Mr. Wedding Singer

Just came from a wedding of my childhood friend Michelle. Twas a simple, casual civil wedding ceremony held at the Function Hall of Max Pacita. This event made me see old friends, people I used to see regularly before at church, people I don't like seeing (hehe), and people who are kids before but now has grown up to be fine teenagers.

Michelle was my childhood closest friend in our village. She's older than me but we did get along well when we were kids. We had our own separate lives when we grew up. She's now working abroad, and me, I'm having the time of my life here in the Philippines. Haha. Just kidding. Oh well, I just can't believe she is now married. Parang kailan lang.

At sa mga ganitong klaseng okasyon, hindi rin minsan ma-enjoy ni Von Viajero ang pakikipag-socializing dahil...

Una, sasabihin sa akin, "Tumaba ka na ha". Lintek! May weight requirement ba ang pag-attend sa kasal? Bakit kailangan yun ang unang pinapansin? Bakit yun ang unang nakikita? Minsan nga, may nagsasabi din na "Ang laki mo na ha!". Hindi ko alam kung yung lumaki na yun eh "tumaas" o "tumaba" ang meaning. Lintek!

Pangalawa, tatanungin ka, "Ikaw, kelan ka susunod?". Sarap sagutin nang "Ikaw, gusto mong sumunod na sa hukay nang magulang mo?". Kairita! Kailangan sunod sunod ang kasal? Na pagkatapos nang kasalan ay may susunod dapat agad? Puwes, magsawa kayo sa kakahintay. Hehe.

Pangatlo, tatanungin ka uli, "Bakit mag-isa ka, asan ang girlfriend mo?". Gusto kong sagutin, "Eh kung meron, sana in-invite niyo na nang di kayo nagtatanong". O kaya, "Eto, sa tabi ko, nakikita mo, ang ganda niya di ba, invincible!". Bawal ba pumasok ang walang girlfriend? Pambihira!

Pang-apat, sasabihin at tatanungin, "Di ka na talaga maabot. Ibang level ka na. Ano na bang position mo?". I really hate answering that question. I'm the type of person who doesn't live to my position at work. At ayoko din siyang binabandera para ikataas ko lang. I always answer them na "Tama lang, normal na empleyado".

Yan. Yan ang mga eksenang kinaiinisan ko pag uma-attend nang mga okasyon tulad nang kasal. Kahit binyag, o birthday, basta mga taong nakilala ko at naging parte nang buhay ko nung pagkabata ko. Mga taong malayo na sa buhay ko ngayon. Well, ganun naman talaga dito sa Pilipinas, sa old traditional society. And I can't blame them, they don't know din naman kasi.

Minsan, gusto ko na lang magsuot nang damit na may nakasulat na "I'm not straight! Stop asking me questions about weddings". Hehe. Siyempre, I cannot.

On the other way around, these people loves me so much. They have looked at me differently and given utmost respect. For what I am before, for what I have become in the society, and what accomplishments I have achieved in life. In this kind of occasion, I always feel "artista" in a way dahil kung hindi tumitili sa saya sa pagkita sa akin, dumidilat ang mata, o di kaya, napaka higpit nang yakap. I'm always given special treatment and special priority.

Eksena lang talaga. Because it catches attention of other people kaya lahat sila napapatingin at napapa-isip, sino ba yung tao na yun. They rarely see me. Because I rarely attend occasions din naman kasi na sila yung audience. Masyado na kasing malayo ang gap nang mga storya namin sa buhay. Marami na akong di alam sa kanila, at sobrang dami rin naman nang di na nila alam sa buhay ko. At isa pa, tamad akong magkwento nang mahaba. Hehe.

Kung di ako napagkakamalan na politiko, minsan napagkakamalan din na ako yung groom. Haha. I always dress up kasi on occasions like this. Though there are things I hate about in attending this kind of occasions, may mga gusto din naman ako. Yun yung special treatment. Hehe.

But anyways, I was asked again to render a song for this occasion. Lagi naman eh. Basta kasal nang kaibigan ko, I'm always asked to sing, which I rarely decline. I always see my song as my best gift for the occasion. Naks! At least, memorable doon sa nagce-celebrate nang special day nila. That whenever they will hear the song, they will remember me.

I did a version of Eric Benet's The Last Time. Eto din yung kinanta ko from the last wedding I attended, which is my former agent, Wendy Parinas sa BF Homes Paranaque. It was this year also and it was my friend Ash who suggested me to sing this song.



Kahapon lang ako nagka-time to listen to the song and rehearsed. I was able to put justice naman to the song kanina and gathered applause after. Sarap lang nang feeling na nakikita mo yung bride and groom na nae-enjoy yung song. Fulfilling! But for the record, hindi po ako magaling na mang-aawit. Marunong lang po. Makapal lang talaga mukha ko. Basta pag pina-awit ako, walang hindian. Haha.

I was also asked to host but because of no time and lack of coordination, I just did the introduction of the event and led the toast ceremony for the newly wed couple. Impromptu pa yun. Whew! Nagamit ko din ang english skills ko. Haha.

To my dear friend Michelle, who's also three-months pregnant, I wish you and your husband good health, long-lasting happiness and abundant blessing. Cheers to the newly wed. Congratulations!!!

PS.

Pangarap ko ding ikasal. Kay hubbee.

Kelan? Balang araw. Sa tamang araw. Itatakda din yun nang tadhana.