April 27 - Monday
Didn’t go to work. This afternoon Mercy called.
April 28 - Tuesday
I spent the evening at Mercy’s house. It was an especially nice evening mainly because Honey was there.
April 29 - Wednesday
Received postcard from Rudy and Mimi from Hong Kong.
April 30 - Thursday
Dinner at Litton house. Merienda at Za’s Café with Honey, George and Mercy.
May 1 - Friday - Labor Day
I spent the whole day at Mercy’s house and boy what a day!
May 2 - Saturday
Mercy had lunch at my house.
May 3 - Sunday
Went to Maligaya Beach with Mercy, George, Lita and Morris. Honey did not go. (Good heavens, I remember this disastrous outing. For me, anyway. Just look at the two couples and me by myself. And Honey not there. Truly pathetic!) Movies in the evening with Emil and Tito Eugenio.
May 4 - Monday
Went to the movies with Mom.
May 5 - Tuesday
Mercy and George at home this evening.
May 7 - Thursday
Mercy’s house this afternoon.
May 8 - Friday
Mercy and I merienda at Za’s Café. Got pictures of Roaring 20s party.
May 9 - Saturday
One lousy day.
May 10 - Sunday
Another one.
May 14 - Thursday
Ate lunch at Mercy’s house. I must really care for Honey. He and Mercy had a bad row. Dinner at Escaler home.
May 15 - Friday
I had a wonderful evening last night. Joe Vincent is darling. Asked me for a date today. Refused. (Why, I wonder?!!) Sunday instead. Also got paid today.
May 16 - Saturday
Joe Vincent called up for me but couldn’t talk to him. Stayed in Mercy’s house this evening.
May 17 - Sunday -
Date with Joe Vincent with Maribel Bona and Anthony Trillo. I had a wonderful evening. (And did I mention a first kiss at the end of my 1962 diary entries? Yes JV was the one. The interesting thing is that though I obviously started dating because I had gone out with Cliff and others from the MTG, I never thought of those dates as pivotal. I guess the reason is now obvious.)
May 18 - Monday
Maribel dropped me off at Ateneo. She said she had a nice evening last night too. Ate merienda at Mercy’s house. Declined date with Joe today but he called to confirm for tomorrow. Honey really surprises me at times. (I do wish I had explained these cryptic remarks of mine.)
May 19 - Tuesday
Date with Joe Vincent with Joey Escaler and Rosarito Caro. Went to Champagne Room, Playboy’s Penthouse, Alba’s, Shangrila and Continental. (Did JV know how to show a girl a good time or what?!) Met Joe’s father Johnny who was with Elvira Manahan. (Elvira Manahan - who knew that many years later I would be visiting Manila, staying with Mercy only for us all to be shocked by the news of her murder!) Lovely evening.
May 20 - Wednesday
Joe leaves today for the States. To coin a phrase - “It was nice while it lasted.”
May 21 - Thursday
Maribel and I went to the Acme for a moment and later she dropped me off at Mercy’s house. I only stayed a while.
May 22 - Friday
Movies with Yan and Chiqui and Mommy.
About Me
- Lea
- Brooklyn, New York, United States
- I was born in a Japanese concentration camp in Los Baños, Laguna in 1944 and raised in Manila. I spent my grade school years in Maryknoll College and high school years at St. Paul's College of Manila. I spent most of my summer leisure time at the Army Navy Club of Manila. I married a nice American man in 1965 and moved to New York. In 1969, I left New York for Barcelona and lived there 8 years. I returned to the States in 1977 and lived there until 2011. I visit Manila and Barcelona as often as I can. I have a lovely daughter and granddaughter.My father, Hal Bowie, died in Manila in 1974, and my mother, who moved back to Barcelona after his death, died in 1995. I retired from Polytechnic University (now NYU-Poly)in 2011 after 27 years! After moving to Florida I returned to NY after 8 years and now am living again in my first home in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn.
