LORENZO ELRIC GARCHITORENA

"SO GUYS, we hereby welcome you to YoLO! We hope you'll enjoy and learn something from your stay in our organization!"

A tall guy stood in front of us and started to speak with condensendence, and it echoes within the four corners of the room 306 of Sister Agatha Building. His hair cascaded down to his neck; he kinda reminds me of Keanu Reeves. Base rin sa suot niyang uniform, he may be be under the College of Business and Accountancy.

And look at this moron who said that he's not joining at any club in their school. How funny na dito rin pala ako babagsak. Great!

Yeah, I have no choice. But I do have actually--iyon ay kung sasali ako sa isa sa mga club or magiging isa na lang akong homeless man. Yet, there's our school dean, a.k.a. Sir Hades (if Disney decided to have a live action remake of Hercules, he could be the perfect choice to portray the god of the underworld) who encouraged us to join these clubs, or else we'll have a record to The Office of the Prefect of Discipline. Kay gandang encouragement ang ibinigay sa amin.

Mula sa kinauupuan ko sa bandang sulok ng classroom, tantiya kong nasa 17 kaming mga katao na nakikinig sa orientation na ito. At talagang nakakaantok nga habang nakikinig kami sa mga kung anong discussion ang ni-ready nila para sa amin.

"And thank you for choosing YoLO to be your partner sa pag-grow ninyo hindi lang bilang estudyante kung hindi as an individual outside the school." The other guy with a spiky hair who is sitting at the front desk beside Mr. Keanu Reeves also started to speak.

I would like to thank Sir Hades with all due respect for dragging me down to this scenario.

"But before anything else, gusto lang naming magpakilala sa inyo." Mr. Keanu Reeves then introduced himself. "Good day, ako nga pala si Dennis Aldrei Mercado, a third year BS Accountancy student. The president of this club." At saka niya isinulat ang pangalan sa whiteboard. How strange that his name is spelled as Denise which is the female variant of Dennis.

"Hello!" Sumunod na nagpakilala ang kasama niya. "Josiah Samartino here. A BS Environmental Science student."

"So, ano nga ba ang purpose ng club na ito?" Denise asked all of us while he starts to walk along the aisle na para bang teacher na nag-e-enjoy sa discussion niya.

"Bakit na-establish ang club na ito kung in the first place, mayroon namang Student Council na nagli-lead sa atin, 'di ba?"

"We do believe na may kaniya-kaniya tayong leadership skills. We can lead without being entitled; we can have our own ways. Kaya nating tumulong at magbigay ng gabay nang may pagkukusa. We are not all born leaders, Pero nade-develop iyan out of our will to serve and to lead!"

Sa totoo lang ay nabo-bore na ako habang tina-tap ko ang fingers ko sa desk. Gusto ko na lang lumabas ng classroom at magpunta na lang sa library. I would rather slouch around and do nothing. Every single time when I do something, it will just turn chaotic.

"Guys, para sa inyo, ano ang qualities na dapat ay mayroon ang isang leader?" tanong ni Josiah, at saka niya kinuha ang sheet of paper na pinag-fill-up-an namin ng mga pangalan before the orientation starts.

Pumili sila sa mga nakikinig and they based on the attendance sheet. Dang! I'm hoping na hindi ako matawag. I'm really crossing my fingers because I don't want to give dishonor to myself.

"O-ne-mig... Raymundo?" And there goes the Criminology student who I encountered during the Org Fair who stood up sa may bandang middle seats.

"Ah, sir, Wan-mig po ang pronunciation sa pangalan ko..." He scratched his head. I really thought na may position din siya sa club kaya todo effort ang pag-promote niya. But it turns out that he's also a newbie like me.

Mukhang pina-practice na niya ang... Whatchamacallit? Oh! Leadership skills niya.

Great...

"Kuya na lang. We don't do formalities here. Lahat tayo ay leader dito."

"Sige... Kuya, para po kasi sa akin..." Then he started to speak like a noble knight. "Ang isa sa mga quality ng pagiging leader ay 'yong handa mong pagsilbihan ang mga tao nang walang hinihiling na kapalit. Katulad din noong sinabi n'yo, tayo ang magiging guide nila."

"As an SK official po kasi sa aming barangay, tungkulin po namin na gawin ang trabaho namin nang maayos para sa kapakanan ng kapuwa. Hindi lang iyon trabaho, eh. Parang responsibilidad na nakaakibat na kasabay ng power na ipinagkaloob sa iyo. Matawagan man tayong pabibo o bida-bida dahil sa paglalaan natin ng oras sa pagtulong, at least nakatutulong tayo. Nagkakaroon ng aksyon ang lahat ng dapat bigyan ng solusyon.

"Nakakalungkot lang kasi na may ibang namumuno sa atin na kapag oras ng kampanya ay todo hingi sila ng suporta mula sa atin, pero kung nasa posisyon na sila at kung kailan may mga nangangailangan ng tulong sa kanila ay para na lang nagiging silang si Avatar Aang... They vanish. Nagbubulag-bulagan at nagbibingi-bingihan na lang sila dahil nakuha na nila ang gusto nila."

After his lengthy (and boring) speech, nagsipalakpakan ang lahat ng tao sa buong classroom. May isa pa ngang kaklase niya ang nagsisisigaw ng "SK chairman namin iyan!". The two officers even commended him.

Doon ko na-realize na maling club ang nasalihan ko; I really don't belong here.

---

After ng orientation, lumabas na ako ng school para makabili ng makakain, dahil kanina pa ako gutom. Good thing at hindi rin ako natawagan para magbigay ng lengthy speech sa orientation kanina. I would just create mess.

Dumeretso ako sa hilera ng mga nagbebenta ng street foods sa may fence ng parking area ng university.

My mouth watered pagkakita sa bagong lutong fried isaw na kahahango lang ni Manong mula sa kawali. I grabbed a plastic cup at inunang kunin ang tatlong piraso ng fried chicken intestines. Then, I also grabbed sticks of fried chicken skin. Lastly, I poured some orange-colored glob from a tumbler and a dash of spicy vinegar with onions.

As I popped a piece of chicken skin into my mouth, I already feel the sin coming inside me just like when Eve ate the forbidden fruit.

Well, who can't deny it? Who can't deny the goodness behind these sinful treats? These crunchy, melts-in-the-mouth pieces are like euphoria in the mouth.

Pero halos maubo ako nang mayroong tumapik sa akin.

"Kumusta, mehn!" That ray of sunshine made me nauseated. It was the Criminology student guy from the YoLO orientation.

"Uy, nakita kita sa orientation kanina," he said cheerfully while getting some fried breaded hotdogs. Napaiwas na lang ako sa kaniya habang kumuha ulit ng isang stick ng fried isaw.

"Sabi ko nang tama ang magiging decision mo!" He gulped before speaking once again. Can I already shut his mouth?

"By the way, Juan Miguel Raymundo pala. Onemig for short."

"Lorenzo," matipid ko na lang na sagot. I don't have time for this.

"Oh, nice meeting you, Lorenzo! Kain ka lang mabuti riyan!" And he tapped again my shoulders before getting more food from the stall. Seriously, ano ba ang gusto ng lalaking ito sa buhay?

What's with this guy? Ano ba ang trip niya sa buhay?

-30-