Club inductions

Club induction is one of those “big events”, if not the biggest event, in a club’s life where the club president and his/her club officers and directors show off what they got, and what kind of stuff they’re made of. Sort of some may be made of steel, some of wood, some of bamboo, some of dollars J. But overall, a club induction is a combination of solemnity and fun, of stress and laughter, of food and drinks, sometimes of music and dancing, of rockin’ and rollin’.

Although coming from a small club, some of my classmates who are blessed with steel and dollars really go out of their way to invite all of their classmates and a number of district officials to witness their club’s big event. If I was still a bachelor like 9 months ago, I would be tempted to attend each and every open-to-all invitation that will be thrown my way by my generous classmates. But with a working wife who is 6-7 months preggy, no driver and maid to help in the house, plus other personal constraints, not to mention some heavy rains, my time to attend those mouth-watering invitations would naturally be limited.

So I really feel bad that I have to pass on those kind invitations made by some classmates to attend their club inductions, some really grand, some really modest. Like the inductions of Jay Tambunting (Makati West), Allen Embuscado (Muntinlupa South), Ana Cawaling (Taguig West), Joey Lina (Makati Central), Tony Abella (Muntinlupa Central), and many others. There are other invitations along the line for the months of August and September, with a 50-50 chance that I will be able to attend.

Some days where my wife is feeling alive and kicking and well, and the venues are not far from our house, or the rains are more forgiving if not absent, that I get to attend some inductions. Like those of Ces Singson (Makati McKinley), Inky Reyes (Makati Dasmarias), and Boboy Intal (Rizal West). In Ces’ event, I was able to stay long in his grand party, joined the dancin’ and rollin’ on the floor. One of the female dance instructors that Ces got was good, and she also looked fantabulous. I asked her name, she said she’s “Bambi”. I quickly introduced myself as “Bamboo”, but she countered, “Eh sir, Nonoy pangalan nyo eh, nasa name nyo o!” Oo nga naman ano, hehehe.

At Inky’s induction, it was also grand, with lots of interviews and testaments from his friends shown on the projector how naughty and conspiratorial the man is. Err, I mean, how hard-working, witty and trying-hard singer he is. At Boboy’s party, equally grand and lots of familiar faces as Boboy’s club is the one which sponsored our club 6 years ago, and some of their club members would pay us a visit from time to time, cool guys like Fred Fortich and Nash Pablo.

When you attend those grand and big parties and your club membership is small and resources are so little, sometimes you feel intimidated. I thought those guys should have prepared their induction parties months in advance and contributed a fortune. While I only have a few weeks preparation. So I need to think of something new and different, that Gov. Butch, wife Maling, and a few friends can possibly remember as “Eureka! That was a slam-dunkin’ hell of a party!” Maybe a “minimalist party” where coats will be disallowed, and people come in sleeveless shirts with tie and jeans? Or a “world cup legend party” where people come in soccer shirts of Pele, Maradona, Kahn and Zidane? Or a “poetic party” where all speeches will be in the form of poetry, delivered sloooowwllyy but oratorically? Ahh, I haven’t decided on it yet. Maybe a few days before our induction party, hehehe.