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Graduation at Stanford University, California 12-16 June 2014 by Ed Abon, UPD 69A Panzer REAL FRIEND INDEED A friend in need is a friend indeed. It is kind-of confusing if this idiom is taken literally. But what it really does say is that someone who is a friend during your time of need is a real friend indeed. May, Brod Pogs Gaspay’s wife, knew that we were in need and she came to our succor. Knowing Brod Pogs, he would have extended the invitation himself while smiling broadly. He would not have liked it had we turned it down. To make a long story short, I would like to take you back to early May 2014 when it all started. RAISON D’ETRE Nina is graduating. Her Commencement Ceremony at Stanford University is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. She took up B.S. Biology and was graduating with Honors and would join the Medical Research Department of the University of California in San Francisco (UCSF) shortly after receiving her diploma. She is the youngest in a brood of 3. Her eldest brother, Paolo, works at the US DOJ in Washington DC while the other brother, Carlo, is a Resident Surgeon at UP PGH in Manila. This event, her graduation, was a fitting conclusion to an event that began 5 years ago, in 2009, when Brod Pogs introduced Stanford for the first time to Nina who was then in the process of college searching. She chose Stanford and now, she was about to live her dreams. And, of course, Rosie and I were elated and felt proud. And, of course, Nina expected us to be there by her side when the degree is conferred on her. And, of course, we would not have missed this important occasion. May, might have anticipated and realized our predicament and right after receiving Nina’s invitation for her to attend with us her Commencement Ceremony, she extended her offer for us to stay with her at her Palo Alto residence knowing its proximity, that it is less than fifteen minutes away from the campus where the graduation activities were to take place. It was a welcome relief as lodging houses close to the campus were getting snatched up by the hour and the nearer you are to the campus, the higher now were the room rates. It was not just the convenience but more of the homeliness that beckoned us to accept the invitation, not to mention the savings on lodging to our limited budget. Add to this, May volunteered to pick me and my wife, arriving about 7 hours apart on June 12, from the SFO Airport. If this was not called total service in the corporate parlance, I did not know what this service was.
DESPEDIDA PARTY My flight from Manila on Delta was delayed for 2 hours. May met me at the Delta Airline arrival carousels but she did not see me there for I failed miserably to mention that I was taking Alaska Flight from Portland which has a code sharing agreement with Delta. Upon seeing her, she told me that my arrival in San Francisco was timely as the Northern California brods were to hold a despedida party later that day for Brod Cyrus Fagar who was returning to the homeland and re-establishing residence in Baguio City. Later, after a short rest, May took me to the Foster City home of Cy Abiog and Gabby Moraleda. There, I met Brods Cyrus and Babes Ignacio and Gil (guest) and together we drove to the Daly City residence of Brod Eric Punzalan where the party was being held. May then proceeded to SFO Airport to fetch her sister, Janice, who was flying in from New York and, later, Rosie, my wife, who was flying in from New Orleans. From the airport, they were supposed to join us at the Despedida Party but could not due to some mix-ups. It would be a fun-filled night to look forward to and remember. Stories and laughter, as expected of UP Beta Sigman get-together, were never in short supply. And so were delectable food and wine. Northern California GP Dave Villegas was there and so were Brods Gerry Abenes, Ding Cavestany, Gilbert Basbas, Boy Ramos, Winston Acevedo. Vee de Vera, Louie Ruiz, Val Palattao, Dutch Aragones and Cesar Antonio. Being with the brods few hours after setting foot in San Francisco was one effective way of shaking off my jet lag, I tell you. Time flew furious and fast when brods were together and soon enough I was being driven back to May’s place by Brod Babes Ignacio. I was sleepy but otherwise happy. I had a grand time again with the North Cal brods whom I had not seen since Sept 2011 when they hosted a get-together party for me while I was in San Francisco for the APEC Meetings.
STANFORD U GRADUATION Friday and Saturday were Stanford U graduation activities’ days. About 25,000 family members and friends of Class 2014 attended the 4-day festivities. There was the offering of the Time Capsule for Class 2014, the Baccalaureate Ceremony, the Lecture, the Courtesy Call to the Stanford U President John Hennesy. Sunday, June 15, was the Big day. It was the Commencement Ceremony for Class 2014 with Bill and Melinda Gates as Guest Speakers. They talked about their philanthropic work, about making the difference, how the graduates can pursue their passions yet still able to make a positive contribution to making our world a better place to live in. We were treated to a unique Stanford U Commencement Ceremony and wacky graduation march that my wife aptly described as out of this world, resplendent in the fullness of cardinal red and other colors and political statements, chaotically entertaining yet reverent and solemn. It truly reflected the free spirit of the University. We were joined in this occasion by our close friends and relatives from the Bay area. (May Gaspay and her sister Janice from NY, Clarito and Rosie Agustin, Joe and Fae Albano, Chit Aducayen and Virgie Aducayen Rios) whom we owed a lot for being there always for Nina throughout her 4-year stay at Stanford. This was also a joyous moment for Brod Gabby Moraleda as his son, Gabriel Jesus Samuel “Sam”, also received his diploma on Master of Science in Electrical Engineering.
GET-TOGETHER PARTY To top it all, May, as if it was still not too much of a bother to her, and Gabby also arranged a get-together-party for me and Rosie, the following day, June 16, at May’s place. Brod Pogs must be smiling proudly and, maybe, grinning mischievously up there to see brods having fun and a heck of a time at his place. Being a Monday, I knew that it would be a challenge for the brods to attend. But the UP Beta Sigma spirit prevailed and Rosie, Nina and I tasted again a sampling of the hospitality of the Northern California brods. Brod GP Dave and Mercy Villegas honored me with their presence. And so were Brods Gabby Moraleda, Gerry and Lleva Abenes, Boy and Irma Ramos, Ding and Julie Cavestany, Gene and Genny Samson, Eric Punzalan and Ric Velasco. Much thanks to May and her sister Janice from NY and all the ladies for preparing the sumptuous Filipino dishes. As usual when brods meet, wines, liquor and delicious Filipino food were always aplenty.
GOOD THINGS END It was absolutely a memorable week for us. But as the saying goes, all good things somehow come to an end and this was no different. The following day, Tuesday, June 17, we bade goodbye to May, thanked her for her hospitality and drove out of Stanford University, out of Palo Alto, out of Silicon Valley and out of South San Francisco, places we love, places that have been very kind to us, with a heavy heart, not knowing when we will pass this way again. In the last 5 days, we knew we have built memories that would last us a lifetime. REAL BRODS INDEED It is more fitting and, definitely, more meaningful to paraphrase the idiom “a friend in need is a friend indeed” and say “a brother in need is a brother indeed”. Real brods indeed.
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