Historian’s Nook

Most of the time, life will not treat you right.  It’s a dog-eats-dog world out there.  If you treat a person as trash, don’t ever be surprised if that person will treat you as one in the near future.  Call it quits since life is but one vicious cycle.  You have to be strong in order to survive: live or perish.  People die so that others may live.  And sometimes, life is just full of shit.  And again, in the end, don’t ever be surprised if people treat you as one piece of that.  Because in some cases, they just simply do.  What more can I say?  But this is the harsh reality of life.

Ever witnessed a frat rumble that happened right in front you?  Or better yet, ever witnessed a brawl that happened right inside your classroom?  Just remembered that once on a hot summer afternoon, and right after I dismissed my class in Jose Rizal course, a familiar student hurriedly entered our room and, to our surprise, immediately began pounding the head of one of my students.  Everything just happened so fast.  Malupit pala ang mga eksenang ganito.  Makapigil-hininga.  I was shouting them to break up the fight, but to no avail. Naisip kong mahirap pumagitna sa mga taong maiinit ang ulo.  Baka ako naman ang tamaan ng kadena sa ulo.  Parang ‘di yata kakayanin ng bumbunan kong tanggapin ang mga hambalos na ‘yun.  Tao lang ako… 

While this was happening, another student of mine outside the room was being chased by another angry soul.  Tumataas na ang presyon ng dugo ng mga tao, pati ang sa akin.  Unfortunately, I was the only faculty within the vicinity during those turbulent times.  And obviously, all the students involved weren’t listening to my heed to break up their respective scuffles.  Sigaw ka ng sigaw pero wala namang nakikinig sa ‘yo.  Maliwanag na mukha ka lang tanga.  Kung puwede lang na sumali na lang…

I was asking/ordering several onlookers/students to call the attention of the security guards on-duty, but again, all my instructions just fell on deaf ears.  Clearly, nag-e-enjoy/namamangha ang mga bata sa kanilang nasasaksihang aksyon sa canteen ng GAB.  Royal Rumble at its finest.  And live pa, with matching nagtutumbahang mga upuan, mga lamesa, mga tao, etc.  Within several minutes, the fight had ended.  But seemingly, e parang napakatagal na nangyari…  And after the smoke had cleared, two of my students suffered major head and eye injuries.  Ultimately, on we went to the hospital of the Filipino people, the ever reliable PGH… 

Indeed, an unforgettable moment to my teaching career: what with the issued subpoenas, affirmed statements, received notices, sworn affidavits, being made a principal witness, etc.  Ayon nga kay Gat Jose Rizal, ‘ang kabataan ang siyang pag-asa ng bayan’. Nandito ang ilan sa kanila: nag- Summer Slam sa Gusaling Andres Bonifacio.  Sugod mga kapatid!