time much to the exasperation of Luli. Jay Jay Po was there this noon and he gave me the warmest smile. I went to Mercy’s house this afternoon. Honey was there. I like him very much. He makes me feel as if nothing could ever harm me when he’s around. I got this same feeling with Morris. I went back to the ANC at 5 and sat with Ramon and Pichuco, Luz, and Carlos and Gerardo at the pool. Carlos is such a nice guy. Pichuco is nuts over Lita and I think its all in vain. Bomber came to talk to Pichuco and he gave me a look and a smile that made my heart turn over.



June 4 - Monday

I went to school this morning and I saw Magu, Margot Pimentel, etc. Sister Andrea did not have the results of my entrance exam yet so I’ll have to go back tomorrow with Mercy and Betsy Arrastia, who want to take a secretarial course at St. Paul’s. I hope they make it. I went to the ANC and spent the morning with Nacho, Carlos F., Arthur F., Gerardo etc. This afternoon I picked up Mercy and we went back to the ANC. Topsy joined us as did Ditas and Jessica Hagedorn. Jose Luis arrived later and also Gerardo and Carlos G.G. He couldn’t stay because they had someplace to go but asked me if I was going to be at the ANC tomorrow. How sweet of him and when he left he said “Adios carino.” Pitik-pitak. I talked to Pichuco tonight about Lita and she seems to have given him a very cold shoulder. He asked me my honest opinion and I told him it was a lost cause. I went to Di Marks with the Parents this evening. Had a pizza and ravioli. Carlos G.G. is so sweet. (Who in the heck was Carlos G.G.???)



June 5 - Tuesday

Betsy and Mercy took the entrance exams and Sister Andrea said I passed the exams and am officially accepted into college. I saw Sr. Chantal, Miss Jusi, Mrs. Patag and Miss Ocampo. I do hope Mercy and Betsy pass the exams and come to St. Paul’s too. This afternoon I went to the ANC but before I go into that, when we to the ANC this morning we got the coldest reception from Luli, Lita etc. I think Lita told Carlos about you-know-who because even he was a little cold too. Arno talked with us a while. I think Arno has the crazy idea he owns me. He acts like it. Yan, Mitch, Honey were at the ANC this afternoon too. Yan says he has a little doll for me. I sat with him, Mitch, Honey and Pichuco. Mercy sat with Betsy, Chiqui and Albert. Lita, Luli, Luz, Gerardo sat at another table. (Methinks that I sat with the best bunch that afternoon!) Mitch is a lot of fun and very nice to be with. He and Honey are a pair of happy boasters and they make one laugh a lot. Yan is the sweetest too. Mitch invited us to a party a his house on Saturday. He also brought me home. Honey is such a sweetheart. (Today, he would be the original Mr. McDreamy, or would I attribute that to Carlos Garcia!?) George came to Mercy’s house just as I was leaving. Lita almost called me a piece of you-know-what this evening (this, from Mercy) and Mitch doesn’t like Morris too much. He’s probably right about him. I hope Carlos doesn’t think less of me on account of what Lita has been spreading around. Oh, if Morris only knew what havoc our innocent little Baguio “adventure” has caused. Actually I think he does. I like Lita so much as a friend and all this trouble all for some guy who’s not worth the trouble.