Goodfellas!

This may be the most important mini reunion of Class 61 for 2009! Its success hopefully will lead to some other mini reunions soon. This is a study of three members of the 61 family, played over a 25-year stretch. Joe steals the scene: see how fit and happy he is, classic PMA look. Perhaps - is it because of a loving wife Myrna who is a nurse: it is said (someone said it anyway in Speech 101 at Diliman) that “nurses make the best wives”! Agpayso daytoy, Joe? We praise to the skies that at least one member of the family has taken to saving souls (I would stand corrected if there are others that we don’t yet know about). Brother Frank has devoted his career to spreading the good gospel.

(Photo, from left: Joe, Rudy, Frank. Maysa pay coma, ni Arthur ngem awan, on holiday in Canada. At the New Jersey Lambino residence).

And Rudy, he is a super host in our landscape of the 61 network. As in 2004, he and Olive also jumped into their van to collect me at my cousin’s at the Bronx, and on to LaGuardia Airport to pick up Ludy B-A, and we got so tangled up and mis-communicated looking for her, it took about four rounds before we found a hungry and low-blood-sugar Ludy waiting at the United cargo office. Pasahero siya, hindi ba? Anyway, all anxious for lunch and sweating, we had a very nice pasta repast, at one of their favorite restaurants, exchanged a lot of news over these long years and vowed we’d get together soon. (I digress: one of our favorite Mediterranean restaurants in Seattle is called “Olive You” – Rudy, please pass this on to Olive and hope she catches the drift !!)

Here is Rudy’s account:

After responding to a missed call in my Blackberry, it turned out to be Myrna Andaya. Without hesitation, I hopped into my van and drove to Kew Gardens in Queens, NY to meet the couple I have not seen for over 25 years. The last time I saw Joe and Myrna in this area was in 1984, when they were touring the US on their way home to the Philippines.

My first inclination was to invite them over for dinner and talk about our classmates - some fortunate and others their misfortune.

Before I proceed, Joe accepted to lead us to the 2011 Grand Reunion in Baguio. He is more than happy to Evelyn's taking the lead role in organizing and delegating the sub-committees.

Pastor Frank's whereabouts came out of our conversation - which I noted lives a couple of miles where Joe and Myrna are staying. As soon as I got home that night, I got the contact information by phone and email to Joe and Franklin. I believe, they were able to "hook" up that same night or the following day. That same day, they decided to make that 1-hour trip to my place. I'm honored with their decision to see me. I had my wife, Olivia, prepare some Ilocano "pacbet" and "mongo" soup. We didn't have enough "mongo" so she had to use whatever beans are available in the cupboard. Joe was clamoring for a can of "Ligo"sardines which I don't store; but he found a can of flat Norwegian sardines, which he said will do. This is simple living for me - they did not give me a chance to prepare for this honorable visit.

Unfortunately, my wife was not around to roll the welcome mat to my visiting high school classmates. She was with my grandkids who were attending Chinese classes.

We were not able to contact (by phone) Arthur, who is currently vacationing in Toronto, Canada.

I'm fortunate to have two (I should say, three which includes Myrna) Christian loving people bless the food that we partook. I seldom have company who speak freely about the Christian-way of life. In that short span of time, they have pointed Bible passages which I had to digress in the past and now starting to understand. This was indeed a memorable Christian day for me.

Praise the Lord for getting us together this memorable day - May 30, 2009.

Rudy