Graduation Day. The day that I’ve been waiting for. My best friend’s graduation day.
I was so excited to reach the auditorium where the graduation ceremony will be held that I almost lost my silk handkerchief that I’m using to cover my neck from the cold breeze. The handkerchief was a little bit loose so the wind blew it away from me. Good thing, A cute young uniformed gentleman helped me to get it back.
By the way, I went there alone. It’s been approximately 4 years, 13 days and 6 minutes since he was gone to the navy. My parents decided to stay and planned to throw a party for J when he arrived in our town. So there I was, cold, excited, anxious, ugh, you know, I was with mixed emotions. I’m really dying to see my best friend.
As I approached the hall, I noticed the graduation ceremony had started. Well, I somewhat forced my mind to make some excuses to say to J why I was so late. I’ve searched the crowd for any sign of J but failed to see him amidst. I composed myself and settled in a chair next to a uniformed officer. My heart was beating so fast and my mind was racing thinking of J as a full– fledged navy officer graduating with flying colors, since he always made it to the top. “What would he be like now? Will he still be the handsome heartthrob of all times I know? Will he still smile the old “sarcastic smile” for me?” You bet.
As I was nervously waiting seated for his name to be called and for him to stand in the stage to get his diploma, I was nearly shocked when I realized that all the candidates for graduation was called but never heard his name nor even had a glance of his shadow upstage. Now, don’t get me wrong again. I wasn’t being inattentive. I assure you that I had my eyes fixed on the stage from the time the first candidate’s name was called to the last one. “Where’s J?” I said to myself, “ah, I ‘m sure he’s into that surprise of his.” The idea made me smile. It’d been four years, alright, yet his words of assurance of a surprise and his expectation of me singing him a song seemed said just a minute ago. I found myself thinking about the song that I planned of dedicating him and almost laughed at myself when I stumbled to remember the tune and lyrics.
“Time.”Yes, this was the song given to me by Ms. Tisdale, my mother. Words and Lyrics by a so-called composer “ Bluejay.” Never heard of that right? So do I. Anyway, I sang this song once on J’s birthday. It was the first time that I saw him teary-eyed.
The chorus goes like this….
I used to count the times I heard you cry
I used to count the times I see you smile
Times that made me strong
Times that seemed so long
But I’ll never know the countless times
I’ve wished to spend my life loving you.
Then, something caught my ears. I stoppedsinging the song in my mind and tried to concentrate to the voice that disturbed my eardrums. I realized that it came from the speaker on the stage. A young guy in a clean crisp uniform stood in front and it seemed that just his mere appearance was enough to silence the room. “I, together with my batch mates, highly and lovingly dedicate our diplomas to our dear respected friend, Matthew Jay Arnolds. It’d been almost four years since he was in this self-same place where I stand, sharing his words of pure wisdom, love and courage to us. Words of encouragement, words that are far better than riches, honor or fame. Words that touch and warm the heart and change lives. It was this young man’s life that melted and help molded our hearts to be strong, brave and to endure hardships without turning back. He inspired us to take each passing time and moment as a source of challenge and to preserve integrity, to face life’s trials with dignity, to protect not only the rich but also the poor, to realize the importance of respect and trust and to give due value to time, friendship, family and God. We deeply bestow our heartfelt gratitude and undying respect for him. Matt, you are a true hero and an inspiration to us. May you peacefully rest in peace.”
“Wait!Hold it right there! There must’ve been a big mistake. This guy is talking crazy! How could he put my best friend’s name into a subject for ridicule! How dare he say that!!” I silently spoke to myself but was extremely outraged. “How can he be so cruel? He almost put J to death by his blasphemous speech!” I immediately stood from my seat and thought of storming out but noticed that the people seemed to be in such a good condition as if the words that the speaker had just said really affected them and as if they sympathized with him.
“What’s happening?” The uniformed officer spoke as if J was some sort of dead. Or was he really? Absolutely not! I’m really stupid to think that J was dead. So I quickly dismissed the idea with guilt. I was supposed to meet my alive and kicking best friend a few minutes later. “ Hmmm… Good surprise J…” I said to myself. “Nice one. You jerk, you almost left me giggling with your corny joke. I told you, you’ll never catch me “in flagrante de licto.” I smiled.
The ceremony was later over but still no signs of my best friend, J. Then I finally took the courage and decided to approach the uniformed officer who spoke against J to inquire of this full surprises best friend of mine.
“ Hi,I’m Amie Raven. I’m Matthew Arnold’s longtime friend. He invited me to attend his graduation.
“ What?” he answered, shocked.
“ Can I see him? Uh, I need to see him.,Yeah, I need to congratulate him, you know…” I forced a smile.
“ Oh. I’m sorry…you didn’t know?” his eyebrows raised with concern. “Knew what?” “Arnolds passed away four years ago.” “ you’ve got to be kidding me…”I let out a mock smile. “No. ma’am, Matthew died in a tragedy last April 17,1995. He died by saving several people, yeah, many people in a fire. All of the victims survived except Matt.” He slowly spoke with teary eyes.
“ It’s not true! Tell me it’s not true!” I nearly shouted at him with the growing anger I felt. Then an officer of a high rank approached me and it appeared that he overheard our conversation. “Madam, I’m sorry but it’s true. We lost Matt in the tragedy.”
“ No! No!” I persisted.” “Yes, he’s dead.” He repeated. The words stung me like poison. I was silent for a couple of minutes. “Then, why did nobody tell me? I’m his best friend!”, I demanded. He even invited me to his graduation…” I stammered as I said the words. I was unaware that I’m crying ‘til the young officer handed me a handkerchief. “ I’m his close friend too. I’m sorry the news never reached you. It’s so…”he paused and sighed “…so sad. Matt’s parents tried to reach him here. They tried to attend Matt’s funeral, but…” “What do you mean they tried?” I stopped him.. “They never made it! When they were on their way to the funeral, they also died in a car accident.” “This is not a good joke!” I stormed. “I wanted to see Matthew Arnolds now!” Then I noticed, amidst the tears, the older officer nodded to the young uniformed officer who led me to the hallway. He stopped and pointed to me a framed picture of J, with that bright crisp uniform and with that smile I always loved. Then to my dismay, beside the framed portrait, was a medal of honor enclosed in a gold- plated frame together with strips of an article from a local newspaper dated on 1995 talking about a brave loving soldier-turned hero who risked his life fro 66 persons during a fire. A soldier, a hero who happened to be my best friend.
