Sunday, May 27, 2007

The Lad Before Ladlad



For my 50th post, I have decided to write something a little bit more personal- just bits and pieces about me and my life.

Early days

My grandmother tells me I’ve always been quite a character. When I was about three years old, our helper was asked to fetch me from Nanay’s house (my mother sends me to her mom for the day while my parents are at work), I apparently sent the helper away by firmly and eloquently saying that I will not do so until my mother herself fetches me. My grandmother laughed and she remembers so vividly because I spoke like someone much older, with a matter-of-fact tone. And so the helper had no choice but to go back and get my mom.

I was quite a willful kid. In high school, I secretly placed “Diliman” in my first choice in the application form for UPCAT (University of the Philippines College Admission Test), intending to go far away as possible from Tacloban. Well, it worked and I was one of the five students from Leyte High to go to UPD for the 1997 batch.

Country Lass, este Lad pala

UP was a revelation for me. I was really impressed with my classmates because most of them were either Valedictorians or Salutatorians, some were extremely wealthy, driving shiny cars to school. I thought I was pretty good with drafting, but so were the rest of the population at the College of Architecture. I struggled for a bit, but by the second semester I was on my feet and having the time of my life.

I had a lot of hilarious promdi incidents. One time, I tried getting off the Ikot Jeep as it passed the façade of Palma Hall (didn’t know we had to get off at the waiting shed)—I knocked on the roof of the jeep like we used to do in Tacloban. “Bukas ‘yan.” The driver said. Other passengers were sneering at me, and later burst into hysterical giggles as I further tried to get the jeep to stop. “Sa babaan lang.” He says to me. Got it.

My cousin was nice enough to show me around. I could never get over the fact that it was crowded everywhere, and traffic was always bad. He asked me if he wanted to go to a movie, and I looked around Megamall and said, “Ang dami ng tao. Wag muna.” To which my cousin replied “Palaging maraming tao dito.” It was later on when I was already working did I realize what a dump Mega was compared to other upscale Malls.

Defining Moment, a.k.a.Who Popped My Cherry

One of the most significant moments of my life (Ching!), because it was when I really came to terms with my sexuality. I mean, I remember this incident in high school when one of my male classmates hugged me. It was a strange feeling, this subtle .. excitement. That un-nameable emotion that I could not put a finger to. I knew normal boys don’t feel that way so I had a suspicion I was different. I never really acted on it. My first time (kiss and you-know-what) was with a friend who also went to UP Diliman.

We were at his place watching music videos. Mariah was singing “Breakdown” and I was quite absorbed at the screen. Then I sensed my friend was beside me. The next thing I know we were kissing and touching each other. I don’t know whether it was the fact that we were alone, or it was the music, but I was just lost in the moment. As he lay me on the bed I saw that look in his eyes (something akin to “I want you!”) and I knew for certain, in that moment, that I had as much fairly blood running through my veins as Tinkerbell. Etching!!

4 comments:

Misterhubs said...

I lurve that song, "Breakdown." It's a classic.

Thad said...

yup, stays on my head to now when i "reminisce" hihihi = ) plus, mariah looked sensational and showgirl thin back then

Anonymous said...

Nice one with the Ikot. I never realize it dat u can't parahh just anywhere... perhaps kc when i was der, i just wait for it to stop at the sheds & go down. :)

Thad said...

mabuti ka pa josh, you were spared ; )

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