I was only 19 When I wrote this story. It's indeed a traesure for me coz whenever I read this
it brings back all the happy memories that happened to me in that 24 days when i met a guy that
took out all my dilemmas at that age and put joy and glow instead
December 25, 2002
At exactly 10 o'clock in the morning, I and my family went ot grandma's house to see her newly
built huge house at Laguna Bel Air. At first I was kinda hesitant to go inside coz its really
really big and beautiful, a house that ive only seen in the movies and TV shows. The moment I
enter I said, "Wow it really Fabulous!". That was our first time to go there. Grandma roved us
around the entire house. Its really for a well-to-do and I also dream of having a house like that
someday, after ou long four walk, lunch time came and we went downstairs in their dining room. There was a sumptuous meal and various dishes compose mainly of chicken and pork. While eating, I noticed a guy sitting at the end of the long table. His skin has a fair complexion and somewhat pinkish (perhaps due to the tropical climate in our country). He has blonde hair, brown eyes, and I guess he's tall. I've never known that we were eating along with an american guy, however he has different food on his plate. Its vegetable salad with some mayo. It seems that he really enjoyed eating his lunch without rice (for us Filipinos, we cannot eat our lucnh and dinner without rice). I was amazed that I keep on eying at him while eating, coz for me, I really
dont like eating veggies. All were eating, and I'd like to approach him but I was shameful, and he didnt utter any word either, until we all finished and went to the living room.There, the oldies were chatting, but I and my cousin were mum and do not have anything to do. Maybe the man noticed it, and he said "do you like to play a card games?". Were of shocked coz its our first time to hear his voice and we thought that his not talking to us, but he was really looking at us, and so we just nod and say YES. "Alright, i'll just get my playing cards upstairs," he said. And it all started there. At first were shy but eventually we get the feeling of ease, I thought his snobbish but his truly benevolent and jolly. We play cards for i guess 3hrs.and after that he invited me and my cosuin to watch "One more Chance" (A filipino movie).We just walked to the cinema zoz it's a little near to their house, while we were walking alost everyone was staring at us maybe b'coz the guy is a foreigner here in our country. We enter the Cinema 2 it was really crowded, there were no vacant seats, and so we just stood up and waited for someone to egress, but there wasn't even one. The movie started and we watched with that uncomfortable situation. I was ashamed that time, not for myself but for the guy whose also standing, and so I asked him if he wanted to go outside, coz im thingking he's notused to do that, but he answered me "Im fine guys, dont worry" with a smile and added "C'mon lets watch this, It's really nice". When I heard that, I really admire him. Coz i thought he'll feel awkward and be irritated, and wont waste his time watching there, but I was wrong...Im definitely wrong. After we finished the movie, we went outside the Cinema and he asked me what the movie is all about coz he says the characters were fast in speaking tagalog (our native language). And so I became a translator, quite hard but its okay, I would always love too. I really like him coz his really fun to be with and really trusted us even if its our first day to know each other. When we arrived home (mansion like house), he invited us to go to his room and see his 2 little kitties. I thought they were stuffed toys, coz thet are really big and cuddly. He treats Sassy and Sissy like his own children, perhaps because he's still single.
More Happy and cheerful days came. He always invites us to their house. We became good friends and companions. He wanted us to call him "Kuya Matthew" but his real name is "Joshua Matthew Calub. He's a niece of grandma. He understands some tagalog but he doesn't know how to speak with this language. He taught us a lot of card games like "speed", "spoon" and "spade". He also taught us mind games like "Set" and "Tangram". Even if we have different nationalities
and culture, and a sort of generation gap, we still enjoy being together and get to know each other. His a friend, a father and an "Kuya" for me. He's really talented. Actually I saw his certificate in Mensa IQ test and he really has high IQ. Whenever I talk to him, I learn a lot of things. He also made me realize how important education is. He also know how to sketch faces. I gave him my picture, and he said he'll sketch it but because of his busy days, he couldn't
do it and so he just brought it with him. His a handsome guy that you'll think his just 28, but actually 10yrs older to me. He told me that he also became a model and showed me a lot of shots. I got to know him well, he really like watching romantic movies like "A Walk to remember", that's why we always rent VCD's and watch in their entertainment room. He doesn't eat rice he's more on pizzas and french vagetables. He said he's a 70% vegetarian, coz he also eats meat but seldom.
