TV CHATROOM 1

By: Mr Lee Bog

I was 27 when this happened to me. I was born and raised in a city not really too far from Manila. I cannot forget that experience. It was something sweet, tender and in a world of make beliefs, it was very real.

Isa akong insomniac, mahirap makahanap ng antok kapag gabi. Kahit naiisin ko mang matulog ng maaga, kasi 7:00AM ang pasok ko sa trabaho, hindi ko kaya. Matagal ko na itong problema, mula pa ng college na nag-aaral ako sa isang kilalang Universidad sa Manila. Marahil nga ay doon ko ito nakuha dahil sa pagpupuyat sa paghabol ng mga requirements. Sa mahabang gabi na ako’y nakahiga sa kama, pilit na nagpapa-antok ay naging constant companion ko ang TV. Kapag naka-cable ka kasi 24 hours ang mga palabas, HBO, Cinemax, etc.

So, one night, I was channel surfing when I accidentally switched the channel to a chat TV. I saw several entries posting their cel numbers, hoping they could hook up with somebody else. There are some girls looking for boys, boys looking for girls and there are guys looking for other guys. Wow, I said to myself, parang treasure box, ang daming numbers to choose from. 2:00AM na ang dami pang nagcha-chat, gising na gising ang mga taong ito. So I scanned every message that rolled up the screen and one particular post caught my attention. The sender seemed to be unsure and hesitant, looking for an older guy around 28-30, I didn’t even know if the sender was a guy or a gal. But the posted message really blew my head off and soon my curiosity got over me. I took my cel and punched in the digits. I was not sure what to type in, kaya medyo nagbago ang isip ko, so I stored it in my phonebook instead. I continued watching and as I read all those messages, it occurred to me that the Philippines I used to know wasn’t exactly what it was when I was young. She is no longer innocent, where sexuality is something to be hidden inside a closet, sex’s done inside the bedroom between married couples and are not supposed to be discussed with somebody else much more with the public. Ang daming pagbabago, at lahat ng mga ito ay nabago na rin.

Nagising ako sa tunog ng alarm clock ko, 6:00AM na pala. 3 hours of sleep is good enough compared to no sleep at all, nakatulugan ko na naman pala ang panood ng TV. Dali-dali kong kinuha ang cel ko at hinanap ang number, andun pa rin. Like it’s going to expire after an hour and be deleted, I told myself. Naligo ako ng mabilis, nagbihis at kumain ng cereals for breakfast. Pero habang ginagawa ko ang lahat ng ito, ginugulo ang isipan ko ng number na nasa phonebook ko.

I took the bunch of keys on top of my drawer, put on my watch, got my suitcase and, ummm, did I forget anything? Ah, my cellphone, cant forget my cellphone. While I was driving, I cant get the numbers out of my head. Actually, hanggang ngayon after 5 years I can still remember every digit, 918-465-****. So to get it over with I sent a text message. “Hi, I got ur # fr d chat TV. I was 1dring f we cud b frends.” I don’t know what else to say, so I sent it like that. 5 mins later I reached my office but there was still no response. Naasar ako, ginago yata ako, I seldom give out my number kasi.

8:30AM na and I managed to get my head straight and was able to concentrate, thanks to those piles of paper works left by my technical team the night before. Nagulat ako when suddenly my cel beeped. It’s unusual for me to get calls or text messages this early kasi yung counterpart ko sa Manila does not start working until 9:00am. When I looked, the screen showed THE number, “Hi, sori now lng me rply. It was 2 early wen u txtd nd I was stil sliping den. NASL pls.” says the message. Once again, my mind went on chaos. I really don’t know how and what to respond.

“Sori f I txd u a lil erly dis am. I saw ur # fr chat tv lst nyt nd I 1nt 2 b ur frend.” I’m not sure if I wanted to give out my name, being afraid and all, but I finally added, “Bob, m, 27, arnd d vcnity of ****** (for the sake of anonymity I can’t divulge my location, sorry). Wat abt urs?” I texted back. Now I cant go back to work so I went to the filing room, carrying some file folders with me so they’d think that I’m going there to do something.

“Ken, m, 22, ****** (again for the same reason), how r u? Wat r u doing? M @ work, jst abt 2 do my stuff 4 d day.”

“U’re a guy?”

“Yup, disapointd? F u’re xpectng a girl, m sori. It’s nice txtng wid u nways. Hav a gud day.”

Medyo napahiya yata ako dun ah. Hindi naman niya kasalanan yun, I just assumed that, well, actually it didn’t occur to me that I needed a girl or a guy. I was just intrigued by the message posted on the chat room. “No, it’s ok. M sori f I assumed dat u’re a gal. U sed u’re luking 4 sum1 bet 28-30, is my age k wid u?”

