Girl! Full name for maximum impact because you are a force to be reckoned with.
I set out determined to write something that will tug at your heartstrings and make you shed tears (or tear lang?) but I realise we don’t really do cheesy, it’s so out of character! Especially because we’ve spent years growing our skins thick on account of our endless daotan. Or if not that, then from self-asar because heller we’d rather daot our own selves than let other people get the better of us.
College would have been a lot more gruelling if you weren’t there to tide those years with me. I think apart from faith (because you know I still prayed vehemently those days) it was mostly humour that got us through. And countless cups of Kopiko Brown or was it Nescafe Creamy Latte that was your 3n1 of choice? Starbucks was reserved only for special occasions, like before a nine hour apocalyptic business combi test (apocalyptic because lindol and hostage taking!) although I have vague recollection of studying in Technohub with you because you always went home to Bulacan on weekends. But on week nights I hung out in your room in Kamia almost without fail and on your bed in particular because you always kept it so cozy and neat. Unlike Khaye’s! Charot love you Mrs. Khaye! Also can you tell me how many pairs of Havaianas you own now?
Speaking of Havaianas, I still can’t believe you trekked three mountains and climbed down a steep slope to Lake Holon in those! Sobrang tibay! And that’s already after a near fatal white water rafting incident that left me scared shitless because I wouldn’t be able to explain to your family how you ended up dead, drowned in Davao river, under my care. Obviously and thankfully we survived. Are those Havs still alive?
When I think of you, I can only think of laughter; loud, boisterous and eskandalo kind of laughter. I think we get along so well because what we lack in Miss Universe qualifying looks, we more than make up for in wit and confidence because nobody’s perfect and if we think someone is, for sure mabaho paa. Our memories date back fifteen years from Kalai days and that’s a lot of years. As opposed to Mrs. Khaye’s what, five, six years with that guy with an H in his name. Charot love you Mrs. Khaye!
What I’m trying to say is you’ve been my friend for so long and you know me so well to the point of you getting angrier than me at any person I’m supposed to be angry at! And I can’t really say that for many people so I’m so grateful for having you in my life. I think that’s the cheesiest I could get here.
You already know my wishes for you, it’s practically the same every year; that you reach your dream of becoming a housewife soon. Charot! That and many many more.
Happiest birthday girl!! I can’t wait for our next daotan session!
P.S. Sometimes I think about the kuyas and ates from review school and wonder where they are now and if they still live up to the names we branded them like ate floral, kuya tallbig, ate top 1 and kuya footsie. I hope they are well!
P.P.S more recent pics lang because heller papadaot pa ba tayo? Dapat ganda lang!
