Eclecticism of Cubaoboy

I’m so used to Kris Aquino’s theatrics when she airs out her dirty linens in public. Like when she became pregnant with Philip Salvador’s baby, who was almost twice her age, and then when they suddenly called it quits. When she blurted out all the nasty details of her relationship with Joey Marquez in national television.

Please don’t get me wrong. I like Kris Aquino, and I certainly admire her gumption. She may lack tact most of the times but you have to admit only Kris Aquino can get away with it.

Last Sunday afternoon I was channel surfing. Most of the local channels were airing news regarding the demise of Tita Cory. I am a big Cory fan. I was there in Edsa more than twenty years ago, even though I was too young to know what was happening back then (ehem), and what the people were fighting for. But my mom said: “we need to go there.” So we did, carrying with us 500 pesos worth of pandesal so we can share it to all the people who stayed there in Edsa despite the heat, rain and hunger to fight the dictator and to fight for democracy.

I turned to channel 2 currently airing "The Buzz"

I stopped pressing the button of my remote when Boy Abunda said in his booming voice “Susunod! Ang pag lalahad ni Kris sa mga huling sandali ng kanyang ina.” My sister joined me on the couch to watch and hear Kris Aquino’s story.

After a lengthy commercial break, Kris was on. The program was airing at the wake of tita Cory’s in Greenhills. With Boy and Kris and tita Cory’s coffin in the background.

Kris started her story. So unlike the bubbly Kris that we usually see on TV, the Kris Aquino that I was hearing and watching was so grief stricken she didn’t even care if her crying was ruining her mascara.

As I was listening to each and every painful detail of her mom’s fight with cancer, I can’t help but blink away tears that were threatening to fall from my own eyes. Then I looked at my sister beside me, and she was just letting her tears fall.

We lost our own mom to cancer seven years ago, and almost everything that Kris experienced, during her mom’s last few weeks, our family experienced it too.

Like Kris Aquino, I am the youngest child and a proud mama’s boy. We learned that mom had cancer four years before she finally succumb to the decease. But when we discovered the cancer it was already on its 4^th stage, so it has metastasized to the surrounding tissues of her body by then.

The last four years with my mom was the hardest but at the same time the happiest moments of our lives. I, together with my sister were my mom’s cheering squad. We’d cheer her on whenever she was undergoing chemotherapy. We try to cheer her up whenever she feels like giving up to give her hope. And we never stopped showing how much we loved her.

The week before my mom died was one of the most painful episode in my life.

Like Kris, I know how it feels when you see your mom try to be strong for the family. I know how it feels to be helpless when you see your mom cry in pain and you can’t do anything to help her.

And on my mom's dying moment, I know how it feels to finally let go, to let your mom rest, and to let your mom stop fighting. To let her know that the family will be just fine without her because we’ll take good care of each other. To let her move on to a better place where there’s no more pain. When in truth, deep inside, you just want to hug your mom and keep her with you forever.

To Kris, moving on is easier said than done. Like you Kris, I lost my mom and then my dad three years later. I know Christmases and birthdays and any special occasions won’t be as happy without them. I know we’re going to miss them in every waking moment of our lives. But their memories will live on. In every lesson that they’ve taught us when we were growing up and the love they’ve given us would remain with us forever. Let us take consolation to the thought that they are in a better place and that they are together again. Thank you Kris for sharing your story I can only imagine the courage you had to muster so you can tell your mom’s and your family’s story during your time of grief.

-oOo-

I was in Gloria Jean’s Cubao enjoying my Vanilla Caramel Chillers. I was sitting next to this large glass pane where I could catch a glimpse of all the people walking outside the coffee shop, I would look up occasionally from what I was doing and I would scan the people outside hoping to see someone interesting.

Sitting there in that coffee shop, in the middle of Cubao sipping my chiller, enjoying the free wifi connection. I suddenly felt an overflowing nostalgia for the Cubao I once knew.

I remember when I was a kid growing up in Cubao. Every Sunday was a special day for me. It’s our family’s grocery shopping day. We usually go grocery shopping not in Rustan’s Supermarket but we opt for Queen’s Supermarket in Cubao, the prices there were not only cheaper but my mom likes their grocery bags, because its made of paper. Probably that’s why when it burned down sometime in the 80’s, nothing was left, the paper bags they kept probably fueled the fire hehe.


After shopping, the family would usually troop together to Fiesta Carnival. I remember the giant paper Mache clowns all over the carnival, which scared me when I was a little younger. The rides were fun and cheap. Then we would grab a bite in the numerous food stalls inside the carnival.
It’s where the cheapest hotdog waffles are found and fruit salad in a cup can be had.

