Our class seats that time were arranged alphabetically and I unfortunately had to sit beside him. I hated it. Hahahaha. He's loud and always have a lot of stories to tell, asking me about the tv shows I watch, the books I read, pretty much anything under the sun.
That time, he's an Ambeth Ocampo fanatic so you could imagine how he annoyed me with his adventures with Antonio Luna, Andres Bonifacio, Apolinario Mabini and of course Jose Rizal (which I came to like later from the book he gave me "Luna's Moustache"). There was a time I almost got in trouble in class because he was such a chatterbox he couldn't stop talking! Hahaha.
Some people in school found him to be "mayabang" because he's an "inglisero". But in all fairness with him, he's smart and intellectually engaging. He's actually the culprit why i suddenly got the hang of conversational English (thanks 'tol hehe).
Well, he also claimed to be an atheist (yes you did, 'tol hahaha) and he did tell me he didn't believe the Bible. That he would read anything but not the Bible haha. I remembered myself fuming in annoyance of him like everyday hahaha, but coz I was an avid Christian that time, I kept him in prayers.
Then this fateful day in Liliw, Laguna happened. He joined a leadership training seminar where I happened to be one of the facilitators. During the final challenge night, I saw him holding on to his bible while blindfolded and "aggressors" were trying to take it from him. He received Christ there! 😃 In the bus, on our way back home, he told me, he felt so at peace and he didn't want to lose that feeling ever.
We've become best of friends since then. Been a one hell of an adventure with him hahaha. Some things are better left unsaid. Well, as they say, the rest is history. Norman will always be my best friend for life (but he never grows over that I also have Janice as my other bestfriend hahaha), but yeah he will always be dear to me.
This song below was made for him back in 1998. Happy old-age day, 'tol! Hahaha. 😋
Funny are the times that I seem not to know you
Crazy are the moments when I can't understand
Feeling so bad, but joy is in my heart
Coz I know my friend that I love you more than that.
Blessed am I to have you in my life
With you I find more meaning in all that I have
In my heart I'll cherish all the things we have together
Look into my eyes you'll see that we are friends forever.
Together we'll go to the mountaintop
Even the words we say are not enough
Feel the heartbeat of my love for you my friend
Like the waters of the river that never ends
I'll let it go, i'll let it flow
Coz you're my bestfriend.
That I know.
