My first booze

So, there we were, on a mission to find some grub. Back then, I was still a clean slate, no vices or anything. I did try sneaking a Champion cigarette when I was in second grade, but man, it was gross. So, smoking was a big no-no for me. Turns out, all my buddies were into it though.

"Oy, Chris... want a smoke?" Lacson offered.

"Nah, I don't smoke," I told him.

"What! We thought you did. You're Tagalog, right?" Lacson reasoned.

"So? Just 'cause I'm Tagalog means I gotta smoke?"

"Well, we thought you were kinda snobby," chimed in Tamondong.

"Me? Nah, man... Who did I even snub?"

"Well, you're a Science whiz!" said Tamondong.

"How's that being snobby? Science is my jam, so I actually study it," they had no idea I practically lived at the municipal library for science stuff. Our teacher had this crazy method where she'd make us research definitions of terms related to our next topic and we had to recite them from memory in class. If you bombed, the whole class would know. She didn't mind if you tried and failed, but it was way better to nail it with a brief, clear definition, which she'd then elaborate on. Back then, unabridged dictionaries and encyclopedias were our Google. You had to read and understand the assignment, and I always made sure to jot down notes I'd review 15 minutes before her class. This is why I majored in Biological Science. That teacher was my strictest ever, but she influenced me big time. She even praised me once when I drew illustrations for her 3rd Periodical exam, adding "illustration by:" next to my work. That was the first time I felt proud of myself, and more people got to know about my drawing talent. Plus, I got a +2 on my card, which was my highest grade at 87.

"Hey, do you guys drink?" Lacson asked.

"What about you, Chris?" Lacson again.

"Nah, man... And I'm kinda broke too."

"Come on! My treat! Just a few bottles!" Lacson insisted. So he bought us each a cold "Beer na Bee"r, which was way cheaper than San Miguel Pale Pilsen back then. I think it was only around four pesos. That was my first time drinking and feeling a buzz. We talked about all sorts of stuff. They were curious about my life and thought I was rich. I explained how I also harvested corn, mung beans, and sometimes rice. George could relate because he did the same. Lacson's family was into rice milling and farming machinery rentals, fertilizers, and other agricultural stuff. Tamondong's family rented out sound systems and live bands. Sison's family were engineers and doctors. And Jeffrey, well, his dad was a tricycle driver and his mom did laundry. We probably had a case of beer, all on Lacson, including our lunch. I didn't even realize I had started smoking too.

As students poured out for lunch, we joined the flow heading to the plaza. Lacson bought a ton of Double Mint to mask our smell and a cheap cologne, probably around five pesos. I can't remember the brand, but since it was in a blue bottle, he thought it was for men. We smelled sweet as sugar after spraying it on our clothes. Lacson turned the cologne into holy water for us.

We straightened ourselves up and took Lacson's advice to act normal and not stumble. None of us were actually stumbling, but I felt the world swaying. I had a bit too much for my first time. It tasted like soda, and after a while, you didn't even notice the bitterness! And those burps were filling. We passed through the small gate entrance without any issues, and the big guy who had shooed us away earlier was gone. So, what was the point of not letting us in earlier? We kept walking, agreeing not to talk since the drunk voice was a dead giveaway, including mine. Luckily, I'm not a rowdy drunk. And I noticed my problems had vanished from my mind. Who knows, maybe they'd come crashing back later.

"Hey, did you do the assignment for Values Education?" Jeffrey suddenly asked in a slurred voice.

"Huh? Was there one?" I replied, also slurring.

We couldn't keep our mouths shut and started talking, trying to hide our condition.

"Guys, I don't think we can go in like this," I burped, reminding them. "Let's stop by the cafeteria. I need an Ovaltine," said Lacson, who could hold his liquor. George was also fine. They went in and bought Ovaltine. We waited outside, by the gym. It was shady under the acacia trees. A few sips of that hot chocolate calmed me down. My mind started to drift. I even got a bit giddy. They were talking about something I couldn't grasp. My eyes were glued to the far distance, the blue sky, and the trail of smoke from what was probably a space shuttle. That's when my zoning out began. No matter what I did, my mind felt empty. I don't even remember finishing my drink or how we ended up inside the Values Education class. Zoning out became a habit. It was like I was on autopilot while my soul took a nap or went to the restroom. I didn't even notice Jennifer was there.