Saturday, August 16, 2003
THIS GUY'S IN LOVE WITH
The Damage Report - Year 2 - Ending Week #10
Background Music: "This Guy's In Love With You" by Parokya Ni Edgar
NOTE: This is a weekly blog entry that summarizes a series of events of a finished week in and around La Salle.
MY cellphone was ringing 1 o'clock in the morning (of Tuesday after Monday's midnight) in my dorm room. My two room mates were already sleeping and the only light that was on in the room was the one on my study table.
As always, my cellphone was on silent mode. The number was a coming from a certain 0927-xxx-xxxx. At first, it was this "Twilight Zone" feeling. Who the hell would be calling me at this time.
It stopped and then it repeated. The signal in my dorm room was bad, but still whoever this person was, they kept reaching my cellphone. I didn't want to go outside into the dark hallway to answer it. Plus, I was doing some paperwork at the time. Instead, I decided to save the number and txt this person in the morning.
[name: UNKNOWN] - [number: 0927xxxxxxx] - Number saved
Moments later I was starting to have anxiety attacks. I was suddenly afraid of seeing my 3210 blink and vibrate as a certain "UNKNOWN" was calling. That was even more twilight-zone-ish. Instead, I renamed the entry as "Girlfriend Mo!" so it would make me laugh and feel cheerful.
Eventually, "Girlfriend Mo!" ringed in a few more times until finally it all stopped. After finishing my paper work I fell asleep.
***
Tuesday - Deadline Day
Tuesday morning and I'm up and about already. My brain was still swolen from the stress of eight articles and not a single interview done yet. It was deadline day.
I had received the txt msg on my 3210. And it was from that number. It explained in bad english something like "Is this George? Is it okay if we become friends? Because the first time I saw you, I think I'm fallen for you."
I finished the message for a smile. Wow. I have an admirer. Who wouldn't smile? I'm not into text-mates and eye-balls, but with all the stress in the world at that time... a simple "text-break" wouldn't hurt.
I didn't reply though.
There was this terrible brownout in the admin building (and also the dormitories). The office was extremely hot and the weather was intensely humid. I noticed only the apprentice were inside of the office. Matt Ventura and my dorm mate since last year Tom Wagan were inside. A.B. of BCS2-1, also a 2nd year, was in the office as well. I was the only Junior Staffer there, and the rest of the Editorial Board and staffers weren't there.
I got to meet them more. I now call them the "Brownout Club" since we semi-bonded. After talking for nearly two hours and roaming the 2nd floor of the admin with my other classmates in PAG... I called it a night and went back to the dorms.
The tropa would eat dinner at McDo so we went there. I received more txt from "Girlfriend Mo!" and for the first time, I decided to reply right then and there.
[Ano course mo?] I asked.
[BSEE at TUP] this person replied.
[How did you get my number?] I asked.
[Friend of a friend. I'm from Tanza. I work at JB Tanza. I saw you there.] this person replied.
[How did you get my number?] I repeatedly asked.
[Can I come over to your house?] this person replied.
[I go to the dorm. And no, I don't let anyone go to my house.] I replied.
[Can we be friends?] this person asked.
[Sure, why not.] I replied.
A few french fries later...
[I bet you're wondering if I'm a guy or a girl. Honestly, I'm a guy...] he replies.
"THIS GUY'S IN LOVE WITH YOU, PARE"
"BADING NA BADING SA 'YO!"
My face froze up. My whole body couldn't move. I only felt my stomach and my chest trying to breathe. I asked Tony, who was sitting opposite me, to join me outside. He didn't move or seem to understand. So, I stood up. Looked at the whole table... they were all busy eating their meals.
I walked outside. And then I was sinking into an abyss of shock and awe. Every day of my life there's a surprise... this one is definantly one of them.
I entered McDo again and the whole table looked at me. I sat down and I couldn't help but keep the news in me. I passed the cellphone to Abbie, who thought some girl had the hots for me.
I watched Abbie's eyes browse through the message. When suddenly she covered her mouth in shock as well. She started laughing and I started laughing like crazy. And I started to lightly shout...
"Some guy's in love with ME!"
AHHHHHHHHH. O. M. G.
***
We returned to the dorms later on after much talk about who this mystery person is. This person works at a fast food restuarant in Tanza. Says he saw me there. Says got my number through some "Mark" of Tanza.
