CLASS PICTURE

A couple of days ago, Engel found something that made his heart skip a beat. He uncovered a treasure he lost a few years ago. He found his class pictures again. Memories of his childhood and his youth resurfaced and it was great.

The pictures are still intact and in good condition, just as he last remembers it. Pictures from his pre-school to about his third year in college. So now, Engel is in reminiscing mode. But this post wouldn't be recounting his high school college or grade school days. That's been done by everyone and he doesn't really have that many stories to tell. School days were boring as he was a good boy back then (well, except for college).

Seeing the younger version of himself and his classmates made him remember all of his friends back then. If you've been reading since the beginning of his blog, you'd know Engel kept only one friend from his youth and most of his friends are the ones he met from his professional life.

He wonders now what's happened to those people he was buddies with back then. Facebook's alot of help in keeping up with those people, but a reunion would really be nicer.

MIKKO (bff from 1st grade and all throughout primary school)
Engel's first friend when he entered the all boy's school. He was rich, came from a huge family and was one of the cool kids. Looking back, they never really had much in common, they only became friends because they're always next to each other (seating arrangements usually follow the alphabetical order). Friendship sort of ended because of (surprise) a girl. Engel did not crush on Mikko's girl, but he did doubt Mikko's chances to be that girl's beau. And for a friend looking for support, that wasn't necessarily a good move.

RAMON (from 4th grade - 2nd year high school)
Ramon was the friend that slowly turned Engel to the geek that he is. He was the smartest kid in school so that was great. They often talk about X-Men the Animated Series and The Simpsons and Ghostbusters. Engel would often borrow Ramon's Archie and Tin Tin comics, and in turn Engel usually lends his RL Stine Fear Street and Christopher Pike novels to the other. Friendship slowly died in high school when Ramon transferred to a school for smarter kids. He's a doctor now in the US, by the way.

ALEKHINE (bff in pre-school)
This kid was a loser in pre-school. He was cool, had the neat toys, but was sort of a loner. Who knew pre-school kids would have that, right. They became close because Khine was the son of Engel's pediatrician. He was actually the kid who gave Engel one of the best gifts he received during his 7th birthday (which was stolen by a distant relative a few hours later). Engel stalks the guy every now and then as he turned out to be a really gorgeous guy. Yeah, Engel's creepy.

MOSES (from grade school to high school)
They weren't really bff's because they don't have anything in common. But they were close. In grade school, they worshipped the devil, played grab each other's balls and he mostly kicked Engel's ass. In high school, before he became one of the cool guys, they often hang out with each other to talk about rich kid stuff (which Engel knew very little of, but was a very good listener). Engel got disappointed when he found out Moses hooked up with his gay classmate. Anyway, now he's a professional poker player with a kinda pretty girlfriend. Apparently though, nothing happened between them, so Engel still has the distinction of having grabbed Moses' junior when they were still in grade school!!!

DARWIN (best friend in 3rd and 4th grade)
During his school days, Engel often attracted the school loners. Darwin was one of them. That may be because they were two of the very few people in class who got in the children's choir. Darwin was a rich kid and even as a kid, was very attractive. If Engel recalls correctly, Darwin may have been Engel's first male crush. Anyway, Darwin was often victim of his classmates stealing his stuff. And to make matters worse, his mother got into a very scandalous feud with one of their classmate's mother. So after 4th grade, Darwin transferred to a new school. Engel wonders now how he grew up to be.

There's actually alot more. There's the taekwondo player, the ugly duckling, Engel's high school crush, his nerdy cliques (who mostly grew up to be hunks), the emo high school cliques and his gay friend. But maybe some other time.

Engel's sick today and he really would like to take advantage of the sleep-conducive weather. Fever and insomnia's making things miserable for him right now though.