bye br. rafe

we knew him then as super mario because he looked like mario in the nintendo game. yet, we knew he really need to be more than super because he had to fill in the shoes of the big one (who went away early this year, weeks before his birthday). we knew him as the one who bravely said that we should leave our comfort zones (literally, i guess, as that was the time when we were pushing for the full airconditioning of velasco and miguel). we knew him as the brother who said, "kayong mga taga-La Salle, mahilig sa signs."

also, i remember that he changed all the benzes to a fleet of white corollas. it seemed that he wanted to put his own stamp among us. so, he was very visible in the community. he knew, then, that his reign will not last as the big one will eventually come back. he had to be the one to take care of the moments of transition. when the big one came back, super mario was reassigned and things went back to how they were, almost... that was more than a decade ago. few people in the community know him now but a lot will be curious --- for they found his body ashore last night. he was swimming with the brothers that afternoon in bataan. he disappeared and they knew that the undertow of the bay had taken, as it always did, another life.

good by super mario. sweet dreams, brother rafe. the big one andrew is starting his call.