I'm no fool. I'm a journalist! I instantly went into research and started to contact potential sources.
Jerson, a former classmate, works at that fast food place.
Kate, my classmate and friend, befriended this person thru txt and got more info.
Jason, my dorm mate, gave me pointers on dealing with prank txters and helped me prevent disclosing any further delicate information about myself.
Teenah, my friend and class president, conducted her own findings of this person's whereabouts.
Eventually, this is what emerged:
- Joo Ralph Paguio
- 18 years old, from Tanza Cavite
- Studies BSEE at TUP Dasmarinas
- Says "I love you" to a guy... therefore: GAY or BISEXUAL
***
It's not just me okay! Mark had a gay stalker who called him "baby". The modelling agent who found Aldrich is gay and they're supposed to meet but this guy keeps txting him these quotes. Lance really hates gay stalkers. I'm sure all the other guys of the tropa (Brian, Basil, Karl...) have had their own. It's a typical thing for them, but now it's happened to me!
Well, in a world fleeting with stress I treated this person who was txting me like an ordinary friend. I mean, that's what he wants right? But if he makes any wrong move on this "friend" he wants me to be to him... that's when the fire will rise. The invisible fire.
***
Wednesday - Stress Tabs Please
I woke up, tired once more, around noon and already planned on not attending the two classes I had in the afternoon. I would use that time to flush down all the articles I needed to do by conducting all the interviews possible.
I made it to the staff meeting and afterwards three sections called my name. Kuya Marthy called for a FEATURE meeting, Kuya JD called for a DECRETO meeting, and Ate July called for a NEWS writers meeting. All at the same time.
Geezus Kryst!
I just entered the conference room of the office and didn't care which of the three it was. There, Ate Chiqui and Kuya JD combined Decreto and News meetings. I did go to the office and we did speak about the articles. Eventually my articles would be lessened. From eight heavy articles, it was narrowed down to three for news and two for Decreto. Down to five articles from eight. I was now able to work with control, and most importantly, balance.
I returned to the dorms a bit relieved. Three things collided on Wednesday night.
(a) PAG GENERAL ASSEMBLY, Alumni Hall
(b) CBA GEN. ASSEMBLY "BOMBA", Lake Park
(c) ON-CAMPUS DORM AQUAINTANCE PARTY, E-House
I attended the on-campus dorm party of course. Lance was the emcee with a girl from COM1-1 and Roxanne, a schoolmate in High School, was also there.
We partied and it was the most successful party in the dorms, ever, I believe. Everyone danced. I thought no one would, but they did. They seemed to enjoy it. And it's my fault Abbie wasn't dancing. Everyone in our tropa that was there was dancing except I was so tired I was sitting down. So Abbie was sitting down as well... perhaps If I jumped up and started dancing she would also dance.
Everyone asked me at the dorm later.
"Abbie... she didn't dance! I thought she was the kind who loves to dance!" I heard from someone in the tropa. It wasn't Lance, Aldrich, or Kevin though.
I felt guilty! Hahaha. But seriously, I was tired.
***
Thursday - Two Birds with One Stone
I was absent in Consti and first half of Computer just to interview Mr. Rodelon del Mundo, chair of the Marketing Department and then Dean Aquino Garcia of the College of Liberal Arts for my two news articles related to the Marketing grandslams and the Vandalism of the Parliamentary room.
***
Friday - Drinks at Inazalle Again
After practicing a bit of Egyptian in PHED103: "Exotic" Dance, the rest of the day was just normal. I treated Lance to a San Mig Light. It was Lance, Kelvin, Kevin, and myself at Inazalle. I had a San Mig Light and a Caramel Chill with a pinch of alcohol. Kelvin and Kevin did a bottoms up with one San Mig Light... Lance and I laughed at their reactions afterwards. Hahaha. And at the dorms, I spent the whole night and morning typing and brushing up on the two articles I have for news after finding out Eric's and Maycee's had been scraped and asked to be re-made. Yikes.
***
Saturday - Submitting the News Articles
Lance and Kevin where with me in the CR-V on the way home. Kevin up to the high way (in front of AMA) and Lance at Tejero, Gen. Tri., Cavite.
***
Sorry for the rush, I have to sleep...
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