No Regrets

Chapter 7: Two Deaths and a Wake-up Call

When John Robert Powers opened (John Robert Powers was the school that taught modeling, social graces, grooming, makeup, exercises, etc.), many screen stars, socialites, models had gone to this school which had many branches all over the world. Tessie Macasaet was going to be the directress and she wanted Chona Kasten and me to be instructors. Chona had already taken the course in New York.

It was fun. We taught women, who included junior diplomats, women bankers, future models and just plain college graduates who wanted to improve themselves. It didn’t interfere with our work at Rustan’s, as we taught on our off hours. We did this for a couple of years, but then it started to weigh down on us because we also liked to travel and do other things. Teaching taught me the art of being patient.

All this time, my husband Leo had opened the Keg Room at the Jai Alai. It became a popular dining place because the pelotaris (jai alai players) frequented the restaurant and as many of them were quite handsome, Manila’s socialites were very interested; as a matter of fact, several of them married the pelotaris. The Keg Room still exists but only does catering now. Leo had also joined the Manila Jockey Club of which his family was a major stockholder, but he started at the bottom and worked his way up.

Sharing a big part of my life then was my dear friend Chona, who was the apple of her father’s eye. When she was single, she lived with her father, the illustrious Don Claro Recto who spoiled her. The happiest time of her life was her childhood up to her debutante days. She married Johnny Ysmael, who spoiled her with material things. After a few years and four children, the honeymoon was over. Johnny fell ill and would not allow her to go out with her friends. When they were in Spain, things went from bad to worse. Sometime later, Johnny died of tuberculosis. Chona was left to fend for herself and her four children. Not much later, she married Hans Kasten, a marriage that eventually went wrong, too.

In the late ’80s, Chona was diagnosed with cancer. She opted for alternative treatment, which involved taking megavitamins, vis-a-vis chemotherapy which her doctor recommended. But months later, when the pain became too severe, she went back to her doctor. Alas, the doctor told her it was too late. I was with her every day, watching her battle the Big C. With grace and courage she fought to her last breath. She passed away in April, 1987.

Even in death, Chona looked lovely. Her beautiful bone structure stood out as she had lost a lot of weight.

My dear friend is gone, but her gentleness and refined ways that have endeared her to many people will be remembered. At her funeral Mass, the church was filled to the brim.

I remember our many good times together – traveling, having lunch out, going to parties or just sitting around talking, joking and laughing heartily.

We tried to organize a foundation in her name to give scholarships to deserving students of dressmaking (as she was so well known for her sense of style). But it was difficult, because when we would have meetings, some of the members were busy and so on. So we soon gave up. I remember Conching Sunico telling me, "Mary, when you’re dead, everyone forgets you."

Meanwhile, the reunion of the family clan, which counts with more than 500 persons, started to be held every three years. The clan is composed of the Legardas, the Tuasons, the Aranetas and the Prietos. Many of the members come from overseas. It’s a daylong affair that starts with a Mass, followed by lunch and then games with teams composed of opposing clan members. Then there are programs which are a delight, with everybody who knows how to do something contributing his/her share. The younger members have a great deal of talent – they sing, dance, recite, you name it. The one who started this honored family tradition was Teresa de la Paz, a beautiful mestiza who married a Legarda, was widowed and then married a Tuason. The person who first thought of getting the clan together was Jessie Huberty whose mother was an Araneta. It is a heroic and tremendous undertaking, but it has been extremely successful and the clan looks forward to our get-togethers, the next being in a couple of years.

There had already been three marriages in my family – my daughter Mary Lou to Manolo Lovina, the son of the beautiful Nelly and Primitivo Lovina; my eldest son Mike to Nini Ramos; and Leo Jr. to Adelita Martinez, the daughter of the Spanish Consul to Spain. To bring you up-to-date, Manolo died in a car accident and left Mary Lou a widow with two small girls. Mike and Nini separated; their two daughters Rosanne and Teresa grew up with their father. Both remarried: Mike to Teresa M. Oca and Nini to Abe Licaros. Leo Jr. and Chique have a son and a daughter. Our whole family gets together for birthdays, holidays and whenever there’s an occasion.

My youngest son Antonio married Carmen Melecio and had one daughter, Karina, who now studies in Paris. I will not dwell on this part of my life because it is too painful. My son Tony had a heart condition of which none of us were aware. On weekends, he would go scuba diving, which was his favorite sport.

It was Valentine’s Day and I had just come home from Beny Toda’s island. I was seated in the den when I saw my son Jr. come in and embrace his father and say something to him. Then they both came towards me. Oh my God, I sensed that something was terribly wrong! Leo then told me that our son Tony was dead. From then on, everything was a terrible blur.

Apparently, Tony was on his way to pick up his wife to go out for dinner. He had already sent her red roses, but stopped by a friend’s house for a chat. He took some substance and his heart could not take it. I did not want to know what happened or why, to this day I do not know. Tony is gone and nothing will bring him back. It took a long time to get over this, but does one really get over it? A piece of your heart is torn away. Will it ever be whole again?

Perhaps it was a wake-up call for me. I was not very religious or spiritual. Was it God’s way of telling me to get back on track, to take stock of my life and do something better with it? I started to be more prayerful, attending Mass regularly, among other things.

NEXT WEEK: Racing & Traveling with Leo

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No part of this autobiography may be used in any form without permission from Mary H. Prieto and The Philippine STAR.