December 31, 2002
I went to their house alone coz i have a problem that time and I just wanted someone to talk to. My tears rolled down and I can't stop on crying especially when I saw his very sincere and very to listen face. He understands me and gave me some life giving rebukes. He even gave me a handkerchief to wipe my tears. At that moment, I felt love and concern for me as her young brother, and I proved to myself that his indeed a "Kuya" to me. We went out to unwind and stroll in a mall, coz I have to cheer up and forget my problems. At home he also gave me a book entitled "Life by the numbers" because he know well that at some point math is one of my weakest, and im also fond of reading interesting books. In time I gave him a bead of necklace, which i personally made as my souvenir to him. I was the one who's very much delighted and
thankful coz he really did appreciate my simple gift and accepted it with all his heart, for its all that I can give to him. In fact, right there and then he wore it and it fits right to his fair skin. He loved it. When im prepairing home he asked me "Would you like to celebrate you New Year here?". There are a lots of sparklers and fireworks outside. Im really lucky that he invited me, but I refused and told him in the nicest and praticable ways that my family is also waiting for me. I was sorry then coz I can't partition my body in two. He understands me, and I know he will always will. He just told me to go tomorrow and we'll have a movie-marathon again. All the days and moments we shared were all merry and felicitous. For that reason, I forgot that this isn't his land...this isn't his real home. He'll eventually leave, and I only realize that when the
Departure day is near.
January 17, 2003
Tommorrow is his flight back to Texas, so we were very early at their house to spend more hours with him. We rode in their L300 van and went to different places. He bought us clothes and Pinoy delicacies as "Pasalubong" for his family. We ate and ate a lot and made our stomach full, hoping that it can cover up the sadness that lingers in our hearts, but it didn't. It's alraedy dark when we arrived home, he rented his favorite romantic movie "Never been kissed". That would be the last movie that were gonna watch. After a couple of hours, it was almost done and our eyes damp, because of two reasons one its because of the melodrantic story and second because were all certain that we will not be together for only a few minutes. Before he told us already not to accompany him in airport coz it'll be much hurtful, and so that night was the last night with him. Its really late, and we have to go, he also has to pack his stuffs, and so i wrote down his address and contact number in a piece of paper. We went downstairs and were ready to go, but before we leave he said he has to go to his room first to get something. He handed us a paper bag but we didn't even peek on what's inside coz we really felt gloomy and disconsolate
then, I gave him a colored paper with the lyrics of the song "I can't find the Words to say Goodbye" written there, and the highlightened part was;
Can't say I dont love her
Still I can't pretend
And my heart is torn just knowing that
Im loosing my BESTFRIEND
If it's easier said than done
Then someone tell me why
Though I try, I can't find the words to say goodbye
He consorted us to the gate. We're both silent as if were mute. And finally, I had a little force to open my mouth and speak, but in a very low voicewaring voice "Goodbye kuya Matthew, take care". Were about to leave the gate, when we felt his arms around us, his warm and firm embrace. We hug him too. It seems that we dont want to let go anymore, but we have to. That's life; there are some to leave and some to be left. While walking away from the big abode of memoirs, he shouted "I wont say Goodbye, instead I'll say SEE YOU LATER GUYS" and for the last time I saw his smile, and we smiled back. We continued on walkinguntil his silouette faded away. It's almost 10 in the evening when I and my cousin reached our humble home. We opened the paper bag and inside were a Tangram and T-shirt. What caught my attention is the drawing in front of the shirt. It's a heart, and inside this heart was the phrase "Your here".
After a quite days, I've learned that I've lost the paper where I wrote his address and contact number. I was really depressed coz i cannot mail or call him anymore. So, I just wait and have faith in his words that he'll really come back to the Philippines. Until now, Im still hoping and looking forward to see him again, and I know it will happen. Even not today, even not tomorrow or next week, I still firmly believe that our paths will cross again, we'll have laughters once more, and we'll overlook all our predicaments. I wish that through this article of mine, he would have a chance of reading this...reminisce and remember our 24 joyous days.
