How I Met Him

January 11, 2007, it was a gloomy day. After spending Christmas and New Year alone in Danao City, Cebu, I can’t help but miss my family and friends. It’s been 8 months since I started working straight from college. My mood was quite somber as I exchanged text messages with a friend in college. It was one of those days when you feel like every day is starting to be routine and all your friends seemed happy and fine with their respective lives. The night was filled with the usual banters from my board mates, noises from the dogs outside and the loud television from our neighbor which made me sulk even more because I haven’t seen a television for like an eternity. The idea of napping on the couch was suddenly interrupted by an unexpected SMS. “Hi can you be my textmate?” 

 

First thing that popped in my head was Wow!. Uso pa din pala ang pick-up line na ito. At the back of my head I was thinking that it might be another prank orchestrated by my batch mates at work, or it could be a stray message from another soul searching for forlorn individuals like me to waste time with, or worse it could be those scammers who would befriend you then ask for phone loads later. But, I don’t know, an invisible force pushed me to reply and ask the typical jejemon phrase hus ds? After awhile, a response came back saying he is Jay Gomez and he got my number through his batch mate at work who happens to be my school mate in TUPV. From there, I recalled that during last Christmas, Cathy, my batch mate, mentioned that she will introduce me to this certain Jay. But I did not pay attention because she seconded in jest that this Jay is gay. After re-reading the message, it made me conclude that this was the gay Jay that Cathy was referring to. And all along during our exchanges of messages that day, I really assumed that he is gay and only wants to befriend me. 

<><> <><> <><>

Beehive, Danao City, July 2007

As days went by, I must admit that I found my new friend interesting. He was eloquent, he could ride along with my jokes and we simply understood each other. He seemed nice and sweet. Then I realized Cathy was just joking on the gay thing. Sigh of relief. Hahaha. It seems like we have known each other for years. Our frequencies simply jelled that we could talk anything even the most personal and most complicated things. He talked about his life and I shared mine. And although I’m from Negros Occidental and he’s from Davao, we have common acquaintances. Then our discussion went to our course and the recent November board exam. That’s where coincidence hit me because I was supposed to get the exam last November but due to tight working schedules, sickness, and other factors, I’ve deferred and decided to have it on April 2007. We could have met there in the review center. I have tried to attend the night review schedule at Excel (the name of the review center) straight from work but didn’t finish it. During the sessions I’ve attended, I would always look at the bulletin board hoping to see if my classmates were able to top the weekly tests. I would usually see the similar names topping the list from a certain school named USEP. And something from my vague visual memory recalled his name from there. When I asked him about it, he confirmed that what I recalled was true. I must admit, I have a penchant for smart guys and confirming that it was indeed him made him more endearing to me- endearing??? Lols. I also remembered of attending the pre-board exam last October and he was there, a few classrooms away from me, but we never met. 

<><> <><> <><>

Tutor Days, Villa Angelina, Danao City, April 2007

                                                                       

So to make the cheesy story short, he offered to help me in preparation for the April board exams. With his offer, I don’t have to travel 3 hours to attend the review in Cebu City. He would visit at our house almost every night to have review sessions, question and answers, problem solving tricks, mnemonics memorization and all that stuff. Let’s just say that the said sessions paved way for us to know more about each other. And days before the board exam, we became a couple. 

I feel like hitting two birds in one stone. I was happy and the license was only an added bonus. Telling this story all over again evokes the hopeless romantic in me. I’ve experienced serendipity firsthand. And I would never get tired of telling this story again and again. I feel very lucky that I have met my first and one true love in the most hilarious but sweet way.

<><> <><> <><>

First few pic together, Stakili, Compostela, Cebu City, June 2007