It’s the October Grand Kapihan party at Willow Root for Batch63 birthday celebrants (September / October). Of the six celebrants, only four managed to make it. These were Lito Domantay, Francis Horn, Ned Bulatao, and Boy Carlos. I understand that Vic Corpus and Joey Estagle sent in their blowout contribution (and their by-your-leave) and so they were there in spirit - as Vince Misa would say.
The Batch63 guys came in force to avail of the free breakfast. As we know, DLS Taft guys (tough guys?) consist of 3 main groupings: The Spanish-speaking; the Tagalog-speaking; and the Chinese-speaking. In the spirit of fun, we can actually give these group names. Thus, at the Grand breakfast, the first group are the Conyos (due to their propensity to abuse this interesting Spanish word). The Conyos are: Polding Arnaiz, Bert Saenz, Linggoy Araneta, Raffy Villareal and Douglas Marcaida. They mostly sat at their usual end of the long table where they engaged in high decibel Castillian banter!
The next group is the TTs (Tagalog-talking?). The TTs are: Vince Misa, Tony Estonina, Joey Ingles, Gabby Valdez, Baby Angeles,
Birthday celebrant Lito Domantay was in high spirits despite the fact that he had just closed down his 7th Note Music Bar – the memorable DLS hangout in Malugay Street. According to Lito, it was a business decision on his part. The place was taken over by a younger group of DLS guys and will now be called Charlies Jazz Bar & Resto. Lito’s Vision Express continues to do well with a new branch he recently established in Hawaii. In his personal life, Lito is dutifully tending to his young son and his common law partner (mother to his son) in a condo that he had provided them. This led Vince Misa to say that if any pretty chick ever aspires for a place in Manila, they may try contacting LD.
Francis Horn is still involved in the financial packaging business. Apart from work, he and his wife Alma are committed to parish work and I’m sure guiding along their two grown-up productive children. Francis is scheduled to be in the USA next week for a business trip. Ned Bulatao’s four children are also grown up so he is now an empty nester. Empty nest is a very real term for Ned since we know that he lost wife Irene years ago. Since his retirement from the Ayala Group (and getting over his great loss of Irene), Ned has allowed himself to be left behind by the digital revolution. However today, he is bouncing back (unlike his mail). He is now seeking help on how to remove from his computer those MSWord pop-up critters (that asks how it may help you write an essay). Ned is exasperated since it gets in the way of his writing. Soon maybe, Ned will eventually have an Email and cellphone like everybody else.
And let’s not forget our last celebrant, Boy Charles. What can I say about Boy Charles? He is still living with his dog and with no wife in his house in Paranaque. He had three dogs but he lost two due to their old age. Per Bert Saenz, Boy may not be interested in women anymore. I’m told that Boy already has old time friend Mary Palmer with whom he has gotten inured to.
Mis amigos, otro dia otro cuento. I beg the indulgence of the celebrants and the readers if I had been too candid and loose with descriptions of my Batch63 friends. Likewise for the toilet shot (after breakfast) of the unsuspecting foursome. But this is the no-holds barred Menagerie and at this age as they say, what is there to lose? What is important is that we’re having fun. What is important is that we love these guys despite everything. And so from Batch63 to the celebrants: feliz compleanos al nuestro carinos hombres! Thanks for the wonderful breakfast and camaraderie today. Mabuhay tayo!