“Ok I gez, as long as u’re matured nd responsible. M not out u know and d rison I’m luking for older guys is dat dey can handle thngs beter, maturely.”

This is perfect, I thought, he’s not efem, again I assumed. I’m discreet as well so I don’t have to worry about his getting all so demanding and showy, someone I can be with in public and not worry about being suspected as gay or bi or whatever. “M discreet as wel, so don’t wori abt me being vulgar. I also assumed dat u’re not efem.?

“U-huh.” Was his only reply. Then my cel rang, I looked at my watch, 9:15 na pala. Nawili ako sa kaka-text namin. It was my Manila counterpart and the job really has to begin at this point. I answered the call and said that I will go online now for file consolidation and transfer, usual stuff. I just asked him to give me 5 minutes. I then sent an SMS to Ken, “Hey, listen. I hav 2 go bak 2 work. I hav stuff 2 finish by noon 2day,hope u dnt mind. Do u hav lndlyn # u cud giv me so I can call u?”

“It’s ok, I hav 2 start working as well. Bye, l8r” was his response plus his home and office number (which I can’t show here).

Haaaay, ang haba ng araw ko, it’s already past 6PM and until now hindi pa dumarating yung technical team ko to provide me the details I needed to finish my report. My cell rang and when I looked at it Ken’s name was showing, so I answered while heading back to the filing room to have more privacy.

“Pasensya ka na at tumawag ako. I just got home and I want to know if you’re free tonight. It’s a Thursday night I know kaya lang excited kasi akong ma-meet ka eh.” He said.

“Okay lang na tumawag ka, tapos naman na ang bulk ng load ko eh. I was just waiting for some details to completely finish this one out.” My reply.

“O bakit di mo sinagot yung tanong ko about us meeting tonight?”

Hesitant ako, actually takot and I’m not sure if it’s a good idea. Ang tagal kong tinago yung sikreto ko tapos isang gabi lang tulad nito ay baka sumabog ang lahat ng iyon. “Ah, do you think it’s a good idea? I mean, we really don’t know each other. We just exchanged SMSs this morning.”

“Kaya nga, we don’t know each other so it would a great idea to meet up and know each other better, di ba? Alam ko kung bakit ayaw mo. Like I said this morning, I’m not out and definitely not effem so you don’t have to worry about us blowing your cover. Takot din ako kaya lang when you said that you are discreet, I thought that my secret’s safe with you. I’m taking a leap of faith here.”

“Hey, who said that I’m afraid? Well, actually tama ka. Tama ka sa lahat ng sinabi mo. Okay, I’m going to take the leap of faith as well. Where do you want to meet and what time?” At this point I heard the front door opened and lots of talking that go with it. Haaay, nandito na rin ang hinihintay ko, I told myself. “Is 8:00 fine with you? Sa may coffee shop sa Lot.” I figured that I have 30 minutes to finish up what I’m doing, 15 mins driving home, 30 mins preparing myself and 15 mins driving to our rendevous.

“Ang tagal naman what about 7:00? At pwede bang sa Mami house sa likod noon kasi mas konti ang tao dun eh. I’ll be wearing basic white and blue and gray baseball cap.”

“7:00? Eh 45 mins na lang yun ah. Kelangan ko pang umuwi at maligo.”

“Huwag na, ako lang naman ang ime-meet mo eh. Sige na, I’m sure mabango ka pa rin naman after 12 hours of work.” And he chuckled a little. “Kidding aside, sige na payag ka na ng 7:00, don’t worry about not taking a bath and changing clothes. I can accept you for who you are.”

Tama naman, I was working in an air conditioned office and just did paper works the whole day, so…“well, sige. 7:00 PM sa Mami house sa likod ng coffee shop.”

“I cant wait. See you later babe.”

Babe? He called me babe? Ang cute, I thought. “Bye, later.”

I went outside of the filing room and went straight to my desk, andun na yung papers na hinihintay ko.. I rammed through them, arranged them and started typing with my computer. After I finished doing my report I called my counterpart and told him that I am still online and we can finish up our paper works for the day. He said to send my files and he’ll send his too so we can consolidate and REALLY finish up the day’s work. That we did, I printed a copy, signed what’s needed to be signed, made 4 copies of it and placed them on my supervisor’s desk. Ahhhhh, tapos na rin sa wakas. That would give me, I looked at the clock and realized that I have 15 mins to get there. That’s perfect. So I turned off my laptop, cleared out my desk, taking off my tie as I head towards the door. I walked towards my car and started my engine, revved it a couple of times and head off to the Lot.

Magkita kaya ang dalawa? Ano ang susunod na mangyayari pagkatapos ng kanilang pagkikita?

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