alas

I called Ace today. I didn’t expect I could connect to him. Aside from getting a very weak phone signal in their home, Ace phone is malfunctioning.

But luckily, Ace was on top of their house, literally, on the rooftop. I was not surprised. Ace could be found everywhere.

"Perhaps, somebody told me that you would be calling. So, I am here where I could have a better phone signal," Ace told me when I asked is he doing on top of their roof.

I felt happy to have talked again to my very special friend. Yes. He is very special to me, not to mention his third eye prowess.

Ace is a vocalist of a band, which he has deserted recently.

“I got fed up,” sabi nya. "I realized that I have to scout for a more stable job that would help me provide for my mom and I,” the 24-year old tall, dark and handsome-love-of-mine said.

Truly, Ace scouted for a job. This BS Education graduate is a mathematics-major. He is smart and chaming with children, too. Ace applied for a teaching post with the Department of Education in Compostela Valley.

Ika-186 si Ace sa listahan ng mga kukuning guro sa isang publikong mataas na paaralan sa kabilang ibayo ng Lungsod ng Dabaw, ang pinakamalaking lungsod in terms of land area sa buong mundo na nagdiriwang ng Kadayawan, noong kami ay nag-chikahan.

Sa haba ng listahan minabuti nya, sa susog ng kanyang ina na mag abroad na lamang muna. Ayon pa kay Melia, nanay ni Ace, panahon na rin na makita nya ang kanyang anak na tumayo sa sariling paa at makitang naghahanda sa pagkakaroon ng sariling pamilya. Melia is the bestfriend of my bestfriend. We, too are best of friends. Alam ni Melia na crush, di lang crush, na love ko si Ace.

Si Ace ay mag-isang pinalaki ng kaibigan kong may-ari ng isang na parlor sa Poblacion, Toril.

After finishing his baccalaureate degree in Education, nagdesisyong pursigihin ang kanyang hilig sa pagkanta with a band.

Sa Daungan, isang KTV bar kung saan nag wowork ang aking present lover na si beb, una kong nakilala at naring si Ace na kumanta pero meron pa syang mga flats noon sa nag iisang song na kinanta nya noon.

Ang pangalawa ay doon sa Janzar. It was my frist time to be in Janzar, isang medyo disenteng resto bar na may malaking video wall kung saan kitang kita ang kumakanta kahit andoon na ako sa open-space na smoking-area.

I was awed when Ace sang and dance. Ang cute nya, parang si Billy Crawford. He connects tohis audience, at wala ng flats.

Few hours before this the mother and son joined us in a family dinner. I invited Ace and Melia to a dinner at my mother’s home. I introduced Ace to my US-based sister and to Madz, who is scouting for some skilled guys to work in their company in Saudi Arabia.

I asked my brother to help Ace find a job in their company, which my brother promised to.

I grabbed that opportunity to invite Ace to my pad and type his CV kaya halos whole day sya sa bahay noon. Chika lang kami. Salamat sa Red Horse na tira naming the other night. May photo shoot din kami that time and I was able to expressed my feeling kay Ace. I never cared to ask on his feelings towards me.

Masaya na ako na nagiging close na kami nya. I know that Ace is straight. “Di pa ako nagkarelasyon sa isang gay,” Ace told me.

Sa isip naming dalawa, baka ako pa lang. Wishful thinking.

What caught me interested with Ace is his life living with a lesbian as his surrogate father.

“Yes, I call her Papa. Why should I be ashamed of that. Margot is a lesbian who lived with my mother when I was still young. Papa raised me for 20 years,” Ace told me. Margot died few years back and Ace sang Wild flower during her funeral rites.

So, Ace is not a total stranger with gay love. May hope ako.

Sana nga, makarating na sya dito sa Riyadh.

"Dili bitaw na mabuntis," his mom quipped.