MAKULAY NA BUHAY NI LANI

2nd submission in my Friends and Friendship Sequel: Ang Makulay na Buhay ni Lani -Written by Sari
Thelma Melania Villa-Real Enriquez (DOB 12-31-1944) came to PWU when we were Juniors, 1958-59. She was kind of demure but not for long. She became rugged, especially when she began playing basketball with us (even trying hard lang siya). By the Senior year, Lani learned all the tricks on how to beat classes. Nonetheless, Lani graduated with HS Class 1960 and went on to study in UP. As Cora Fausto remembers, she and Lani were in the same “block” and Lani continued on with her easy going fun loving way. I found Lani taking Clothing Textile & Related Arts (CTRA), which like Nutrition, was in the College of Home Economics. There was no escaping Lani. We were even classmates in Food & Nutrition I, along with Cora FG and Gloria Villareal Boren, who were in the Nutrition program. Our Professor had to keep her cool with us who were rowdy students. I nearly failed that course. College progressed, Lani spent more time with CTRA friends & projects, Boots, & boyfriend, who I thought Lani would marry before finishing college.
Then Lani disappeared. She was sent to a Finishing School in Madrid, where Lani nearly “finished” MD (marriage degree) with a handsome Black American officer who was stationed in Spain. This relationship ended abruptly when her Dad came to Spain and took Lani home. Lani worked in a bank, but not for long. In 1966, she got married to Tito Eddie (Eduardo Enriquez of Enriquez Securities), her Dad’s good friend. Eddie was a widower with 8 offspring so Lani not only had an instant made, but also a BIG family. Lani had 3 kids of her own: Jujut, Jodie & Betbet. She did not have to learn how to take care of her kids; they all had yayas. Lani had a leisure, but very restricted life. Eddie had specific expectations of “feminine” behavior that Lani had difficulty adhering to. In 1983, Lani was at my doorsteps in West Orange, NJ. We became roommates perhaps for more than a year (I refuse to remember those blue days of my life. Ha! Ha! Ha!). Lani took up temp jobs – office runner, secretary and any odd jobs to make a living. She took breaks on weekends visiting her cousin, Boots, who was in Washington, D.C. area. At some point, Fe Ilagan, Lani and Lita Ramos were staying with me in West Orange. Despite the fact that I worked, I still had to cook dinner for none of them knew how to cook (Lita was not in the best of health at that time). We had lots of fun on those days – Fe did lots of shopping, Lita some & Lani none. Boots empathized with me for having to put up with her cousin & used to tell me that Lani was my ticket to heaven. Roselani along with 2 of her older daughters were also in the NY area. As a matter of fact, they had the same Job Agency that offered them jobs. Gerry was also living in Jersey City at that time so Lani was a frequent “bwisitor” of the Tiongsons. – There was something consistent when Lani was around – there was fun and laughter. Most of the time, Lani was the target or cause of those boisterous laughs. When Lani had enough of life without direction in the US, she returned home and settled at her parents’ compound. She was a mother again to her kids whom she had no choice but to leave behind. Lani settled for a simple routine life– wake up late, play ma-jong, listen to live music some nights, dine out, spend time with friends and 8 grandchildren, etc. Lani re-visited the US in 2001. She joined in my trip to Europe with some friends like Lita. It was a trip that somewhat traumatized Lita in Barcelona. Then back in NYC, both Lani and Lita witnessed the trauma NY City experienced when the Twin Towers collapsed on 9/11.– Though Lani & I sound like fighting dogs when we are together – that’s our natural expression of how we care for each other - carino brutal. Deep in our respective hearts, we are good friends. I need Lani in my life to assure my place in heaven. Lani, likewise, needs me as her ticket to heaven. How delightful it is to have a friend one can abuse, but rely on at the same time.

Addendum: Lani & her Gucci Bags. I cannot remember the year this happened, but possibly in 1983 when Lani was still on “full scholarship” from Eddie, her ex (but not divorced from) husband. Lani bought 2 Gucci bags from a Gucci Outlet in Secaucus, NJ. I won’t say the price, but Gucci bags were Lani’s weakness then…1st Gucci incident: One beautiful Summer day in New York City Times Square area, Lani was having lunch by herself without any care in the world. She was so engrossed in her surroundings, likely day dreaming too. All of a sudden a man stood in front of her, blocked her view and dangled a Gucci bag that looked like hers. Lani looked for her purse that she placed on her feet. Alas, it was not there! It turned out the man was an undercover police who with his partner were conducting a surveillance of a known “pick-pocketer”. This guy was so smooth; Lani did not even realize her purse was taken. If not for the alert NYPD undercover, Lani would have lost her Gucci forever. The 2^nd Gucci incident:. Lani was with Fe Ilagan walking towards the parking lot of Baguio’s Pines Hotel. It was after midnight and they were going “home” after winning Baccarat at the hotel casino. All of a sudden, a guy wrapped his arm around Lani and pointed a knife at her. Lani at first thought it was her son Jodie who was playing a trick on her and asked him to stop. A few feet away, Fe was having a tug-of-war of her handbag against the other mugger; the bag contained Fe’s Baccarat winnings. Although Lani had given her Gucci to the man holding her with a knife, he would not release Lani. Fe was still holding on to her loot. Lani shouted and told Fe “Ibigay mo na?” Fe responded, “Alin?” After some more tug-of-war, Fe surrendered her bag to the muggers who immediately fled. This was a great display of friendship, but only after some deliberation. It was not easy to give up something like P12,000 winnings – even for a good friend (ha ha ha). After this incident, Lani had sworn off Gucci bags; never again did she buy any…. There was a sub-story made up by so called good friends in the exchange between Lani & Fe – “Ibigay mo na!” “Alin?” It is funny if you get it.