First day of classes for the second semester, school year 2001-2002. In my junior advance subject class under Mrs. Avila, I was sitting in front with curiosity who would be my classmates that time. Turning my head to the right was a man in white collar shirt tucked in a Levi Strauss jeans sitting at the center aisle aligned to where i sit.
The figure of this man i guess, has been an inspiration to the girls in the university.(And if I'd to put myself into a dream, this man would be the best choice..nyahnyah) This man who walks like a military cadet, a hunky standing guy, a walking dictionary as the university addressed it, a genius looking man, a serious one and so on..makes me feel curious during freshman year.(Hu dat guy is? Interesting!!uu) He wasn't seen much in our Institute, as i have known, he was a very busy student. An officer of different organization in the whole university. And one thing he's a BSGE stude while I'm BSCE. Few chances of seeing him around brings a bit "kilig to the bones". (geehz)
Now the sight of this guy is at hand, he is a classmate, so near. Yes near and yet far. Here comes December and that man wasn't already attending the class. New year came, a friend told me, he entered PMA. No chances of talking to him or being acquainted.
March of last year, in a dinner after an elementary graduation ceremony where I was the invited guest speaker, Mr. Foronda (a former instructor, attended the said occasion where a sibling of him was a graduate) informed me that they attended the blow out of Lt. Ariel Toledo being the Valedictorian of PMA class '06. I asked Lt. Ariel's phone number and sent a congratulatory msge that i received no reply at all.
Few weeks before i left the country on June 23rd of this year, I was at the DPWH consultant's office of the ongoing construction of SUYO-CERVANTES ROAD. It was one of a fortunate day because the daily broadsheet was already out from the Japanese Consultant's office and has been at the secretary's desk.(It has been my habit to read the daily news and won't leave the office w/o doing it.) Front lining the news was, Lt. Toledo is suffering from an illness and his colleagues were raising funds for his major hospitalization. A prayer and hope for him to overcome the illness was the least thing i could do.
September 18, i ended up browsing the blog site of Atty. E. Cardinez and read her entry for Sept. 15. Opening @ reading her blog was a shock for me. -2nd Lt. Ariel Toledo interred in his native hometown....-As HE is in the military i gave high hope for him that he'll be given more than enough support from the gov't. Well, expect the none expected. Our life is not ours.
The man who caught my attention and who keeps my curiosity unanswered was eventually gone. He is now totally far.
A salute to you Lt. Ariel Toledo. Your deeds of perseverance/hardworking will be an inspiration to everyone. May your soul now rest in peace.
2 comments:
Hi, dropping by from the boondocks. It is really sad when young people like him who have a lot of potential have their life cut short. May he rest in peace.
Hello Bill,
Yes it is and I can't find a good reason why have to be them. Well, that must be what life called is.
Thanks for dropping by.
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