Fri at 4:22pm
1:00 PM. February 5, 2020. Bedford Condo, New York.
Toot… toot… toot…
My phone is ringing. I grabbed it so fast from the glass table. Whoa, this N200 of mine still smells new. Hmm, is this my twentieth cell phone? Hah. Toot… toot… Still ringing and it was Mr. Nicholas, my driver. He said there’s a call for me. What? Oh my, it’s from Oprah Winfrey’s show. I forgot I have an interview with her.
I changed my gray coat to black Tuxedo and grabbed my attaché case with VIAO Laptop inside and ride with my Benz. I should have a huge alarm clock in my neck, I said while putting the Cruise black shades in my eyes. Go faster Mr. Nicholas.
The show started. “Ladies and gentlemen”, Oprah proudly saying. “Hold your breath and welcome, the new Disney Star. The boy in Prince Charming movie….. Mr. Ian Rev Sumagaysay.” A welcoming clap from the studio audience was the next thing I heard. And whoa, they are proud of me. Many girls are shouting. Wow, it feels good inside. I want to scream out loud.
Greetings came next. Oprah asked me to tell about my movie. “Hmm, it’s a fairytale-style movie. Only the main character is the Prince which is me.” I smile and gave a wave to the girls sitting at audience seat admiring at me. God, they are so inspiring.
“Wow that is unique and different. Anyway, just for information, are you dating Selena Gomez?” (Oh my, this is it! the surprise part.) “Wow. That is a surprise question. But if you’re really asking me, well, yes. And luckily, she is officially my princess now.” Shouts from the audience came next. Oh God, I love being a star. So many questions and by God’s help, I answered it somehow exactly.
After an hour, here I am, at my Benz again; going back to my condo. I need a rest for now. Hmm, I want music. I asked the touch-pad remote control from Mr. Nicholas. I clicked the Music menu and chose RNB from the selection.
I feel good. It’s a song from Beyonce in her latest single entitle “Gentlemen”. The next one was the new hottest single in this generation, “The Butterfly”. Of course I knew it because it is famous in US. I sing with it and I am shocked when the DJ announced who the singer of that popular song is. Tiffany?
Holy Mother**! Is it true? What a fortunate world. I can’t stop myself from smiling knowing that she is my classmate and she is not-totally very good singer to be exact. But how is that happened? Did Charice teach her? Wait, there she goes. Tiffany has a message to her fans.
Hi guys, this is Tiffany. I want to invite you all to come at my concert on March 5 at Las Vegas. For ticket information please log on to my web, www.tiffany.com. Thank you.
A big wow came from my lips. Am I dreaming? To dig the information, I opened my laptop and start surfing her website. The site opened. No doubt, the picture in the site was her, really her. With unbelievable title under her name: New Star of Superstars. Wow, I really can’t believe it. I shook my head. I just laughed when I realized that her picture at the header was taken at the Bathtub with guitar as her only cover. Nothing has changed; still wacky but somehow, hot.
9:00 PM. After dinner, Selena called me and told that she is going to Egypt for her new movie “The Pyramid Princess”. So, that’s good. I have time to explore America by myself. Yes I am a Disney star but I still did not even have a chance to explore the whole NYC. So this is my chance. I called the make-up artist from Disney which a close friend of mine. I asked him to make a mask for me which must be looks like a real face so I can use it for my disguise.
Morning came. I went to Grand Central Terminal as an ordinary guy. I will visit Lady Liberty so I need a gate pass for the sub train. While falling in line, there’s a girl kid run to me and hugged my left leg. She started crying. Oh God, don’t catch attention. She cried again louder than the first. Who are the parents of this scandalous girl? Why they’re not coming? Oh God, not now. She cried louder than ever as if you killed her mother. And boom! She caught attention.
To stop catching more attention, I carried the little girl and we moved to the left corner near the comfort room. I talked and sing to her to calm down. Suddenly, a worried couple is coming to my place. While they are getting nearer and nearer, I start recognizing their faces. Hell no, I knew them; Arlene and Louie? Wow, they really got married. And is this their child?
