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SHADOWS
DJ
law student
full time daughter, sister & friend
loves to write, shop, cook, laugh, talk and listen
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Monday, July 24, 2006
Mood: I'm in a weird state of mind.
Music of the Moment: Nuthin', just listening to my interview with Chiz
I met Chiz Escudero last night. I remember the
moment exactly. My friends and I were sitting on our strategically
located chairs. Our table was at the back of the room but it faced the
stage directly. We didn't want heads blocking our view of the man who
was the night's guest of honor, so we carefully chose our table. We
were in evening gowns, the men in their barong tagalogs. Some may deny
it, but, clearly everyone wanted to look their best. It wasn't really
hard to move around, but of course with our heels and the long flowing
gowns, we opted to sit while waiting for his arrival. I was giggling
over some silly talks, then for some unknown reason I glanced at the
door, and there he was, in a black short sleeves polo, wearing the
trademark Chiz smile.
I gasped. And for what seemed like an eternity, none
of my friends spoke a word. The cat got their tongue obviously. I, on
the other hand, shifted on my chair like a pubescent girl who caught a
glimpse of her crush.
Yeah, it was surreal, silly, hilarious, thrilling
etc.. etc. I can name all adjectives available and they would aptly
describe what took place at that precise moment.
I wasn't exactly hyperventilating in public,
however I wasn't a picture of sophistication either. But then again,
I'm only human. I got excited. Simple as that.
Still, I was in a better condition than many others.
Some girls I know shrieked and squealed. I heard stories of perspiring
palms and wobbly knees. Indeed, at that jiffy, Chiz was the star.
Ever since my co-officers and I agreed to invite Mr.
Escudero to the Testimonial Dinner, I had been counting the days
leading to the actual night. I have been a fan of this man ever since
he became Fernando Poe Jr's trusted spokesperson.
Everyone knows about the legendary FPJ's wariness of
politicians. When Erap became president, FPJ never set foot at the
Malacanang Palace. Not even once. He was also said to have trusted only
a select few to surround him during the campaign. And Chiz, the
youngest of the group, was a personal choice to be his spokesperson. I
guess that is testament to the brilliance and charm of this Bicolano
politician. To impress "Da King" is no mean feat.
So it's no surprise that his arrival in the ballroom
caused so much fuzz. He is, after all, a certified celebrity.
Chiz looks just like he does in television. Perhaps,
a little thinner. Television, as we know, adds at least 10 lbs. He has
a small face, and a genuine smile that, at times, turned into a
mischievous grin. He glanced down often. Seemed embarassed with the
attention he was being showered with. Unlike some of his
contemporaries, the man didn't look thrilled with the popularity fever.
He appeared grateful, touched even. He was like a reluctant star in the
presence of die hard aficionados.
But such reluctance, such humility only added up to the charm of this future Senator, and hopefuilly, President.
He said his speech in Tagalog, although he did
speak English once in a while. He joked about having only a few
English available. It surprised me, I know he speaks impeccable
English. I have heard him use the foreign language so many times in
talk shows. Why would he want people to think he didn't know how?***
He touched on mostly "law" topics. Trying hard not
to appear like he was "namumulitika". He was a good speaker. He was
forceful, engaging, eloquent, clear.
Later in the night, he asked to be excused so he can
smoke. He didn't have a moment of peace though. People rushed out of
the ballroom when they saw him leave. The lobby turned into a studio as
hordes of girls surrounded him asking to have their pictures taken with
him. He obliged.
I went out a few minutes later. My friend Aliya
wanted a souvenir picture and so I accompanied her. The scene that
greeted me was something straight out of a movie premiere. Girls were
shrieking, giggling, snapping pictures like there was no tomorrow.
While watching the events that transpired, it
occured to me. It doesn't take much to excite people. It doesn't take a
lot to make our day. This country is so in dire need of heroes and role
models that when we are blessed with the presence of a "hero
material", we throw all caution to the wind and drop all formalities. Who cares if we appeared too eager? Yes, Chiz Escudero made people excited that night. The presence of him made our day. His charisma and modesty, and unassuming persona transcended all political boundaries. His smart and witty personality and his strong character registered well with those he met.
Some people may not agree with his political and personal views, but it cannot be denied, that on that evening, on July 22, 2006, time stood still for a lot of people. And for that moment, that room became our world, and it revolved around one man, Francis Joseph Escudero.
(my take on our interview with him will be on my next post.)
*** he would explain why in the interview
Posted at 01:58 am by dj876
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