The Sad Yet Inspiring Truth Behind My Highschool Yearbook Photo

The photo shows just only a part of me - the face. The rest parts ( the neck, the uniform, the body) aren't mine and I tell you the story behind this awesome highschool yearbook photo of me. Yes, it's awesome!

Everyone was busy. My secondary teachers were finalizing our grades. My classmates were almost done with their clearances.There was I, sitting on a concrete bench under the Talisay tree waiting for my father, school's utility man, who supposed to hand me money for the yearbook production and pictorial fee at the nearby studio that day.



I waited until everyone left the school. Then, my father came and told me " Let's try again tomorrow son. " He wasn't able to find someone who could lend us an extra cash. He had advances already from his wage. I answered " It's ok father, the important is I am still the school's valedictorian". And, he gave me high-five.

 One of the requirements to be cleared before the big day, the graduation, is to pay a certain amount for our yearbook. All of the graduates had submitted their photos to be used for the yearbook except me. I got to do something, otherwise, I wouldn't have the chance to see myself  on this glossy book. While others were preparing for the incoming graduation day, their togas, the handaan, buying new shoes etc, I went to the photo studio and asked the owner if he could take me a photo without a toga. He said No.

With all honesty, I told him our situation. That we are poor. That our savings have run out buying all the school projects as pre-requisites. That my mother who is a domestic helper in Qatar could hardly send us money because of the Lebanon-Israel conflict.That I was desperate.That my Toga was not yet ready. He said ' Ok let's do this very fast'.

Fast. I sat on a chair with a green screen background hoping that the flash will not catch the cold single tear flew out from my eye as his photographer pointed me his point-and-shoot camera. I was wearing a colored polo shirt then and wondering how would his staff make me as if I was wearing a real white Toga.

Adobe Photoshop. That was my first encounter with that photo editing tool. His artist grabbed my face from my photo he shot and put to somebody else' body who was wearing a white Toga. The body belongs to a certain student who had graduated 5 years earlier. A file photo that is now part of my humble beginning.

If only I could just use a magic wand and change the course of my fate. If only I could just grab the computer mouse and edit my one-length hair and cover my wide forehead.  Weaponless but inspired. As I went out from the studio, I told myself  'someday, I will be better than you' on editing using the same tool. That's why Adobe Photoshop is very close to my heart specially now that I am doing advertising tools for a real estate company and for my photography projects.

I realize that life is mysterious. That our path is already designed. That our yesterdays have always something to do with our 'todays' and 'tomorrows'. That our future depends on our decisions. That being honest can save your ass.

Speaking of honesty.I went to my school adviser/teacher's home and submit my photo and told him that I could not pay, for now, the yearbook's fee and pleaded him to sign my clearance.That I haven't rented a Toga yet, and I have to use the extra cash to rent a black shoes, and black pants. The power of being honest and being considerate reigned. My teacher gave me an approving nod.

Today, whenever my colleagues, fb friends and real friends laugh about this photo as the best throwback thursday photo of me, I laugh hard too not because of this ugly face but because of the story behind that wide forehead and the one-length hair.

Ang hindi ko lang alam kung bakit DEMZ ang nakasulat na nickname ko. My classmates called me with my first name Albert.  Hindi kaya DEMZ and pangalan ng may ari ng katawang yan? Lol #ThrowbackThursday