by Food Fiend
It was early Sunday morning and raining heavily. The sky was still dark when we left the
house. I was half-awake and badly needed a strong cup of hot coffee. Poor handsome
hubby cannot stifle a yawn as he traversed EDSA on our way to UP Diliman . Second son
hummed and sang to Maroon 5 songs as he chills while seated behind us. I reminded
second son again to double check if his test permit, snacks, and water were all in his
bag.
It's now after 6 in the morning and we just dropped off second son at the College of
Law, still early for his scheduled 630 UPCAT exam. Better early than late I always say.
The early bird catches the worm and all that jazz.
previously took the UPCAT and are now junior (BS Sports Science) and sophomore (BS
Chem Engg),respectively.
Since handsome hubby and I have not eaten a thing before we left the house, we decided
to visit our favorite breakfast place - Pancake House in Katipunan.
I ordered my “usual” cheese waffle, country sausage on the side and hot steaming freshly brewed coffee, perfect for this gloomy weather. While handsome hubby ordered longganisa ,egg and sinangag .
My fork would normally find its way to handsome hubby's plate like a homing pigeon. But
this time around I found my attention riveted to my beautiful and pristine cheese waffle
with its immaculate whipped butter on top. It was quite a sight actually. It made me drool
just looking at it.
It felt like it’s been a while since our last Pancake House visit so I am looking forward to
my first bite. But first I spread the yummy whipped butter all over its surface and
while the butter melted, poured the maple syrup . With the country sausage ready on the
side, I took my time and slowly put a slice of the waffle in my mouth-- mmm, sweet,
cheesy, chewy and delicious. I followed it up immediately with a morsel of the salty,
flavorful country sausage and washed it all down with the strong bitter sweet taste of
freshly brewed coffee. What bliss! This is the perfect breakfast. What a great way to perk
up a wet and miserable Sunday morning.
Second son would be green with envy when he learns later that we were at Pancake
House. Come to think of it so would only daughter , 1st son and youngest boy.
Well we did ask them last night if they wanted to come. But they replied in the negative,
preferring to remain in the confines of their warm bed in this cold, dark Sunday
morning. Who wouldn't ? I should have mentioned the magic word - Pancake House .
Oh well a little peace and quiet this early Sunday morning didn't hurt. But I kind of
missed having the “piggery” around. Hunger satisfied and now wide awake with two
cups of coffee in my belly, my mind drifted to second son and UPCAT.
I remember my own UPCAT as if it were yesterday when in fact it was eons ago . Darn I
was so skinny then having a 23" waistline.
I took my UPCAT at Malcolm Hall also at this ungodly hour. I was awakened at the crack
of dawn and was driven from Paranaque to UP by the parents. Not quite 16 years old and
feeling nonchalant, I was clueless how big a deal it was. I didn't even review for the
exam. Review centers were unheard of then.
No one in the family went to UP before me. Eldest brother went to DLSU. Parents
graduated from UST and MLQU. Uncles and aunts from UST too. Fortunately for me, all
my friends' older sisters (studied in an all-girls school ) took the UPCAT and passed. So
logically, younger sisters and friends ( me included ) would take the UPCAT too.
I realized how significant passing UPCAT was when the results started coming out. UST
and DLSU released their list of accepted applicants ahead. But everybody was waiting for
the UPCAT result.
Note that this was during what we jestingly called the “Jurrasic Era” -- that point in time
when cellphone, internet, Facebook and Twitter were still an alien concept. So to find
out the result,we pestered UP with endless phone calls . We also have to physically go to
UP when the list of successful examinees were posted because naturally the people in
admission would not tell us over the phone if we made it or not.
Well,I got my good news via the phone brigade. A friend went to UP to find out if she
passed. She didn't . Valedictorian didn't either. But she was so gracious to tell me that I
did, whoot whoot. So I felt very fortunate indeed, like winning the lotto! More so when I
found out that only a handful from our school passed and half of them were close
friends..yay!!!
Now 4 kids richer and 30 lbs heavier , its our third child's turn to take the UPCAT. It’s just
like a rite of passage. How time flies.
Pancake House is now filling up with the breakfast crowd and with it the noise
register, interrupting my reverie. Where did peace and quiet go? Hmmp.
Table is cleared and bill paid.
It's now half past 9 am. If only the sky would stop weeping long enough for the
handsome hubby and I to run or walk in the UP oval for at least an hour or more to burn
the cheese waffle and country sausage I just consumed with gusto.
By 11 am, hubby and I would be done with our exercise just in time for second son to
come out from the College of Law and UPCAT, hopefully.
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