During the Christmas season, when all of us kids would need new clothes for the school Christmas party. My mom would take us to, where else but SM Cubao. And after shopping for clothes and shoes, the family would then go to Ali Mall to look for gifts items. While in Ali Mall, My sister and my brother would do a few rounds of roller skating in Skatetown where I would just usually look at them skate because I was too young to do it my self. The smallest size roller skates were still too big for my feet. Ali Mall was just right across Rustan’s and Marikina Shoe Expo and AutoCentro, and who’d forget COD. After watching the moving mannequins in COD we usually head straight home but my mom would always buy a dozen of Winchelle’s donuts if ever one of us kids would suddenly have an urge to eat in the middle of the night.

Before classes start every year. My mom would take us to Quezon Arcade to buy bags and school uniforms. Quezon Arcade is a flea market type shopping center long before Greenhills made it fashionable to buy in tianges.


Also there was the original Aristocrat’s restaurant in Edsa Cubao, with its navy blue roof, the Farmer’s Market and The Farmer’s Garden, The Love Bus depot in front of SM Cubao, The Choo Choo Junction Spagetti House near the steel tower also in front of SM Cubao. And a lot more places that probably I won’t be able to remember anymore.

I had a lot of happy memories growing up in the only place I call home. Cubao may be changing but the imprints of the old Cubao would always stay in my heart. I thank my parents for bringing us to this wonderful place and making me a true blood "Cubaoeño".

Mahirap pala talaga mag pa pasok ng iba, pag may tao paring umuukopa sa puso mo. Kahit gustong gusto mo nang palayasin e pilit paring na nanatili kahit nasa isang madilim na sulok lang siya tumatambay.

Ang problema kasi e yun din yung sulok na madalas kong linisan at tanggalan ng mga agiw. Kaya siguro gusto din niyang manatili dun kasi pinapanatili ko rin itong malinis. Kahit na anong pigil ko sa sarili ko, maya maya heto na naman ako, may dala-dalang malinis na basahan para tanggalan ng alikabok ang sulok ng puso kong iyon.

Alam ko darating din yung araw na tatamarin na rin akong linisan ang sulok na iyon. Pagkatapos siguro, gagawin ko nalang itong bodega ng mga ala-alang dapat manatiling ala-ala na lamang. O kaya siguro tatanggalin ko na ang madilim na sulok na iyon at papa lagyan ko nalang ng isang pintuan.

At pag pintuan na ang dating madilim na sulok, sana may kumatok at pumasok at mag pasyang manatili, hindi lang sa isang madilim na sulok, kung hindi sa maaliwalas na salas, sa masaganang kusina at sa komportableng kwarto ng puso ko.

“Sheeeeet! Lunes na naman!” Ito ang usual na linya ni cubaoboy pag patapus na ang araw ng Linggo. Medyo nag sasawa na kasi sya sa work nya kaya medyo hate nya ang Lunes. Tatlong taon at kalahati na kasi nyang ginagawa ang paulit-ulit na routine nya sa trabaho kya medyo nabuburyong na sya.

Masaya naman sana yung trabaho nya. Marami syang nakaka salamuhang ibat-ibang klaseng tao at marami rin syang nagiging kaibigan. Kaso minsan inaabot lang talaga ng sobrang katamaran itong si cubaoboy kya madalas e nag da-drama ito na kesyo may sakit para ma excuse lang at makapag absent. Magaling na dramatista si cubaoboy kaya laging pasok sa banga pag nag dadahilan sya sa boss nya.

Madalas nga e iniisip nalang nya na mag resign nalang tas mag pahinga kahit isang buwan lang para makapag re-charge kahit sandali. Kaso maiisip nya ung mga bayarin nyang bills. E pano ba naman kasi apat ang credit card nya at dalawa pa yung linya ng telepono na binabayaran nya. Tapos yung monthly dues pa nya sa gym, ung koryente nya, yung cable at dsl subscription nya at kung anik-anik pang ka-ek-ekan na kailangan nyang bayaran.

Napapa “hayssss!” nalang si cubaoboy.

Pero medyo na buhayan si cubaoboy sa trabaho nya lately. E kasi naman may cutie pie na trainee si cubaoboy. Kung hindi nyo pala na itatanong. Trainer po itong si cubaoboy sa isa sa malalaking BPO companies dito sa Manila.

Tawagin nalang nating “Chunky” ang silay ni cubaoboy. Anak naman kasi ng potato! E napaka cute naman kasi nitong si chunky kaya trip na trip ni cubaoboy. Anong itsura ni Chunky? Hmmm… Maputi, di naman masyado katangkaran, makinis ang kutis, ala Martin Nievera ang hair style, ala Bong revilla ang mga mata, ala Rico Yan ang dimples, at ala Gerald Anderson ang smile, at higit sa lahat Wendell Ramos chunkyness… Potaaaaaah panalo!

