a birthday bash!

LSS: REAL by Plumb
“look at me I’m twenty three, beautiful, a sight to see tonight…”

1 day to go and I’ll be turning 23. I don’t plan on throwing out a party, but I had an advance celebration last Saturday (Dec. 11) because it was my nephew’s first birthday. Makikisakay na lang ako sa children’s party nya para walang gastos, hehehe…and sometimes it feels good to be kid again.

Birthdays Rewind…

I can’t recall any of my birthday parties when I was a kid. I’m not really sure if I had cake every year, but I can remember when I turned 7 or 8 years old, I had a pink cake courtesy of Minâ (Auntie). I’m not even sure if it was round or rectangle, basta ang alam ko may cake ako.

Birthday 1999: Debut

It was a weekday and our preliminary exam was scheduled that week. I had a celebration but it was not a typical debut party. I don’t have the 18 roses, 18 candles, and the cotillion. It was just a simple gathering with my family, relatives, and a few close friends. I was not dressed like a typical debutante. I was wearing a plain gray shirt and a pair of faded maong pants. My sister and I opted for a blue rectangular birthday cake to complete the celebration.

Birthday 2002: 21 years old

It was a weekend and we decided to go on nature tripping para maiba naman. I celebrated my birthday at EPOL SPRING RESORT in Marilog District with my family (minus ate mimi), two of my closest friends (Ethel and Presy), and our dog Pam. We had so much fun while swimming in the freezing water and trekking in the slippery pathways. Halos lahat kami nadulas including Pam. On our way home, kuya asked me: “happy jud ka sa imong birthday en?” I just laughed at him.

December 13, 2002. 9pm. The Mongols concert at Blue Post Bar and Billiards grounds. Since the band’s main man is Ely Buendia, my sister and I went out to watch the concert even if we don’t know any single song of the band. The place was not too crowded since they’re not that popular yet.

We were heading to the restroom when I spotted Ely and his bandmates in one of the tables and I noticed that he was looking at our direction. (Hehehe…I know what you’re thinking. Hindi ako nag-a-assume, he really looked at us). The girl’s restroom was so full so I just waited for my sister outside. I leaned on the wall facing the mirror in the men’s cr, and much to my surprise, Ely Buendia was coming to answer the call of nature (I assume). He was looking at the mirror while brushing his hair with his fingers. It went on for a while and I was looking at him without batting an eyelash. I looked at his back, I watched him do his hair, and I simply admire his image in the mirror. He turned around and closed the door, and just seconds later he emerged from the cr. That caught my attention. Ganun ba ako kagrabe tumingin para mailang sya at pagsarhan ako ng pinto? You can ‘t blame me if I looked at him that way. I’m just a fan who longs to see my long time crush and idol in person (as in yung malapitan talaga). And there he was only inches away from me and yet I was too hesitant to get the FRUITCAKE book inside my bag and ask for his autograph. I can clearly feel and hear my heartbeat and the butterflies in my stomach. He was so near and yet so far.

Take note: Nanalamin lang sya sa cr, hindi man lang sya umihi. Uuuyyyy, si Ely talagang sinundan pa kami sa cr. Hhhmmm…parang may pagnanasa, hehehe…(walang papalag, do not forget that it’s my birthday. I have every right to daydream and let my imagination run wild…wilder…wildest…?)

So to make the long story short, they performed, we watched, and the rain started pouring as they were about to finish their last song. They headed back to the restaurant area, and there we were, trying to gain enough guts to approach this somewhat unapproachable guy. We ended up talking to his wife Dianne.

me and my sis: excuse me.
dianne: yes?
me and my sis: pwedeng magpa-sign?
dianne: sure. (Dianne to Ely: o, ayan may pila ka na)

I handed the book over to Ely while my sister instructed him where to sign. We said thank you and gave him our “close-up commercial” smile. He answered you’re welcome while smiling and that revealed his braces. Wow, biruin mo, the three of us got something in common pala! Hehehe…

I looked at my watch, it was already past midnight and that means birthday ko na. We left the place immediately after getting Ely’s autograph, and went home riding a jeepney.

Sayang hindi namin dinala ang camera. Sayang hindi pa uso sa amin ang camera phones. Sayang nag-jeep lng kami pauwi (mas mabilis sana kaming nakarating sa bahay kung nagtaxi kami, at pagkakataon ko na sanang makasakay ng taxi…joke!). Sayang lang ang pera namin sa taxi, mas masaya naman sumakay sa jeep. Sayang hindi ako nakabili ng birthday cake.

Oo, maraming sayang. Maraming “sana ganito”, “sana ganyan”. Pero masaya ako kasi hindi nasayang ang araw na ‘yun – ang araw ko. Sa lahat ng nangyari sa concert at sa outing, nalaman kong hindi lang pala isang simpleng greetings ang HAPPY BIRTHDAY…

(alam nyo na siguro ang sagot ko sa tanong ni kuya)