“Do you remember me from high school?”
Albert Cabebe took a closer look at his coworker, and very slowly, almost half-asked, “Thomas Matsuda?” The two did not hang out in high school, and now, 25 years later, here they were, working together at a restaurant at the then-Kahala Hilton.
Making friends can sometimes occur within a blink of an eye. Finding a lifetime friend who sticks with you through thick and thin must pass the test of time; sometimes you’re lucky and it happens.
For Albert and Thomas, the rigors of the job made it easy to relate to each other and spend time together – working almost all weekends and holidays, having shifts which are incompatible with normal people, having very little vacation time, and working under highly stressful conditions while constantly being on your feet. Although Albert occasionally moved from one restaurant to another, his culinary career always seemed to intersect with Thomas’.
Through time, Albert and Thomas became closer friends. It was Thomas who introduced Albert to one of his passions, tennis. If you have a regular doubles partner, tennis almost becomes more like a marriage than a team sport. During one of their tougher matches, Albert felt resigned to losing. After noticing that Albert didn’t seem to be trying, Thomas told him, “Look Albert, I don’t care if we lose to these guys. There’s nothing wrong with losing, if you give it your best shot.” Albert played harder, but they still lost. Thomas was always honest with Albert, always wanting him to be better.
Playing tennis usually ended with having a beer at the park. They would talk about work, their families, and have a few laughs. Yes, Albert would do anything for Thomas. The most difficult thing Albert ever did was to give Thomas’ eulogy in 2000.
Our reunion committee would like to recognize Albert and Thomas as placeholders for the numerous lifetime friends within the class of 1969. Making the world a better place to live can simply involve being a friend, sharing a beer on a hot afternoon, or just being there for someone.
