Godspeed Dolly

Madalas akong nagbubukas ng email ko. Ewan ko ba naman kung bakit I skipped a day na hindi ko siya na-check. Kanina lang nang binuksan ko ang mail ko, nagulat ako sa balita ng college tropa. Dolly Aglay writes 30, sabi ng news article na naka-attach sa email ng tropa. As if the dreariness of the day was not enough, nadagdagan pa ang lungkot ko with the passing of a good friend in college.


I remember Dolly nung panahon namin sa UST. Kasama siya sa barkadahan namin sa Journalism. Unassuming and quite innocent was she nang nakilala namin siya. Probinsyana ang dating pero alam mong malalim. Medyo madalas ang extra-curricular activities ko nung time na yun na nagme-major na kami dahil may banda ako nun. Si Dolly and Issa ang madalas kong ka-jamming sa grupo dahil mahilig sa rock, lalo na pag tambay time namin sa corridor. Naalala ko rin nung time na nagte-train kami sa isang broadsheet newspaper (na matagal nang defunct), kasa-kasama ko si Dolly and the rest of our tropa habang tumatambay sa Western Police District hanggang alas-dose ng madaling araw para makakuha ng istorya. I've so many memories of Dolly and the tropa. Medyo matagal na rin yun kaya glimpses na lang ang naaalala ko. Pero I'm sure everybody will agree when I say we all share the same memories. Those where innocent and carefree times.

It was not a surprise for me that this erstwhile probinsyana has made an exceptional career in the Fourth Estate. Pumasok sya sa Philippine Star with Mayen Jaymalin, I think a few months after we graduated. Tumagal sila doon hanggang sa nalaman ko na lang na nasa Reuters na si Dolly. We all see each other during reunions kina Jenny. Hanggang sa dumating ang panahon na bibihira na lang ang reunions namin. Humayo na ang lahat and now have fruitful careers.

Sunod kong naaalala about Dolly was this meet-up with some of the members of the tropa sa bahay ni Liza. She was with child back then. Sa sobrang tagal na nun di ko maalala if it was her first or second. Hingahan ng mga problema at nag-uupdate kung ano nang nangyayari sa batch namin. I think the last time I saw Dolly was in a Christmas reunion still at Jenny's. Nakita ko syang masaya nun and she still was the same Dolly of college days - Masayahin, para pa ring inosente, para pa ring probinsyana. But you can see in her eyes the wisdom that fortified her as both mother and journalist.

I'm so sad she's gone now. Sa totoo lang, doble ang lungkot ko ngayong araw na ito. Before I opened my email, I was already feeling miserable since a very good friend at work [which I already made a tribute (not eulogy) of sa kabilang blog] will soon be leaving. Parang binuhusan ng asin pa lalo ang sugat with the passing of Dolly.

We will miss you Dolores. You are a great loss to your family, friends and the Fourth Estate. Magkikita na rin kayo ni Cherry.

Godspeed Dolly Aglay...fare thee well, pare.