remembering narra

At the lobby of the old Narra Residence Hall, I remember this one Sunday when a father and son were there, looking around. The father, maybe in his early forties, was showing his small kid around the hall, pointing here and there and then annotating whatever he was showing the boy. I heard the father said to his son, "Y'know what, this was where I used to live when I was still studying in college," or something to that effect. And both of them went on marveling at the old, dilapidated building; smiling at the residents when they passed by; and looking out the window at the quadrangle. The father, I bet, enjoyed his reminiscing of his good ol' days back at the dorm.

I was still an upperclassman at the University at the time. When I saw them, I couldn't help smiling at them, thinking: I'll bring my children here someday too--probably when I'm at the peak of my career or when I've already made my name great--and show them proudly that I lived there during my college days too. I would've bragged at them, "Y'know what, your Uncle Rom and I have great memories here." I'd have remembered old friends, unforgettable events like the Open Houses, the manang labanderas on Tuesdays and Fridays, 10 o'clock curfews, Mang Bogs and Mang Usting, riots and fraternity rumbles, the aristocarts, rallying against the dorm fee increase... not to mention the memories of past hardships and triumphs. I'm sure I would have been no different from that father--nostalgic and enjoying my reminiscing.

Which was why I was greatly saddened when I heard the news that the dorm was gutted by a fire early in the morning today, barely a few hours after the U.P. Centennial kick-off celebrations the night before. Authorities said the fire may have been caused by faulty electrical wiring. No one was hurt since there were no residents; Narra was closed from occupation starting October of last year to make way for renovations (although I read somewhere that the dorm was no longer going to be rebuilt, rather another building of the U.P. Integrated School woud be erected there in its place).

The Narra Residence Hall.

Too bad the dorm had to be closed for reconstruction; the fire even hastened its demise. Too bad I'm no longer going to be able to show my children that I used to live there too. But although my children won't get to see Narra anymore, it will live through my stories to them. I will always remember Narra and the time that I made its walls and corridors my humble abode.