Amigos Para Siempre-(JERANJIM)

"To everything there is a season, a time to every purpose..a time to be born and a time to die...a time to weep and a time to laugh...a time to love and a time to hate". Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

What is the meaning of "JERANJIM". This acronym stands for J-Jesse James Escribano De Villa, ER-Eric Gamol Batoy, AN-Andrew Moral Famero, my self, and JIM-Jimmel Faina Fabra. Sounds corny but they were my bestfriends during my High School Days in Romblon State College in the year 1986 to 1990. Where and how are they now? First, I will tell you the story of Jesse James.

Jesse James, alias "Hamis" as I fondly call him, died in the year 1997 from a gunshot wound he sustained from a hold-upper while on his way from Mindanao Development Bank somewhere in Tondo, Manila going to United Coconut Planters Bank to deposit their Bank's Cash and Check Collections. Regularly, every day, Jesse James is being escorted by their Bank's Guard armed with Shotgun. But during that unfortunate day he declined to be escorted by a guard because he will only deposit checks and he will carry no cash. Instead, he requested their utility man to escort him. But he was wrong. According to some relatives I've talked with, he should have not done it because the robbers were already "watching" her routine or "pattern" and that somebody gave information that he will be depositing "without guard" . According to the witnesses on the crime scene, the holdupper simply approached him and his companion-utility. Without saying a word the criminal shoot first the utility and died too. Sensing that he will be shoot too, he started right away to run as fast as he could bending his back. But bullet pierced her bent back hitting the heart while he was aiming to run. His father who was Policeman at that time narrated to me that probably James should have not died if he just simply run and did not bend her back. If the bullet just simply hit on the back while Jesse James was running straight, the bullet might have passed outside the body either through and through horizontally, sparing the heart perhaps but hitting only some minor organs and tissues . I was sad upon knowing this. I talked to nobody..to my self...bargaining..."Why him"? Like her family and relatives, I belong to those who were in grief as a "close friend...a bestfriend". In fact every time we had a mananita during high school days, he slept in our house. He was my tutor in math,my joker, and my guidance counsellor because I am naughty more than him. During college days our boarding house and our school are very near with each other. Once a month i visited him in Sta.Teresita,Sampaloc, Manila inviting him to watch movie and stroll around the city. He was a graduate of Accountancy in Philippine School of Business Administration, a prestigious Business College where mostly honor students from highnschool usually survive and pass Accounting Examinations. Jesse James is an intelligent friend and I know who is his crush during high school. "Hamis" wherever you are I will miss you.

Second, Jimmel . I dont know how I "fall in love with this guy" (wrong choice of word) how "love fall in this guy" but I treated him very special and very close. His being kind made him special to me. I admire his being religious, intelligent, funny, sporty (avid fun of "sipa" to the max), "valentino", genius, fighter, honest, trustworthy, humble, friendly, etc.and corny sometimes! A lot of adjectives describes this "supercalifragilisticaxpialidocious earthling". Good that Jimmel is an earthling and I'm a "Marsling". Any way in the course of our life in high school, Jim is really an academician. That's why he topped our Class. I know a little of Jimmel's life. He shared with me his life. He spent some of his years in elementary here in Odiongan and Navotas in Governor Pascual Street. During our High School days from First Year to Second Year, he did well in all his subjects but unfortunately when we reached our Third year he begun to "dislike" the school and the personnel for some reasons. He transferred to Manila and graduated there. After a year, in 1990 when I decided to study in Manila for a Nursing Course, he visited me in my boarding house . I dont know how to go to different places in Manila. Surprisingly he showed up and invited me for a gallivanting around the city. I can still remeber we went to the PBA stadium in Ultra Pasig to watch a BasketBall Game. It was my first time to watch a basketball "live". In the Province we watch it only in "Black and White" and blurred TV. After that year, we had no more communication. We concentrated on our studies. Some time 1995, he wrote me a letter. He is teaching Thailand English subjects. After 5 years he pursued his Nursing career and worked in California USA. Today he is married with two kids. Our bond grew stronger. Last February 2010 he visited me and my family in our house together with his lovely daughter Jeyelle and his number one fan-his Father. It was a together again meeting of "Old Friends" for almost 20 years. We stroll around the town and did get together with our classmates at Maela Yap's house. It was a happy visit. Today, Jimmel still communicates with me. If I don't communicate with him, he does the first move.

Third and last my friend Eric . The last time I saw him was 1990 during our Graduation. The last time I talked with him was 2 months ago. He is now married with 5 kids!Eric is also kind that's why he is my friend too. He also ranked high in our class. He was known for being a Mathematician. Every fiesta, we go to their place in Barangay Tuguis Este. Today he works in Mitzumi in Cebu as an Electronics Engineer. I'm hoping still that someday I will meet him.

Most of us the JERANJIM are blessed. I'm proud to say. I consider them as my remaining special friends here and Hamis in our Father's House in heaven. I thank God for giving such wonderful friends. I hope and pray we will always be FRIENDS FOR LIFE ("AMIGOS PARA SIEMPRE").