Mga Istoryang Sinauna: Kastilyong Buhangin

2004. Company outing. Sandcastle building. Competitive people. Stuff of legends.

I don't even remember the name of the resort. It was in Batangas -- the far side of Batangas. Parang mas matagal pa ang trip kesa dun sa stay sa resort. Sharkteeth was still a baby then. Ang cute-cute-cute-cute-cute nya nun. [Pagbigyan nyo na ang nanay.]

Diba, ang cute?! Anak, saan napunta ang kulot mong buhok?

Anyhoo, this isn't about Sharkteeth. This is about the sandcastle-building contest. If I remember correctly, mayroong cash prize. Not that we care about the money. It wasn't about the money. It was the bragging rights.

It was a team of copy editors and systems something chienes. The copy editors? Well, what can I say, we were (still are) an enthusiastic and competitive lot, and like good copy editors, we researched online on how to best keep the sand together. One resource recommended starch.

We scheduled a meeting to discuss our strategy. Yes, merong strategy meeting! Para sa sandcastle. Everybody dutifully attended. We had notes, for goodness sake! Everybody was excited. But the excitement level of the copy editors was disproportionately high. In retrospect, I think the systems something chienes guys must have been snickering behind our backs because of our overflowing enthusiasm. Because seriously, aside from kids and Sand Masters, who gets THAT excited over sandcastles?

Heto na! Beach outing na! Sandcastle building na!

Gawgaw? Check! [Pinabili pa ni Tsokoholik yun sa nanay nya.]
Timba? Check! 
Flaglets? Check!
Plastic cups for the towers? Check!

Aba?! Ano eto? Nagdala pa si Onyxx ng small sculpting tools! Artistry? Malaking check!


Isip-isip ko, shoo-in na kami. We researched and planned. We had the necessary tools. The artistry. The confidence and enthusiasm. Sure na sure na sure na eto! Gow!

Kaso the sand wasn't holding up well. *Gawgaw, you had ONE job! Only one job!* Dagdag lang kami nang dagdag ng sand. Dapat pala we shoveled everything into a pile then carved away. But we were nothing but persistent. May puso!

Eventually, nagkaporma rin. We were thinking of adding a foot more of sand to make up the center of the castle. Kaso umulan. Pinatigil na. We didn't have the time anymore to add another foot of sand. Hayun -- ginawa na lang dome. I'd like to believe that it was the dome of a mosque, but honestly, it looked like a solitary boob.

The legendary sandcastle

Long story short, we didn't win. Some other group with a tall castle won. Bitter ang mga copy editors. Yung mga systems something chienes, kyeber lang.

We avoided talking about it when we got back. We avoided talking about it like our lives depended on it. Like if we do NOT talk about it, it must NOT have happened, it did NOT happen. What sandcastle?! I don't remember any sandcastle. Sandcastle? What does that even mean?!

Ang pait-pait.


A couple of years later, nakaya na naming pag-usapan. And when we did, nagpipigil kaming humagikgik kasi naaalala namin ang timba, ang gawgaw, ang flaglets, ang sculpting tools ni Onyxx, ang aming overflowing exuberance. Hanggang ngayon, pag napaguusapan ang sandcastle, lakas pa rin ng tawanan namin. Perhaps to cover up our bitterness.  Hahahahaha!


So there.

Ten years ago. Company outing. Sandcastle building. Sore losers. Stuff of legends.


And I leave you with this song...

Sumpang kastilyong buhangin pala
Pag-ibig na pansamantala, 
luha ang dala
'Yan ang pag-ibig na nangyari sa atin
Gumuhong kastilyong buhangin