A love story that transcends distance and time (1)

A tribute to my first love, Capt. Tiu -- Choco Pie: Meeting you was fate, becoming your wife was a choice but falling in love with you is magical. I remembered the first day when I saw him at the door of our boarding house in Cebu, Philippines in June of 1977 when I was still a young girl of 15. He just look at me when I asked him what he wanted, he pushed the door and get in. He became my board mate for six months. In September 1977, he wrote in a page of my notebook the words, "I like you." Because of it, I started evading him for fear that as a young girl I might be carried away of whatever emotions that will unfold. Having a very strict father I was afraid that my parents might discover of any relationship that we have developed and will make me quit school. From then on, we become like cats and dogs. The six months of being board mates was an ordeal for me, he always teased me and called me a "drum". Maybe because I was chubby, had a very short hair and had burn scars in my face and not an "eye candy" after all. It was indeed a very uncomfortable situation for me, and having a different class schedule was an equalizer. Finals came with two drawing plates remaining, I sought his help but he chooses to watch movies instead of helping me out. I was really disappointed. As a peace offering, he left a bar of peanut cake in my study table before going home to the province. By that time, he already graduated from his degree in BS Marine Transportation in October 1977. I lost sight of him thereafter.

I heard that at the province, he was driving their jeepney to earn a living, and fell in love with his neighbor who was a close family friend. After a few months, he decided to try his luck to work on board ship as an assistant cook, whose tasked was to peel buckets of potatoes, for one day consumption of the Greek Officers on board. It was where his peeling skills was harnessed. News reached him that the girl he left behind in the province fell in love with an Officer of a passenger ship plying Surigao City. He was broken hearted then, and there was a void space in his heart, searching for someone to fill. I simply wished God’s magical touch healed his heart without vengeance. In Cebu, as a student mathematically challenged taking up engineering, I focused myself on my studies to consistently make it to the Dean's Lists. While on board, he kept sending me postcards of every port in the world he traveled, letters came every now and then. But studies was still my top priority and choose to ignore them. He was indeed enjoying the time of his life with the beautiful sights in port, as a bonus to his job as a seafarer. We had a chance meeting in November 14, 1980 in Cebu, when he visited his sisters who were my board mates on his way back to Manila for another shipboard assignment overseas. It was my birthday, and he treated us for dinner. I appreciated his kind gesture. He was a loving brother and a good provider to his sisters, being the one who supported their university studies. March 1982 I finished my degree in chemical engineering. During my review, we met again after the wedding of his eldest sister in June of 1982, but unfortunately romance was blooming between him and my land lady's daughter. Out of respect, I have taken the side step and concentrated to study for the board exams. While preparing for the board exams in Manila in November of 1982, he was also there waiting for his departure for another shipboard assignment. We got the chance to be friends, became a little closer until a mutual understanding unfolds. But in December of 1982, I was accepted to the two years engineering management training program of National Steel Corporation in Iligan, Philippines. It was shortly before he left for a new vessel assignment for career break as an Officer. While in Iligan, the challenges of a long distance relationship sits in, communication was a major obstacle then, snail mails came only every 3months. My letters to him was not mailed by my land lady's sister whom I asked favor to post it for me because I am at work. She spent the money I gave for postage. Again, the relationship was in limbo and life goes on for both of us in separate ways. Years passed and we continued to live separate lives focusing on each others career. And in one of his vacations while in the province some ladies planned to trap him, and his father was clever enough to send him back to Manila. Over the grapevine, I heard that some women continued chasing him. At this point, he was enjoying the time of his life, being one of the most eligible bachelor in town. (Itutuloy) - GMANews.TV Choco Pie A love story that transcends distance and time (2) A love story that transcends distance and time (3) Mga Kapusong Pinoy! Maraming salamat sa patuloy ninyong pagtitiwala at binuksan ang inyong buhay sa Kwentong Kapuso upang maibahagi sa iba. Ang inyong mga karanasan, saloobin, payo, at kung ano-ano pa na ibinahagi nyo sa amin ay nagbibigay ng lakas ng loob, dagdag na kaalaman at pumapawi sa kalungkutan na nararamdaman ng marami nating kababayan na malayo sa kanilang mahal sa buhay na naiwan sa Pilipinas. Sana'y hindi kayo magsawa sa pagbisita sa ating website na GMANews.TV at silipin ang iba't-ibang bahagi nito lalo na ang Pinoy Abroad na sadyang nilikha para sa inyo. Muli, ang papuri at pasasalamat ay ibinabalik namin sa inyo mga kababayan naming nagtitiis sa ibang bansa upang mabigyan ng magandang buhay ang kanilang mga mahal sa buhay. Patuloy kaming hindi magsasawa na basahin ang inyong kwento - maigsi man o milya-milya ang haba. Kahit ang laman nito ay naglalabas ng sama ng loob, nagbibigay ng inspirasyon, gustong magpayo, nagsusumbong, nais lang magpatawa o kahit wala lang at nagpapalipas lang ng oras. Inaanyayahan din naman ang mga kabiyak, anak, ina, ama o sinuman na may bahagi sa buhay ng isang OFW na nais magpaabot ng kanilang saloobin sa kanilang minamahal na nakikipagsapalaran sa ibayong-dagat. Hihintayin pa rin namin ang inyong mga email na maaari ninyong ipadala sa Pinoyabroad@gmanews.tv Sa aming mga kababayan saan mang bahagi ng mundo, saludo kami sa inyo mga Pinoy sa abroad! Mabuhay kayo mga Kapuso!