Dear John

He was always ahead of me. In the system of names he was always the first—always in the first row, always in the first group and always among the first lines. And I was always in his close second. I’ve spent four years of high school life being only second to this guy. We were always seatmates, groupmates and team mates. Which is why no matter how much I try to distance myself from him, consequences would always bring us together. If not the doings of the cosmic universe then the teachers certainly made it inevitable. Now as I think about it, I couldn’t be happier that our names are so close with one another. It is through names that I’ve come to know this guy and be friends with him.

Some call him Mommy, well for obvious reasons. His close friends call him Vek, a contraction of his name but his real one is much more posh and complicated than that. As for me, I call him by his first first name, John for reasons of simplicity. It doesn’t matter what name you call him anyway as he always makes time to everyone who call and need him. That’s how he is. And for me, he’s just a John—a friend in every sense of the word.

Highschool certainly would not be as memorable if he wasn’t around. I know my highschool life wouldn’t. He was chubbier then as he is now which is why most people abuse him as one huge hugging machine. And it didn’t matter if they were guys or girls—all sorts of people naturally gravitated around him. There is something in wrapping your arms around his stout circumference that makes you smile effortlessly. It’s like when you hug a big cuddly teddy bear, only this bear is warm or has a snarky comment or a humorous punch line with every accompanying embrace. Well maybe it’s not his immense fat deposits but his bubbly and comforting personality that makes people love him so much.

Over the decade I’ve known this guy, I have seen him in his best and worst. I’ve seen him ecstatic over a girl. I’ve seen him gush over a guy. I’ve seen him tear up over a girl and cry over a guy. I’ve seen his kind and lovable nature—from his oh-so-distinct brand of humor to his infectious mega-watt laugh. I’ve also seen him fierce as a tyrant when the time for Saturday PMT drills came (he was our Alpha platoon commander, you see). We fought over the most senseless things—over friends, over rumours, over food, you name it. But no matter what happened then, we were able to look past anything that threatened to destroy our friendship.

But as many friendship stories went, we had no choice but to grow up. We had to move in different directions to continue on. We went in different schools, hung out with different crowds, got involved in many different things. We moved to the opposite ends of the map. We became adults and work became our priority. And so the usual day and night interactions became weeks, months and eventually it became once-a-year meet-ups. Sad to say that we grew distant, in the physical sense that is. However, distance never became an issue, at least not for us; for whenever we meet, we would always pick up where we left off. Some friends are just like that. And I’m a very happy man to still be friends with such a person.

Today as you celebrate your turning silver, I will not be there to wish you a happy birthday. I will not be there to laugh at your jokes and share stories with you. I won’t be able to see our other friends. Sad to admit that I haven’t been around lately and I don’t have an inkling of what’s going on in your life. I also won't be able to give you a present. Circumstances won't allow me to hug you like before.

However absent I am on this special day, you and I both know that no matter where I am, I will always be the guy who comes to your close second. I will always be your seatmate, your groupmate and your friend. Our names made it so that Argañoza will always follow Arches—just like how it was a decade and a year ago. 

Someday, we will look back  on all the horror movies we watched, the many isaws we ate, the numerous walks we had along dark Church alleys, the inumans, the chismisan, the bangayan, and we will laugh our hearts out. We certainly have a lot of memories to celebrate. Thank you for the years of trust and the love that you have given me as a friend.

Happy, happy birthday dear John. May the happiness and comfort you bring to us be experienced by other people equally, if not more. 

Cheers to you on your special day!


I miss you terribly.

AL

I so miss this :(