WHO IS THIS MAN?

Today, we talk about his life and mine. He's the greatest basketball player I will have ever known though I was not yet around when he was at the peak of his athletic career. I know by heart that he was passionate about basketball. At 12, I was in 6th grade struggling to train for my tennis team. He reminds me to study hard so that I will become successful in whatever dream I want to pursue. “Ikaw ang mag-aahon sa atin sa putikan” he says as he continues an open conversation with my successful working brother (and by "open" it means I CAN PERFECTLY HEAR WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO SAY) but of course, he is trying to sound annoyingly cheezy just like those teledramas in the afternoon on local channels.

During weekends, he likes hanging out in the mall, in his vocabulary, we are "just to be seen". However, we pass by Topshop/Topman, Zara, Lacoste or even Charriol... He buys anything I fancy except those that are useless and completely unreasonable for me to own probably because it's futile, out of trend, or ridiculously anti-conforming. The cost is only his 2nd concern. He was the first one who taught me quality over quantity (re: SHOPPING). Hehehe! We walk, he shakes hands with some random person and they greet each other as if they've been best friends who have not seen each other for a century but when I ask him who that was...it's either a friend, a colleague or an ex-officemate. Nevermind the name. We continue to walk, I desire more things. A cute dress, pretty shoes maybe a cool jacket. “Buy only what you need,” my mother nags me. “I need this,” I argue. “Save your money.” she emphasizes. And then here comes this man, reaching for his wallet and hands me a bill to pay for an item I truly have an eye for. "Basta nag-aaral..." he declares.

We walk some more. We pass some more people he knows, some "unknown" but still he manages to greet them with every mustered ounce of confidence. And to me, this just gets funnier.

On gimmick nights, either I'm out with my cousins or off to parties with a bunch of friends. I reach home before 12 and I see this man sitting on his comfy chair while watching TV, he asks "Tapos na? Nag-uwian na? Bakit umuwi ka na?". Instead of being grateful that I'm home early, he sounds as if I was a party-pooper for leaving the party early. On some epic nights, I reach home a little after 1 or maybe 2 in the morning, and this man, he is still wide awake. He doesn't say much. But you would know he waited for hours just watching TV, waiting for the doorbell to ring, waiting for me to get home already.

And then I arrive home. He is barely waiting for an explanation. He goes straight upstairs instead - and finally gets his rest. Because I, or my brothers are safely back home. It's always been like that around here. And this man... never gets tired of waiting like that.

If you will allow me to draw a picture of this man, I will not forget to put a beer on it. Beer has been his companion. He broke up with cigarettes a long time ago. But with beer? It's some tough love they have going on. It's the indubitable routine between beer and he. It gives me the feeling maybe that's what keeps him company for the nights he waited up! (OHHHHH.. YOU THINK?!)

Anyway, this man thinks he can cook. He says he taught our cook to cook. Well, I like to say he likes to think what the cook should cook so he orders the cook that she must cook the recipe he is thinking. Get the idea? Well, you should. It's not rocket science. This man is WILD!

On some serious note, he is the reason why I dream big. He's one of the reasons why I know I will be rich not so far from now. He may not be aware of it but I look up to him the way I look up to H&M stores. (You all know how I worship the gods of H&M, don't you? It's bizarre!) .

And this man? He is my father.

I love him.

Happy Father's Day, Papa!