Ang kaso mo hanggang tingin lang si cubaoboy. Kasi mag kakamatayan na muna bago may makalam ng lihim ni cubaoboy. Hindi tuloy maka porma si cubaoboy kahit minsan nahuhuli nyang naka tingin sa kanya si chunky. Pero ayus lang yun kay cubaoboy kasi at least medyo ganado na sya pumasok sa work. Insperasyon baga?

Kaya pag dating ng Lunes “Sheeeeeet Lunes na naman yehey!” ang linya na ngayon ni cubaoboy. At least for now tee-hee.

Cubaoboy will not yield to misery. So what if the two awesome dates he had with the “date” was just that, a date and then followed by a period. Probably the “date” was just being polite so as not to hurt cubaoboy’s feelings.

You see cubaoboy really tried his best. After several failed attempts to see him again by asking him out, he reverted to just sending text messages to the "date" just to keep in touch.

Cubaoboy does his everyday routinary text to the “date” like “hope you had a wonderful day” or “hope you had dinner already” or “goodnight and pleasant dreams” hoping that he would be able to coax the “date” to spend sometime with him, but alas after several minutes, cubaoboy will receive a reply from him like “thank you (mentions cubaoboys name)” every time and that’s it.

Cubaoboy is not that dense you know? Cubaoboy can take a hint. Cubaoboy knows that it is time to move on. What irritates cubaoboy is that he keeps on hoping. Hoping that those wonderful dates he had with this person were somehow real and that they really bonded and that they reciprocally enjoyed each other’s company.

Cubaoboy is guessing that probably the “date” did enjoy it even a little but not enough to want to experience it again.

Being miserable is the last thing in cubaoboy’s agenda right now. Cubaoboy honestly enjoyed those two dates and he knows he will experience it again with somebody else.

Cubaoboy thanks his date for his time and wishes him well. It may not have worked out as cubaoboy would have liked it but who knows what’s in store for him. Fate may have a different plan that’s why it didn’t work out, and all cubaoboy has to do is to keep on looking and maybe somewhere out there, that person is looking for him too.

-oOo-

Cubaoboy wanted to write something nice about his recent dating exploit...currently ahhh....hmmm.. He can't seem to write anything.

1996 Paranaque

I would never forget that day. We were there at around 3 pm under the scorching heat of the afternoon sun. There were no chairs to sit on just heaps upon heaps of people patiently waiting just like us.

It was the first day of the two-day concert tour of MJ's – HIStory. I was never really a fan of MJ. I was just there to witness the hi-tech concert. Though I wasn't really forced to watch it, it was more out of curiosity on my part and the 3k ticket was free, so what the heck! It's one of those things you do once in a lifetime anyways.

3 pm turned to 6 pm I was getting impatient not to mention tired. I said to myself “it’s okay, it’s MJ and its not everyday you would see the king of pop perform live, even if you’re not a fan."

6 pm turned to 9 pm, my legs were just about to give out. Then the organizers of the concert announced that there was a slight delay, and the concert will be underway in 30 minutes. "What slight delay? Nyeta! Namamaga na hinlalaki ko!" I said to myself.

And then just like that, the concert started. There was a countdown on the wide screen. Then I heard a female voice (like the ones you hear in airports) announcing the ETA of the starship that MJ was piloting. On the big screen you see the solar system and MJ’s starship cruising through all the planets until it reaches Earth. The countdown ends 3..2..1…. From beneath the stage the Starship bursts forth accompanied by smoke and hi-tech lighting. Everybody held their breaths until the starship revealed its passenger. The starship finally opened and MJ was there standing still with his signature pose. The crowd roared with delight. I myself (a non-fan) was a little awed by it too. "Galing hi-tech!"

It was a visual delight seconded only by MJ himself (I was just there for the hi-tech show remember?). The show lasted for two hours with MJ singing or lip-synching his famous hits. And then the show ended with fireworks of course.

After the concert, I remember how incredibly hard it was for us to go home, because there were about 50 thousand of us who were doing exactly the same thing.

Cubao 2009

Thirteen years after that grand concert, I was really saddened when I heard the news that he is gone. As an 80’s kid MJ was part of my growing up years and I thought that he would just be there forever. I remember seeing Moonwalker and Captain EO in Alimall, both short films were the opening features before the full-length movie begins. I remember singing “Thriller”(eew) and “Man in the Mirror” and I remember “Say Say Say”(a duet with Paul Mcartney), probably because of Ate Lud’s “Eye to Eye” (a showbiz talk show back in the 80’s). His incredible dance moves like the gravity defying lean in the “Smooth Criminal” video. And who would ever forget his savvy Pepsi commercials and his scandals?

Why do I remember all these things about MJ even though I’m not a fan? Probably because MJ was not just another celebrity, but he was an icon, and even in death his popularity will live on. He truly was not only the King of Pop, but one of the royals of pop culture as well. He becomes another Marilyn Monroe. All hail to you MJ! Thank you for the music. May you rest in peace. But I’m sorry MJ, I’m still not a fan.

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