October 18… a Thursday. The Metro League had their games scheduled on
Dapitan Sports Complex in Manila. I went there after my NCAA gig in San Juan to
check on Ervin’s work as a CA and to check on Ernest and the new girl he was
giving a run on the livestream panel. Ervin was doing fine, getting the
sequence of the calls right and being able to control the chaos in his place. I
then approached the panel area and made my usual business of distracting Ernest
in his broadcast. There I met Ysa. She totally ignored the fact that she was
doing a broadcast and chose to turn around to me and shake hands while I
introduced myself. As I sat down right behind them to make a sandwich, that
Chinese girl is gesturing me to take over her spot in the broadcast. I said “No
way!” I felt she’s struggling at that moment but for sure I know she’ll be able
to shake it off and go on with the broadcast. As I munch my tuna sandwich, I
start to notice that she is not talking. The moment I tried to start
encouraging her, she gestured to me once again to take over her spot, this time
with tears in her eyes. I was baffled, really, but all I could say to her was
the usual thing that I always say to people that I work with for the first time…
“kwentuhan lang kayo tungkol sa game.” That didn’t work.
So thankfully (for her, perhaps), the game ended, and a chance to figure
out what went there in the broadcast. Why did she not speak? What is wrong? With
those questions in hand, I invited them for a drink in a nearby spot and sent
Ervin home (sorry dude, you did well that night). From there, I finally heard
her speak. I think that is all I wanted to hear that night… for her to speak.
Since the workshop was coming up, we obviously invited her to sign up.
True enough, she was willing to learn more about the things that we do. Of
course I can’t contain my excitement for my fellow workers in the Metro League
in their upcoming workshop stint, so I get the chance to talk to her once in a
while thru Messenger. Short kwentuhans once in a while until the days of the
workshop.
I was really busy in the first day of the workshop and can’t afford
lengthy conversations with those Metro League guys. On the second day, I just
dropped by in the morning because I have a PSL four-hog starting on noon. Noel
even bragged about how I was going to make so much money that day because of
the four-hog. Third day of the workshop, I was out of the workshop majority of
the time, and my attention was paid to everybody because it was their final
exercise, and their tour to the game. Those were three busy days. Several weeks
later, I found out that there is this one girl who was paying some special
attention to me and was somehow begging me to notice her on those three days.
Thus, calling me “suplado”.
After the workshop, the short kwentuhan goes on. I never really made
special kwento to her because there was nothing really for me to make kwento
aside from the games I do the previous day, the present day, and the following
day. It was my Mega November, there was nothing really special for me to tell.
Until we found a common opportunity to talk about something else on that one
Monday in November. We found our chance after work, and there we go… to the
usual spot where it is far away from sports and other stuff that makes it so
cool for good natural conversations… Tagaytay.
There we had a very good conversation. It went like 10% sports, 40%
other people, and 50% about our lives in general. It was time well spent. A
very helpful and healthy getaway for me because it gave me a quick break from
the Mega November I was experiencing.
As the Mega November goes on, our conversations go on as well, this
time with increased frequency. Since I have only been telling her about my day
on sports, it seemed to me that she appreciated everything that I do; the
preparation I give for it, the time I dedicate for it, and what I do after in
order for me to improve. She seemed to like it. When she is down, I just stay
there a listen to her. It’s the most I can give her that time, and it seems she
was pleased about it. My humor is sometimes dirty and most of the times
offensive, and she laughed about it. When I tell her to relax in times of her
anxiety, she seems to calm down, because that is the only thing to do… really.
When I subtly flirt with her, she rides along just fine. With everything she
knew about me, I think she understood my need to flirt some times.
The more I become me, the more she seems to like it… and love it. The
more I become me, the more I knew about her. The more I become me, the more I
appreciated her… and liked her… and want her to become a part of my life, no
matter what.
So yes… the night before the Iran game. After the dry run the night
before, I wanted to see her so I can finally shake the last pieces of
nervousness and scare in my body to call that game. There we got a really deep
talk on what she needed that moment, and what I can give her on that moment.
She appreciated me for what I am, and she needed my unadulterated support. Who
am I not to give her that. So I promised to become a forever friend to her no
matter what. She can consider me as a family because she is family to me. And
for good measure, I told her without any hesitation or any malice to it… just
pure and genuine… I love her.
And all she did after was cry. The first time we met, she cried. The deepest
talk that we had, she cried. Man, I’ll be sent to the guidance office for this
one.
When she composed herself – that is after I drove her home – she finally
converted those tears to words. It was a pretty complicated statement in the
middle, but in the end she said the most important word (I think) she needed to
say… “I love you too.”
And then the Iran game…
---
Support is what she gave me the night before the Iran game, support is
what I must give in return. She got a hosting gig on that Wednesday after the
Iran game far, far away from the city. I had a scheduled Spikers’ Turf game to call
and she totally knew I will not be able to drive her going to the gig. But she
agreed for me to pick her up after the gig. Too bad I wasn’t able to see her in
action due to some pending school work (one of the few times I became a teacher
that month), but I made it on time just to pick her up. From there, we had
another opportunity to share another deep talk. Something out of the ordinary.
Something that is not related with what I do. From there, our conversations
went so deep…
And deeper…
And deeper…
And deeper…
And deeper…
So deep that it got to a point where…
She found the courage to move past the stage where she attempts to get
out of her current emotional state (and continually finding reasons and
courage).
She discovered the things that she’s really good at, and be able to
concentrate on it, and work on to improve in it.
She quits work and jump to the world of uncertainty (in a good way) in
order for her to fully concentrate on her passion.
She quits smoking.
She drinks more water than beer now.
She starts to say things like “igagawa ko mga anak ko ng baon” out of
nowhere.
She becomes clingy, and jealous... in a really cute way (and I love
it).
She started taking care of herself and loving herself a bit more.
She started to become more and more beautiful.
She considers the positive side of things.
She is seeking to live her life to the fullest.
All because she chose to.
I just keep on telling her for three good months on how I live my life.
I just became me. And I would be a really damn idiot if I let go of this lady
that appreciates me, cares for me, and love me just for being who I am. To me,
this was the easiest, most natural, nothing but pure honesty, no false
advertising whatsoever way of loving a woman.
Knowing that this was very easy, I know I can give more. I know I can
do more. I know I can love her more.
---
Look at how far we’ve gone now… from seeing her cry on the first day we
met and then sharing friendly drinks, to pledging to sponsor my car’s tint job,
and to planning to spending holidays with my cute and cuddly nephew. Me and Ysa
have gone this far, but we know we have a long way to go. As the days continue,
know that I will be there for you to be your friend and your family. In all
aspects, I love you Alyssa Gabrielle.
Our journey continues...
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Follow the writer on Instagram and Twitter: @sportscastengr
