Davao Doctors College section 12L

Pathogens, miracidium, flagella, immunoglobulins, endotoxins, meningitis, sexually transmitted disease – a grim picture indeed, which makes this piece look like a trip into the foul, gut wrenching and morbid world of sickness and death. It could have been if not for this motley bunch of students who enrolled in Microbiology at Davao Doctors College , and who are officially known as the 12L. Anyone can call it the section of the twelve L’s, which could be anything from Lazy, Loud, Languid and Lascivious or maybe the Lamentable, Lousy Losers. But before I give my own version of this letter L let me first give you a bird’s eye view of who they really are.

Let’s start with the formidable and ruling BOARD OF TRUSTEES. The title brings to mind a bunch of guys in the persons of Tonio, Jacob, Wabe as in wave, Bryan the hospital administrator, Rollie the microscope man, and the Chairman of the Board – JV the pink panther.

Next we have the Cosmetic girls who never tire of preening themselves by adding pounds of makeup on their faces to look more attractive or maybe in a futile attempt to hide the blemishes that their boyfriends or husbands left after a harried kiss. They are Cindy, Lezil, Kim and a few others whose names I would rather mention as concubines in the harem of the infamous Iann Borong - the castrated Eunuch. These ladies enjoy pampering their charge with punches to his being or copy from his test papers, which to me is foolishness considering that there is not much substance in his answers.

This harem consists of Althea, Elaine, Leah, Hannah, Floregen and the “second rate, trying hard copy-cat” – Edcent the facultative anaerobe.

Right across the center aisle from the harem are the 3 musketeers or mosquiteers, but who are not the vectors of filariasis and malaria. Physical height is not a plus for them but take a look at their grades and they stand tall. Hail the three – Amy, Liezel and Irene.

The Hulk as anyone can testify sits silently by the window with a look of serenity on his face. Shaq the rapper of the NBA would take a second look and admit that he is his kid brother. Carmelo’s grades would have been better if only he was not psychologically sexually harassed by Joan and Genesis, Anna and Venz, and Johanna and John Lloyd. These three pairs just can’t keep from pinching, squeezing, hugging and kissing even in the full view of this silent hulk. Some day he’ll find his girl and shame you all. The other pairs who are also into this activity are Thetet and Aldrin, and Wendell and Jan Christopher. Gossip is going around that these two pairs were already wedded secretly. I would not have an iota of doubt.

The rest in the class are considered the silent majority although they are the noisiest and the loudest. There is Honeyleth the successful businesswoman, Aireen the silent admirer of Wave, Tayone as in Tayown, Lea an elementary acceleratee, Nhiezyl the fashion model, Ivan the boy that every girl wished was true to his gender, “The Inseparables” – Gracelle, Maricel and Avery. There are also the cool guys Leonis and Francis and the policeman’s wife – Grace. There is also Kris, Maridith and Mary Jane who manage to skip classes every now and then and think that they have the luxury of being unnoticed. And last but not the least are Maricar, Kathleen, Honey, Mae and jade – all true living monuments to the virtuous Filipina virgin(?)

Whew! What a bunch of microbiologists. You can tell by the descriptions that indeed this class has more than twelve L’s to fill a long list of adjectives, some of which were already mentioned at the onset of this essay. The best of these I would rather say is the word “Loving.” This I would testify to the fact that forgiveness, love, mercy and grace were virtues that ruled this group for the season of a summer.

12L, you may be as diverse as the bacteria on your skin or as hungry as the helminthes in you colon, and yet you have touched my heart and made me a better man. I know that God will be good to you and with his grace and your determination you will find your places in the sun. Don’t ever lose sight of your goals as nurses in the land of the mighty dollar, and when you get there don’t neglect to give God all the glory.