“A tribute to my beloved friend…IKOY” -Part 3

I really have to finish my story…

So, after the devastating Katrina that I was so lucky to get Ikoy’s first hand experience, I didn’t hear from him until I believe after 6months or so.  And after so long, his next news is another bad news…he was caught by the immigration officer and that he is facing deportation charges and his health was really deteriorating, aside from his diabetes, he is suffering from another sickness that is just wearing him down.  He said he cant go to the hospital because its too expensive.  But he said there were people that are very kind to help him and thats what he was thankful about.  That was the last time I heard from him.  I tried calling him again but his cellphone number has changed.

The thing I will never forget about him was he always have the smile and his sweet laugh that inspite of all the hardship his been through and still battling, he always keeps the positive spirit in him.  He is a true survivor, he will never give up…’till he cant anymore. 

To you my dear friend….IKOY, rest in peace and know in your heart, somewhere along your life journey you’ve touched other people’s heart (I’m one of them), I wish we’ve seen each other before you said goodbye to the physical world.  May you continue your training and maybe next life time we will meet again my friend.

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“A tribute to my beloved friend…IKOY” -Part 2

Anyway, sorry to leave the story hanging…I just have to stop.  I was bloggin about him (Ikoy) and all of a sudden I was crying and I cant type anymore that I just have to quit what I’m doing. I guess I am a little better now. 

So, he was the only friend I had during my hard times in Palau, then he told me about his plan of leaving the island and finding a better opportunity here in the U.S., I was really sad I almost want to tell him not to go.  But I know he wants nothing but a new outlook in life and help his family to the best that he can.  He was a wonderful person that he understood my situation and he introduced me to his group of friends, I remember him telling me, “these are real people who will help you when you are in need and will accept you for who you are”, sure thing they are, I still would love to see them when I go back to the island, hopefully they’re still there (Rogie, Luloy, Juvie and Chaps). I had great times with them, I remember Halloween of 2001 we party ’till morning, after leaving Port Area at around midnight, my 5 passenger Toyota Landcruiser became 9 or ten passenger (LOL!), it was so much fun everyone was laughing even though they were squeezed at the back end of the car. 

That was the last party we had  he even said that’s worth a ‘dispedida party’ for him, he was all set, I asked him so where you going? Do you have family there? He aswered me “Bahala na (Whatever happens), Topo-topo barrega when I get there”, I can see the determination in his face.  

One week later, we had our last drink together at ’Storyboard Bar & Grill’, in our conversation that night, he was the first one who gave me an idea of coming here in the U.S., he told me to apply for a U.S. Visa. With my life so wacked at that time, that thought didn’t even cross my mind. But I remember answering him, “I will keep that in mind”, then he told me to look for him when I get here.  I gave him a hug,warm wishes, and goodluck, that was the last time I saw my good friend Ikoy.  

I looked all over for him, when I got here.  Finally, I was able to get hold of him sometime 2004, a year before the devastating Hurricane Katrina, I’m in California and he was down in New Orleans.  We just said “hi and hellos”, we didnt get to talk for very long because we both have jobs and he kept changing his cellphone almost every three months.  The longest conversation we had was August 2005, the day before Hurricane Katrina.  I was worried about him, I told him to move out of New Orleans, and he said ‘no, they (his co-workers and friends) will be staying there, that it shouldn’t be so bad’, the next day, after seeing in the news about what happened to the City of New Orleans, I was calling him but to no avail.  All I can do that time was pray for his safety.  I tried everyday to get hold of him, it was two weeks after Katrina, I received a call from him.   

He survived Hurricane Katrina, I heard one of the most traumatic real-life story of a person who survived mother nature’s fury.  He was crying the whole time he was talking on the phone.  I told him he can stop if its too hard for him to share it, he said “no, it will make me feel better if I can let it all out of my chest”, he survived 5 days of no food, he was just drinking the dirty flood. All he has was the blanket that he grabbed from the flash flood.  It was afternoon of the fifth day being on top of the roof, when he was finally rescued by a helicopter.  He said if he wasnt rescued that day, he would have not last another day, he said he saw several body of dead people in the water passing by him.  The third day he said he was dillusional, he said he is not going to survive and that his body will end up somewhere that his family wont even know where he’s at.  But he was thankful that he survived, he said that was a life experience he will never forget.  His hardship battle didn’t end there. 

….to be continued.

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“A Tribute to my beloved friend….IKOY”

It was a usual afterwork ‘tambayan’ (hang-out place in tagalog) behind Uncle Joe’s auto shop, the ’Bulabog’ barkada usually get together.  It was one of those get together night that I first met Ikoy, I wasn’t close to him yet at that time. 

I remember when I first met him (Ikoy), I didnt really like him, although I’m usually attached right away to gays because I have a lot of gay friends in Pinas, with the line of work that I was in (TV Production), I worked with gay people,as a matter of fact a good friend of mine “Greg” (I wonder how he’s doing?) is gay. But Ikoy was different, he is not the typical gay that you’ll meet, he was the sophisticated, snob type. 

After a few meet up at the ‘tambayan’, BBQ gathering, Sunday ‘basketball games’ and pizza after the game at Rock Island Cafe, we started to click together.  Aside from he was a good friend to my late ex-husband, I just started to really like him. 

But I became really close to Ikoy when my life in Palau was upside-down, he was there when all the friends I know turned their back on me, I remember asking him a favor to watch my son DJ while I work and he did.  He was the only one who have the guts to tell me the truth that my ex was cheating on me.

…to be continued.

 

-e!

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CONGRATULATIONS! Republic of Palau President-Elect Johnson Toribiong

Wow! just as how America made history….Palau made a history as well.  That was a very close fight….but the BEST MAN WON!  Congratulations HIS EXCELLENCY President Johnson Toribiong. 

Check out this article: http://www.pacificmagazine.net/news/2008/11/07/johnson-toribiong-wins-palau-presidential-race

Palau made a wise decision…a change will surely come.  It wont be easy just like every country in this world is facing but with the leadership that you have chosen, I can assure you Palau is heading for a new start, a better economy, a better policy and economic growth will surely surface. 

I sure hope I was there….I could be covering and writing about this momentous event.  President Johnson Toribiong possessed the leadership quality that Palau needs, and being one of the forefather of the Palau Constitution, he knows the law of the land.  He will protect every citizen of Palau and help everyone to have a better life and be proud their culture and their island. 

I heart BELAU..my other island! Congratulations JT!

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1ST in American history

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…waiting…

Yes! That’s one thing I dont want to do…WAITING…sorry but I’m just really impatient.  This is a wisdom I’m still making my best effort to do my hardest ‘PATIENCE’.  Yep, just like how Axle Rose sounded “Shed the tears coz I’m missing you…Im still alright to smile…all we need is just a little PATIENCE”, urrrgh! I dont have that…where in the world can I find that?  As in I need it now….but I guess I have no choice…I have to wait until Tuesday. 

What’s happening on Tuesday?  Well, its my last day at my full-time job…yehey!!!

Also…patience..waiting for my husband to be home.  He wont be back until next weekend…uggghhhh!!!  I cant wait! 

Its really trying my patience. 

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Halloween in Reno

 

Currently listening : Thriller By Michael Jackson Release date: 1990-10-25

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