After promising to do it for nearly 38 years, Rick McGoey finally came to the Philippines to visit USNA Class of 1970 classmate, three-year room mate and fellow 23rd Company Tiger Roy Golez!

Rick and Roy met at 8am Saturday 17 May in the coffee shop of the Renaissance Hotel in Makati City where Rick stayed. That started the non-stop exchange of sea stories between the two. The rest of the Tigers should have been there to add to the endless talk.

From there Roy gave Rick a tour of Metro Manila starting with a visit to Roy's congressional district and his residence in Paranaque City. There, Roy showed off the most prized item in his Annapolis memorabilia, an authentic chair from the Academy Mess Hall and Rick correctly tried it on for size, using only two inches of the chair (photo attached). Roy also showed Rick his two yellow Labradors and his Belgian Tervuren dog.

The two then had lunch at the Manila Peninsula Hotel back in Makati City where Natty Golez joined. There were more sea stories about Annapolis and about family.

Roy recounted how Rick served as his second in a quarterfinal boxing encounter where his opponent, a member of Class of 1969, obviously sneaked in some good punches to be obviously ahead in the first of three rounds.Then with Rick cheering Roy on till his larynx croaked, Roy just attacked and attacked without let-up in the third and last round and won!

Roy then introduced Rick to his Saturday afternoon business buddies having their usual coffee and snacks in the hotel's Lobby Lounge. When the group learned about Rick's nuclear power credentials, a lively discussion immediately ensued on why the Philippines should finally have a nuclear plant. Most favored nuclear power.

From the hotel, Roy took Rick to the American cemetery just nearby to pay respects to the nearly 50,000 American World War Two dead whose remains are buried in that shrine. It is always a moving experience to anyone, American or any human being, who understands and appreciates the tragedy of war. There were dramatic murals all over the place depicting the various major battles in the Pacific Area and Rick had some refreshers on his Pacific War history.

Rick showed the Tinian island on the map and said his father served there with the Army Air Corps during the war.

The American Cemetery is a must for all visiting Americans.

Then Roy and Rick proceeded to Roy's halfway house, a residential unit in a condominium building on, believe it or not, Annapolis Street in Greenhills, San Juan, Metro Manila where Roy and Natty stay during the week to be closer to Congress where Roy serves as Congressman of Paranaque which is farther South of Metro Manila.

There Rick met the rest of Roy's family, all of them including his five grandchildren. Roy's son is also a politician in the City, serving as City Councilor.

Then dinner with the family at nearby Itallianis Restaurant for lots of pizza (sorry, no Buzzy's pizza here), spaghetti and Italian salad. More banter. More stories, especially with Rick exchanging notes on ice hockey with Roy's 11-year old grandson whose sport is, again believe it or not, ice hockey!

And then Rick, Natty and Roy went to the Araneta Coliseum (venue of the historic Thrilla in Manila between Ali and Frazier more than 30 years ago)  for the Neil Sedaka concert. It was a great energetic performance for Sedaka, now 70 years old but still vibrant and still not missing the high notes, who thrilled us with his love songs and rock and roll songs in the 50s and 60s, songs which are now part of our memories of high school years and teen years. We danced the sweet dance with his love songs during our infamous T-fights.

From there, the threesome had their final night cap in Shangri-la Hotel. Everybody wanted to stretch the time.

Too bad, Rick had to retire to for some sleep and be up early for his 8am flight the next morning for Tokyo then back to the USA. There were still more stories to tell, more memories to recollect again and again. Rick promised to be back.

It was a super grand together between friends who have shared four years at Annapolis, who share unforgettable memories of friendship, brotherhood and a great institution.