7.13.2007

teacher, may I go to the washroom?

Seven years ago, I was in a short queue (relative to UP pilahan) at the Registrar’s Office at my high school alma mater, St. Paul, Pasig, about to pay for my elective class. I chose Painting, since I really wanted to learn how to paint. While in line, I asked around who were going to enrol for Painting elective class. Mae Ramos. Mai Sibayan. Val Calma. Ah okay. Sila lang naman yung mga artists ng batch namin. Tipong kapag pinag-drawing mo sila ng tao, tao nga ang ido-draw. Hindi man lang stick people. Hmph, obedient. Tse.

When it was my turn to pay for Painting, then and there, I just changed my mind (fickle na pala ako dati pa): “Ate, Video Production na lang po ako.” Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I chickened out, thank you very much.

At iyon ang pinakamagandang pagkakatawang-manok ko sa aking buhay-tao.

I enjoyed my Video Production class so much that in college, I shifted to Film after only a year as a Broadcast Communication major (na wala pang na-te-take na Broad Comm subjects ni isa). To this day, I credit my Video Prod teacher, Ms. Kathlyn Pike, for making me realize that I want to be a director.

Seven years later, I credit Ms. Pike for making me want to be a Video Production teacher myself. In the same school.

I now am.

“Ms. Tonette” ang itawag nyo sa akin.

I wanted our first day of class to be light and fun. (In school, I hated teachers who would start the year with a lesson. Tse.) That day, I got to know 11 new faces (two were absent). Dalawa lang ang naalala kong pangalan. Jenica. Ances. Sila lang ang may nametag.

Assignment #1: Class, next week, please wear a name tag. (Kung ayaw nyong matawag na "Yes?" tuwing mag-re-recite.)

As expected, my class (just like most Pinoys) hardly ever watch Pinoy films. I asked one of them, “What’s the last Filipino film you’ve seen?” After a while, she said, “Pinay Pie.” Ay kamusta ka naman. That Star Cinema film (starring Ai-ai delas Alas) was released some four years ago! Sad. Pero in fairness, ako nga, hindi napanood yun e.

I took that as a cue. I asked them if they know of the Lino Brocka. No daw. Huwat?! I asked them if they know of the Ishmael Bernal. No din daw. Huwaaaaat?! (My huwaat was very audible, by the way.) I asked them if they of Joyce Bernal. Their faces lit up. “Yeeeeees!!!” Huwaaaaw.

Aba, aba. In fairness kay Direk Joyce. Mas sikat pa kina Brocka at Ishma. Pero hindi ko alam kung matutuwa o malulungkot ako. So na-alarm na lang ako.

Mental note to self: Make them watch as many Brocka and Bernal films as possible. Both Bernals.

After some time, I was already blabbing about incoherent anecdotes on how much TV commercial directors are paid, Paano Kita Iibigin?, the haunting last scene in Ishma’s Ikaw ay Akin, UP, my high school batch, et cetera et cetera. I was actually waiting for the dismissal bell to ring; it never came. I ended my class fifteen minutes overtime. With a prayer.

Tsk. In school, I hated teachers who would end their class late, but class, please don’t hate me yet. I have the whole school year to make up for that. At gawin kayong mga direktor.

I’m loving this so far. Dear God, salamat po.

And “St. Paul, pray for us.”#