November 2011
Mula noong high school sila hanggang college, parating binibiktima ni Ajie Marcelo ang essence ng mga pangarap niya—ang pagiging presidente ng klase hanggang pati ng student council, ang pagiging valedictorian, heck, pati ang pagiging commandant noong high school sa R.O.T.C.! Nang magtapos sila sa parehong kurso mula sa iisang universidad, magtatapos pa itong summa cum laude at magna cum laude honors lamang ang matatanggap niya. At hindi lang iyon, inindyan siya nito sa graduation ball nila kung kailan sana nagkalakas ng loob siyang ayain itong maging partner.
Really, panira ng buhay ang Marcelo na iyon.
So why in hell did he have this ridiculous crush on her for the longest time?
Trivia:
Ajie, or Aida, is a friend of mine from college. and yes, nanggaling ang nickname na ‘yan from the fact that she’s chinky-eyed. aji-no-moto nga.
there’s an interesting story connected with how this guy came to be… Elise has written about it in her multiply account, lifted here:
May ipinanganak akong character sa flight from Dumaguete to Manila, si Paul Marasigan (real name: Apollo). Philippine Air Force pilot siya na irerecruit ni Edward. I asked Edith to mention him sa story ni Brent. Idadawit siya ni Edith sa kwento para hindi ko na isipan ng dahilan kung bakit aalis siya ng Air Force.
Anyway, sa bus (en route to Baguio on one of our impromptu trips), binabasa ko ulit si Kyle (Safe in Your Arms), nang bigla kong makita ang pangalang “Marasigan”. So siniko ko si Edith.
Me: Kita mo na! Sa ‘yo ko nakuha ‘yong Marasigan!
EJ: *blink blink*
Me: ‘Di kaya kamag-anak ‘to ni Paul.
EJ: *insert cuss words here* Kapatid raw siya ni Paul!
Me: *evil grin* Ayos! May kuya si Paul na NBI agent. Anong pangalan?Nag-resist naman si Edith ng mga two minutes bago ako muling namura.
EJ: Siya daw si Heracles Marasigan!
So ayon. May bago akong napahamak. Bwahahahaha.
and so my 2nd series was born. nakiusap na nga lang ako na ‘wag nang ilabas nang sabay sabay. one after the other na lang. i hadn’t thought i would write about the other NBI agents who were with Ina at the stakeout pero heto, kasalanan ni Elise kaya may kwento silang lahat.
cover inspiration is Dingdong Dantes.
first posted in my multiply blog by freeverse34, feb.19,’12:
this comment is way overdue but as they say better late than never :).
honestly, i got interested to read kuya les’s story because he happens to be the older brother of apollo marasigan, who is one of my favorite characters from the sentinel series (written by elise estrella). i thought it would be good to get to know the “man” who raised him.
kuya les’s story gave emphasis on how he had to support not just himself but his younger brother as well. support – not just physically but mentally and emotionally as well. on how he had to play father, mother and brother to pol. this is challenging as he had to mature and grow up faster than usual. at some point, i think, he had to sacrifice his normal teenage life in order to ensure that pol have a normal childhood and teenage life as much as possible. now, this is where i love ate ajie’s character. she recognized this and even though she wasn’t able to do much during their high school and college years she was able to do something for him when they met again when they were adults. that in a way, he can still play big brother but it was time to also give attention to himself as pol can now stand on his own. and when their parents came back that it was time for him to just become a son and older brother and let their parents do the parenting this time 🙂
needless to say, i believe kuya les’s story give hope and inspiration for OFW families here in the philippines. that it is still possible to have children who are level headed in spite of their parents being absent during their growing up years. and that even though there would be some frustration on the part of the eldest child (like what kuya les felt upon seeing his parents, which i believe is normal) who usually take up the role of parents to younger siblings – that there is still a possibility of a happy ever after.
ms. edith, good job (again) on this one 🙂 thank you for creating kuya les and bombi’s characters. (kelangan talaga isama si bombi?) hehehe