P.U.T.S. :)

         

        A tambayan is an area or place where people hang out. We all have our favorite tambayans. It could be any part of the house, a coffee shop, the library, parking lot, and just about place any where we feel at home and most comfortable. Back in college, my friends and I used to hang out at Palma Hall Annex, specifically on the ground floor, below the stairs. If my memory serves me right, there were two wooden benches under the stairs, strategically placed across each other which made the place an ideal tambayan. Very homely and cozy.

        My list of college friends grew longer because of that tambayan. I cannot remember exactly how I grew my roots on that place. But I give the credit to Bogs Reyes and Myla Miranda for bringing me and a few of my friends there, and introducing us to people who inhabited the place first. The rest is history as they say. Our tambayan became an integral part of my college life, our college life I should say. That place has been a witness to all our pains, joys, triumphs, make-ups, and break-ups. Everyday, we looked forward going  there most especially during lunch, vacant periods, and after classes. Our day was not complete without lounging in that place, eating food from nearby CASAA, and trading jokes and friendly barbs while sitting on the floor (the two benches could not accommodate all of us). 

        Our group then was a melting pot of people from different courses or colleges. What did we have in common? Our tambayan of course! It amazes me how we all found our way to that place considering the fact that we hailed from different departments of UP Diliman, of which some were far from “Phan”, short for Palma Hall Annex. In other words, we really did not have much in common, except for the friendships that were cultivated and nourished. I must admit that I did not necessarily warm up to some of them, most especially when more and more people started to tambay in that place. There were even times when I felt out of place, and did not go there anymore. I know that they perceived me as a snob. I am just shy actually, and will not be the first one to start a conversation. 

        With the advent of Facebook, I searched for them and found some of them. Since my official FB account is only roughly four months old, then I am still in the process of rummaging around the net to look for the others. Some have accepted my friend request, while some did not. I sent them messages, but only a few replied. Maybe they do not remember me basically because, perhaps, I did not create much of an impact to their lives. But I have to say though, that my greatest contribution to our group, is giving our tambayan a legitimate name – P.U.T.S., an abbreviation for People Under The Stairs. 

"PHAN"

          

        Digital cameras and camera phones were not yet in vogue that time. Hence, no tools or gadgets to capture our bonding moments - the laughter, our smiles, as well as our tears. But they are stored nonetheless in hearts, which we keep in perpetuity. Hello PUTS!