Memoir

Gerardo Z. Torres

I was almost done with my coursework as a Literature major in the latter part of 1985, and I had not had a chance to enroll in any of Marj’s classes. Even if I had already completed my World Literature courses, I decided to take African Literature under Marj because I had heard so many good things about the course from those who had taken it. I did not want to graduate without having taken a class under her. It was one of the best things I have ever done. Sitting at the back of the room and listening to Marj’s wonderful lectures, I could not help but be in awe of this great teacher. I was also thrilled to read all her marginal notes and comments on all my quizzes/tests/ papers/journal entries.

A couple of years later, I found myself teaching in the same department with Marj when I was hired as an assistant instructor by another great teacher and mentor, Dr. Cirilo F. Bautista. From the start, Marj treated me as a colleague and refused to be called Ma’am. I could not bring myself to call her by her name at first, and she would tease me whenever I would call her Ma’am. Through the years, Marj believed in and cheered for me. She was very happy when I got accepted to the Silliman University National Writers Workshop. She gave me my first stint as a panelist when one of her Creative Writing classes had their out-of-town workshop. She attended the launching of Nick Pichay’s Ang Lunes Na Mahirap Bunuin (1993) because I had translated some of his poems in the book. She was on my dissertation panel and gave valuable insights into my work on Philippine gay drama. She supported the publication of my two books: Pink Men in Love and Other Stories (2005) and Kulay Rosas ang Pintig ng Puso: Mga Maikling Kuwento (2009).

Marj and I fought many battles together. We also found ourselves on opposite sides at times. Through it all, Marj’s love for me never wavered, even if she was probably a little disappointed with me. I realized this when I got seriously ill and had to resign from teaching in 2013. When no one wanted to help, Marj came to my rescue. Through her recommendation, I got to work as a project-based translator at Phoenix and Sibs Publishing House.

If not for Marj, I would not have discovered my passion for translation. To date, I have translated more than a dozen Values Education textbooks for Phoenix and Sibs Publishing House and Gustave Flaubert’s Madame Bovary (2017) for the Commission on the Filipino Language and National Commission for Culture and the Arts.

I will forever be grateful to Marj for everything she has done for me. I wish her more blessings now and in the coming years. L’chaim!