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Friday, February 24, 2006
Joey
“Bi, telephone, Joey daw,” our helper told me this afternoon.
I was curious as to who that Joey was, since the only Joey I knew may very well be dead. No contact in over five years, except for those two postcards he sent in 2000, one from China, the other from Frisco. He went back to Manila for a quick visit later that year, only to leave again just as suddenly. We only met once and he was gone.
I was outraged. He didn’t even say goodbye. And how could he leave without at least saying where he’s going? I waited, as there was little to do. A letter, perhaps, or even a postcard would have been fine. A year passed and still no letter, no card. I thought he went back to the States, so I wrote to him and sent it to his relative’s place in Frisco (I got the address from the postcard he sent earlier). Still no response. My parents wondered what happened to him, and I couldn't tell them anything. I thought about asking our other theater friends, but I doubt they knew how to contact him since he didn’t even tell me. Years passed, and my outrage started to fade. Later, only feelings of wistfulness remained. Oftenimes, I caught myself wishing he was just a phone call away so I could share whatever drama (or non-event) that was happening in my life at the moment I knew only he can understand, or if not appreciate. But slowly, that habit stopped. I guess even my subconscious knew he may not be coming back. My morbid side of reasoned he was dead. Yeah, that would explain it. How can someone significant to you, someone you consider a part of your life, be gone the next minute, poof, just like that? It’s crazy.
And then the "dead" suddenly called me up this afternoon.
“Hello, Mel?” There was a few seconds pause before I could find my voice. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. It was Joey! His voice didn't change a bit. It’s so irritating, but I couldn’t stay mad at him. Where was he the past five years? He went globetrotting, just like he dreamed, he said, before staying somewhere in the Middle East where he worked as an optometrist. His contract ended two months ago, and now he’s looking for another country where he can stay next. His next target is the UK, where he went on vacation just before going back here. He’s back for a quick stay, and to wait for the results of his work application.
It’s sad he can’t stay longer. And at the back of my mind, I think I’m afraid that once he leaves, we’ll never meet again. But I’ve learned to take whatever I can get. If for one more time we can meet again, swap stories about the old times, laugh at jokes others wouldn’t find funny at all, and just have fun together, then that one more time would be well worth it.
Anyway, I’m just glad he’s back because I’ve missed him a lot.
posted by melich on 22:49
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