Walang Pasok

It’s a rainy Tuesday and thanks to typhoon Pedring classes in schools are suspended and no work in government and private sectors. When I woke up this morning, I was not actually looking forward for a text message from our office informing us that “walang pasok” for today (sinungaling!). After I took a cold shower my phone beeped and lo and behold, I received a text message from my manager.

“Hi everyone wala ng pasok. Ingats na lang!”

Of course I am happy but I would be happier if I read the text message a bit earlier when I was still lying on my bed and enjoying the few minutes to sleep before I would snooze again my alarm clock. As I changed my clothes back to my pambahay outfit, the hand of time brought me back to the days I was still in college. I remember once again the euphoria of cancelled class in the dorm where I stayed for five years.

If you still remember the Nescafe commercial wherein guys are running around the corridor and eagerly going downstairs with a loud shout of Walang Pasooook!!!, it’s a similar scenario back in my dorm days. Interns go wild and shout along the hallways waking all sleepy heads and spreading the good news that classes are suspended. But we are only recipient of the good news. Thanks to our female counterparts in the ladies dorm, they unfailingly update us if classes are suspended during stormy days in Baguio (the dean of students affairs is in charge in announcing cancellation of classes and he used to live in the ladies dorm as director).

Men’s Dorm: Hi Beh gud am gising ka na?  Me pasok ba?

Ladies’Dorm: Hi Beh gud am oo gising na ako. Wala pa announcement si dean eh.

Men’s Dorm: Text mo ko ha pag walang pasok. Lab u!

(after ilang minutes…)

Ladies’ Dorm: Tulog ka pa beh…declared na ni dean walang pasok! Lab u din!

Hindi na nagtext back si Men’s Dorm.

Men’s Dorm: Hi Angel slip pa u. walang pasok declared na. lab u!

Lady outside Ladies Dorm: Talaga? Sure ka? Lab din u!

Men’s Dorm: Oo sinabi ng friend ko sa Ladies Dorm.

(The Other Woman- Dorm Days Version)

Actually I miss this kind of moment and not the conversation above, the days when classes are suspended. Good thing my memory still serves me well. I can still picture out our breakfast when classes are suspended. Walang pasok means longer time to sleep and late breakfast for all of us. No breakfast will be served beyond 8 o’clock, so when 7:50 strikes, that’s the time we all go down to Mess Hall for our breakfast (syempre sinulit bawat minuto ng pagtulog). During those times, we bring with us our mugs and utensils as we go down the Mess Hall. Almost all of us are singkit looking with our eyes half opened with some morning glory (muta) on our chinky eyes. We also look like K-pop stars with our hairs pointing at different direction sans hair wax (talagang bagong gising ang itsura).  Wearing our sweatshirts, pajamas or jogging pants (wearing shorts and shortsleeves are not allowed during mealtime eh) disiplinado pa rin kami to fall in line for our food.  We call it “Blockbuster sa Mess Hall” (parang premiere night lang ng movie ni John Llyod) because of the long queue for our food served in cold silver platter.

After breakfast kanya-kanyang trip na. Interns room hop from one room to another planning for the next best thing to do. Based on the survey conducted here are top five things to do when classes are suspended:

1. Counter Strike- Dota was not yet in the picture during our time.
2. DVD Marathon- Do you still remember burning multiple CD for a season of Smallville?
3. Sound trip- Nothing beats our reliable hangout barkada- Guitar!
4. Matulog at matulog pa ng matulog – no need to explain. This is self explanatory.

And finally joining the list is….

1. Maglaba- I don’t know pero even on rainy days I see interns wash their clothes sa CR.

Interns tend to get bored quickly, after doing the list above, right after eating lunch, mabibigla ka na long some interns changed their outfit to jackets, shorts, and slippers and go out the dorm amid the strong winds and heavy rains. I am one of these guys who goes out. Even if it is raining cats and dogs outside, lakwatsa pa rin without our umbrellas. Naliligo kami sa ulan. We enjoy getting wet under the rain. Our destination most often back then is Centermall but when SM Baguio opened, no one cares to drop by Centermall.

I still can’t forget one of our visits in Centermall when we are soaking wet, we still decided to watch a movie (lakas trip lang). Good thing mabait yung theatre attendant and she allowed us to enter the movie house and enjoy watching Evolution with our A&W burgers and floats! After the movie, we go back rushing our way back to dorm (giniginaw na kasi sa lamig).

Back inside the dorm we just grabbed our towels in our respective rooms and head straight for shower. After having ice-cold shower… mainit na pancit canton awaits our cold death-hungry (patay-gutom) tummies!

Indeed there is euphoria of cancelled class in the dorm.