The Sands of Tim: Meeting in the Middle (East)

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2003

It was in the church choir when I first met Jaja. He was so quiet then, very shy. But when he opens his mouth to sing the low bass parts of each song, man, you’ll be amazed by how much power of a voice his throat projects. Same as the surprise I felt when I first heard him sing was the unexpected turnout of our friendship from church acquaintance to best of buddies. He went to UST on his first year of Law and that’s when we would go to each of our homes together in the evening after school, stopping by for a smoke in Urduja Village before we would get a tricycle ride home.

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2005

I am no musician but I turn out to be one when I’m with Chon-chon. We’ll sing some antique church songs from his rustic town of Pandi and make a duet out of it a la Martin and Bert Nievera (based on our age, he’s Bert). He’s got a really weird set of fingers on each of his hands which to my amazement, perfectly fit on the piano keyboard which he plays damn well. A family man, Emerson has been the premium buddy to me for a long time that not only we have been both members of the choirs, but also partners in business. (He’s my only trusted alternate in driving, what can you say?)

In 2009, after years of song-jamming, catching rock-fish in Puerto Galera, and swinging on Anchor’s away together, we parted ways. Chon followed his wife in Australia, I worked in Afghanistan, and Jaja made a new life in Saudi.

Two years after, the bond between us brothers have never loosen. And on that first day when we saw each other again, complete like the Three Tenors, it seemed that there were no years nor distance that separated us for a long time. It was like we just saw each other yesterday and felt we’re all together again for a choir practice or a tong-its game or a ‘rest’ in Puerto, or a Cocoose Videoke night. Only that time, we were not in Caloocan - but in Dubai.

Yeah, nothing has change. And I think none of us will. =)

With the Iconic Burj Al Arab behind

Chilling out at the Apartment

Pre, san yung chicks? bilis habang di nakatingin hehehe

The Three Musketeers and D’(Arte)gnian

The entire group having breakfast.

This reunion in Dubai had been even made spicier and more fun by a good friend and co-worker of mine, Jonathan aka Maruja aka Belen aka La Oropesa (but that’s because he doesn’t want to be called Berting Labra). He accompanied us in the hotel we stayed in, and boy, it was a blast somebody was taking care of my two friends while I was with my fiancée. Thank you Jon, for being the best tour guide, chef (not cook)-slash-waitress, and most especially, a good buddy to all of us!