Willy Cruz and then some

Back in 1972 or 1973 the student council of our school sponsored a show of the Ambivalent Crowd. Our family hosted two female members, I asked a classmate to host two male members one of whom had stayed in our house when he was with the Blue School’s glee club. So why did I choose to host the female members? One of them shares my mother’s family name, but she has since forgotten us. Meanwhile, the males I had my friend host continue to remember us. GO figure.

But wait this post is supposed to be about WC. Why did he suddenly enter my stream of consciousness? Well, son was playing “I’ll Never Say Goodbye” in the car on our way to SM and that brought back a flood of memories, foremost of which was my meeting WC who was then the pianist and arranger of AC. Hosts of the members of AC were at the airport to see them off and I was one of them. I don’t know why by some stroke of luck, I happened to sit beside WC. He was so amiable, so knowledgeable, so warm – I was so happy. Years later, when he became THE WILLY CRUZ, I recalled those precious minutes, conversing with him, listening to him, hearing him say he had stayed in my uncle’s house where there was a piano and where AC had practiced.

No, I’ve never since attempted to get in touch with him because who would remember talking to a Junior high school student at the airport? I still recall what I was wearing then though. Perhaps because I found the conversation significant? Why so?

Back when I was in high school and earlier, I was one shy person. When there were guests in the house, I’d keep to my room; when my older sisters had parties, I’d look at guests through the grills to see who were around. Oh yes, I did make a few friends with some of my sisters’ male friends. One of them was the boyfriend of my sister’s best friend. He’d call and mistake my voice to be my sister’s. When he realized it was me, he’d talk to me like a younger sister and scolded me once for saying “Gago” when he was teasing me. He said girls shouldn’t say that. I was sad when he passed away in a car accident one morning when I was in high school. That was barely a surprise because when my father would see him drive, he’d shake his head and say my sister’s friend’s boyfriend was like a sastre (tailor) when he drove, switching lanes and driving fast all the time.

Another male friend of another sister whom I recall as nice went underground for a bit, okay, maybe a long time. But he has gone back “above ground” since. I haven’t seen him for decades but I will not forget having that chat with him in the sala when I was a young girl.

So there.

Here’s the song that evoked so many memories of my youth:

Lyrics below:

I’LL NEVER SAY GOODBYE
Composed by: Willy Cruz
Produced and Arranged by Mark J. Feist for the MJF Company

Night after night we stay together
Sharing moments that spell forever
Day after day our love gets stronger
Growing every minute as we get closer

If we ever have to say goodbye
And go our own separate ways
i wouldn’t know how to get by on my own
After all the love and passion you have shown

I’ll never say goodbye
No matter how they try
To show me love
That last if we’re prisoners
Caught in the past
Don’t let your tears run dry
No need for you to cry
I promise I will stay
And with you all the way
Our friends will soon forget
That you and I once met
As long as deep inside
I know it’s love not pride
And I will never say
Ever say goodbye

I’ll never say goodbye
There are no reasons why
Our souls are so entwined
There is us, not you and I
And time will soon regret
Regretting we once met
Because we’ll show them all
With love we can walk tall
And we will never say
Ever say goodbye
I’ll never say goodbye