Circa sumtin’ sumtin: V. Luna Medical Center
Growing up, I had a group of friends from Barrio Siete that I was very close with (Benjie, Omar, Awe, Lito, Gerry & George). Whenever we see each other, we talk about the same story over and over and over till eternity and we still laugh about it! Alam nyo yun? I will tell you stories about how crazy we were then. But now now. Later. Promise.
One of them, Omar, was accepted at the Philippine Military Academy. He was at V. Luna for some final medical checkup before heading up to Baguio. I was outside waiting for him to come out.
While waiting – I noticed this good-looking guy doing some exercises. I couldn’t seem to take my eyes off of him because he looked American to me. He smiled. I smiled back. Then, he approached me and said:
Tapos na medical mo?
In my mind, aba! napagkamalan akong Kadete?! Hindi nya ako napagkamalang Miss Universe?! Ininsulto akooooo!!! So, I said – no, am more of a rebelde than a cadet (hehehe) and I was waiting for a friend. He laughed! But it was a surefire way to start a conversation, nevertheless. And so we started chatting.
His name was Mike. He’s Ilocano from Don Mariano who just landed his life-long dream of being a cadet of the Philippine Military Academy, just like my friend Omar, just like my nephew Rolan. All of them were actually very good looking guys. Although Omar is a mestizo, Mike stands out with hazel eyes and slight blond hair. Why? He happens to be half-ilocano and half-german.
Every now and then, I would drive to Baguio City and visit Omar. Those visits gave me the chance to not only see my nephew but alse see Mike and get to know him. I’ve had the greatest time in Baguio when I am with Omar and Mike. Eventually, Mike and I would become very good friends who would then introduced his parents, brothers and sisters to me.
Then, I found work in the US and settled in Philadelphia. Mike continued his communications through cards and letters and occasionally, I would call. Eventually, he would marry his childhood sweetheart and moved to Toronto, Canada. They now have a son. I visited him one time when Vlad (my Russian friend was studying at York University in Toronto). It was the first time that I saw him in years! He returned the favor by visiting me in Philadelphia about three or four times.
Like all relationships, sometimes they’re not perfect. Ours is not, but we’ve managed to make things work for all these years. That’s why we’ve remained very close friends. It all started when I told him about me. You see, Mike is a straight guy and don’t do any hanky panky with gay guys. Yeap, not even with me. But then again, I wasn’t doing anything because I was scared like hell! So when I told him about the real deal, he got upset. For weeks he would not even talk to me. He thought I was sick and that I needed to see a psychologist. He said that now that will soon be in America, that I would be cured. Those words hurt me the most and would stick into my brains for a very long time.
Time passed, especially during his visits in Philadelphia, his views of people like me changed to a 360 degree turn. He now has a complete understanding as to who his friend was whom he thought made a fool out of him. Time would prove that the friendship nurtured in the pines of Baguio City would withstand time and be very strong up to today.
Mine is not a unique story.
He is in Ilocos at the moment because his father is sick. But I know that you will visit this site.
Hey Mike!
I know you’re one of the lurkers here as you told me.
I know you will click this date.
I know you will check if I remember.
Of course I do. Always.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Mag-inuman na lang tayo when I get the chance to drive up to Toronto again.
Stumble Upon
Del.icio.us
Buzz
{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
i can totally relate to what you said, about meeting up with your old friends and sharing same old stories but somehow still end up laughing at those silly things
happy birthday to your friend… and i’d say if a person is a real friend no matter what or who you are they’ll accept you, and we should treasure those friends
[Reply]
@pusa,
nagmumukha kaming gago repeating the same stories, laughing at the same stuff said many times over! hahaha!
true friends are indeed very hard to find so once you have it, nurture it, di ba?
[Reply]
asus, kala ko ano na..hahahaha
[Reply]
wala lang, baka upakan ako nang barkada kong yan! hahah
[Reply]
Kamahalan, your story of friendship simply affirmed my impression of you. You have a diamond studded-golden heart….. just like the crown that you wear on your head!! Long live the Queen!!!!
[Reply]
Ditto on what the person above me said. “Long live the Queen!!!!”
[Reply]
@mia and @fruityoaty: hehehe baun na naman to neks weak sa opis! hehehehe
[Reply]
Hey… i’m one of the lurkers here and i enjoy reading your blogs. All the while I thought you were a feisty, interesting middle age beatutiful lady. Oh my, was I wrong when read this Happy Birthday Mike blog. Well… wrong on the middle age lady I guess but still right on the feisty, interesting, beautiful….. person (?)
Anyway… keep it up.
[Reply]
HAK! HAK! HAK! @psyche25! dahil eye em one middle age woman! HAR! HAR! HAR! HAR!
[Reply]
psyche25, Ang Kamahalan is a true-blue lady trapped in a man’s body. But the heart and soul are those of a pure-bred lady. And I agree with you, she’s a beautiful person, inside out.
[Reply]
Mia,
I remember Malen (Chuvaness) hehehe! She thought I was a beauty queen! Bwahahahaa!!! An sarap mag pantasyaaaaa! hahahaha!
Anyway – pinapalipad mo ba ako Mia? Remember! Yong pakpak ko gawa lang sa kartolina!
[Reply]
Hay naku kamahalan! You don’t need kartolina made wings. Angels usually don’t wear one anyways when they’re bent on keeping their disguise. At saka Kamahalan, hindi kita pinapalipad. These are honest compliments. You have a beautiful, beautiful soul…. Honest!!!! (And for the record, I’m not into major ass-kissing ha?? I just honestly think you’re a friend I haven’t met yet
)
[Reply]
*ina-ani papuri ni mia at nilagay sa garapon*
hehehe
[Reply]
hay naku korek ka jan mia, one of a kind ang ating reyna.
anyways since confession ito… akala ko rin dati truly na girlash si reyna at kagaya ko lang sya na mahilig magsalaita ng bading. na-realize ko lang na boylet pala sya nun ipost nya un pic nya sometime last month
[Reply]
hahaha…nakakalowka kase ang reynaelena…i agree, reynz, you are beautiful beyond description….:D
[Reply]