Hi, is this your baby girl? I asked. Yes, thank you so much. She was scared at the Liberty mascot in that shop that is why she run and cried. Oh, come here baby. Mommy is here.
“Anyway, I am Louie and this is my wife. Thank you so much buddy.” I asked him if I can talk to his wife. “Sure, no big deal.”
She passed baby Louielene (named from them) to Louie and we walked to the trash cans area. And I told her that I am Ian, her classmate at the FCC. For her to believe, I moved my mask a little from my neck to my forehead. I smiled. She can’t believe it. Me neither. And for old time sake, I asked her to have her family a lunch with me. I wear my mask back and we talked more about our lives while walking back to her husband and child. We told Louie about us and he gave us a chance to talk. He and his daughter went to Megrim’s Toys.
It is not a time for lunch yet, so I asked her to come with me to have coffee at Starbucks. While having a coffee, we laugh and laugh while talking about our college days. Arlene is now a make-up artist in Avon International. How amazing.
Ian, look who’s that tall girl, Arlene told me. I followed the direction of his pointing finger and saw a slim lady wearing a black office dress. When she turned around, we became speechless. She’s a classmate of us. Leslie. She grew up very sexy. She is talking to an African-American customer then she saw us. And she is coming.
So, you’re a waiter here? I asked her. Nope, and who are you? I came here to ask if this girl is my classmate before at FCC. Arlene laughed and said “Yes I am and the one you’re asking if who he is was the star in Prince Charming movie.” I moved my mask a little for her to recognize me.
Ian? Oh my God, is that really you? We all laughed. I can’t believe this, how have you been? Leslie looked to Arlene. What happened to you Ai? Are you married? Wow, this is so unexpected and it causes a celebration. And, because you are treating me so bad here in my own place, I will give you these orders free. Wow, so she owns the Starbucks Coffee now. Wow, that is amazing. And she is also married to a white guy.
We talked and talked in almost one hour. Until I decided that I have to go because it’s my free time to be an ordinary, so I have to use it wisely. Leslie went back to her office and Arlene and Louie went to Central Park.
The sub train was so full in the first station so I stand. After the sixth station, few passengers are left. I sit. Oh, I feel good. Suddenly, a newspaper flew to my face. What a bad day. It was boring so I grabbed the New York Times and read the headline; JaDDuMacro – Microsoft’s New Opponent. IT news, I think.
I am just to open the Entertainment page, when I saw a familiar name in the details of the header news. Jan Michael. He’s my classmate. So excitedly, I read the story. The news said he is one of the two owners of JaDDuMacro. Wow. So, he really pursued his dream to be an IT Icon. That is nice. And who is his partner? Hmm, I will find out. What? Diomar? Wow, did I read it correctly? I am really shocked. So, the group was named after them. JaDDu means Jan Dolfo and Diomar Urdas. I really cannot believe what is happening, it is so shocking.
Finally, we ended at the last station which is the ninth. A ferry station is a kilometer ahead, so I have to walk. The ferry boat takes the visitors to the Statue of Liberty.
After exploring the Liberty, I went to World Trade Center site. I went to Central park and took my lunch. What a lucky day, there was a movie shoot in the park. It was Terrorist Love Story. To act as an ordinary, I watched like other people. And I was shocked when I saw the director of the movie. Karl Marx. Hell no, so he is now a director. And a man beside me said ‘He was the new Oscar Award-Winning Director after James Cameroon of Titanic and Avatar died.’ I can’t believe what he was saying but the proof is in front of me.
Evening came. After taking dinner, I went to Empire State Building. It was so amazing to be in top of the building. I can see the whole structure of the city. I saw Chrysler Tower and the Time Square. I was just to turn around when I saw the live broadcast from MetLife widescreen. It is from Dance with the Stars show featuring the magic five couples who are the finalists. The shocking part is I saw Art at the five girls. Whoa, no wonder. She loved dancing. And her partner, more shocking, it was Joe of Jonas Brothers. Wow, I am amazed.
The next day, I decided to go back in the Philippines. As a star, I have so many connections. So, I had my ticket in just a minute. Still, I have my mask on. I flew with Cathay Pacific. It was so tiring, so I slept. When I arrived at the airport, I became confused. Is this the right airport or I am just with the wrong airplane. I am supposed to arrive at Ninoy Aquino International Airport. But what is this? This is not NAIA. It is SBIA. What the hell happened to this airport?
To know if I am in the wrong flight, I asked the steward in the Information desk. Why the name of the airport changed? She replied, “We changed it sir because NAIA has a new owner.” ‘What is the name of that rich person to buy a historical airport?’ What she said made me froze. What? Sherlyn Beso? That is why SBIA – Sherlyn Beso International Airport. Wow, I am really far from my country. I did not even know that NAIA was sold, and sold to my classmate.
I called a taxi and put my baggage at the back hood. I will spend my night at RC Paradise and Luxurious Hotel. It was a ten-star hotel and very expensive. It was very popular not only in the Philippines but also international. The hotel was once featured in Time Magazine Asia which helped it to be recognized by other people globally.
I am at the twenty-first floor. And it really looks and feels like in paradise. A small pool with little trees at the left side and a prince’s bedroom-like at the right side with many leaves as decorations. Also there was air conditioner, flat-screened TV, mini-ref, and many more to mention. I ordered a dinner from the counter. I ate and slept. I will travel tomorrow.
Morning came. After done with my breakfast, I was just going to take a bath at the pool, when I saw a snake swimming in water. I was shocked and scared. It was my first time to see a huge snake like that. I went out and pushed the alarm button from the left side of my door. Many people went out from their rooms and got panic. They don’t know what to do. A room boy assistant came to me and asked me if why I pushed the button. I told him what I saw. I told him that I need to talk to the owner to tell about the problem.
The assistant guided me to their main office, to the owner office specifically. When I enter the office, I saw a tall man, the owner I thought. He was looking at the window and when he turned around, RJ? What the hell. Is that you? I knew him but he didn’t know me because I have mask. So, he is the owner of this 10-star hotel. And that is why RC. RJ Cocjin. He requested the boy assistant to go out. ‘I am sorry sir for the inconvenience and about the snake in the pool. It was the students who are the previous renter in that suite. They left their snake which one of their secret project.’ He explained very well.
Instead of answering, I moved my mask for him to recognize me. Then that’s it. We’re both shocked. He said he can’t believe my story, and then I told him the same. I put my mask on and we went to the bar at the ground floor and had some tea. We talked about how we became big people. I mean important people. A half hour later, he was going to attend a meeting with ABS-CBN personnel. The station wanted RC Paradise and Luxurious Hotel to be a shooting location in Star Cinema Movie.
I am in a taxi. I will visit Rizal Park. It’s been 10 years since I came there. It so hot, the taxi doesn’t have an air conditioner. I asked the driver to please open the window beside me. When I looked outside, I saw a motorcade. So this motorcade is the reason why the traffic exists. I hate that person who’s their leader. I asked the driver if who is that. He said that it was the new elected President of the Philippines. And who that person will be? He said ‘Adrian Fortaleza’. What? I am so shocked that I had goose bumps. I can’t believe all of this. It drives me crazy; after Tiffany, Avon International, Starbucks, JaDDuMacro, Terrorist Love Story, Dancing with the Stars, the SBIA, the RC Paradise and Luxurious Hotel and now Adrian? I fell down in the seat and close my eyes. ‘I think I need yoga.’
The concerned driver is waking me up. Hmm, I don’t want to open my eyes anymore. He moved my shoulders. Hmm, please leave me for a while. I want to take a rest for just a minute. He moved my shoulder again. ”To, ari na kita sa Tagbak!” What? Baw, kampiyon man kag. Huo nong manaug na ko. Ako nalang gali bilin ya? Hehe. Hay naku, ngaman dabi ipa-authenticate pa gid ini nga certificate man. Whew. “Imu bayad to!” Ay, huo gali. Sensya lang nong. Ari hu.
by Prince Ian Rev Sumagaysay