SKIRMISHER

In a ‘bed scene” from one of my favorite flicks, Lost In Translation, Bob Harris (Bill Murray) mentioned to Charlotte (Scarlett Johanssen) that the most fascinating people a person would ever meet are one’s own children.

Y de acuerdo.

Next to my ever-supportive wife, Jennifer “Yeyette” Alas de Perey, my children are my bestfriends — they never fail to amaze me: how their features share mine and my wife’s; the way they grow up, mature, develop; how they acquire new skills, and so many other things that only my eyes can fathom.

My eldest, a girl we named Jewel Krystal Rose, (nicknamed Krystal, a name which I had dreamed printed onto some unidentifiable yet unforgettable stuff, born 20 July 2000), was born just two days after I turned 21, an age when I was still young and stubborn, godless and proud, irresponsible and without direction. Back then, there was no doubt that I wasn’t ready for fatherhood. But seeing my daughter’s life transform throughout the years before my very eyes proved to be the deciding factor of my so-called maturity. Young as I was, I was already a dad. I had to bite the bullet of a myriad challenges.

My second child, a boy, was named José Mario Guillermo II (nicknamed Momay, one of my childhood nicknames aside from Jomar, born 13 May 2004). He was born when I was barely 25 years old, fresh from being a Catholic convert, and right off from some harrowing experiences that each and every young Filipino parent, who married hastily, has had experienced.

Although I am their father, it is they who taught me how to dwell and deal on the planes of a somewhat metaphysical destiny and a helter-skelter reality. Krystal made me realize realization, and to know who I am and what I should really do. My son gave me direction.

And I am so excited on what my third child will teach me.

Jesús Felipe Alas y Perey was born via caesarian section this morning, a few minutes before 9 AM in Makati City (Saint Clare’s Medical Center in gloomy Palanan, where all my kids were born). He’s just five and a half pounds since Yeyette had a respiratory ailment during her pregnancy, and she always had lack of sleep (both of us work on graveyard shifts; since we’re in a Third World republic, we had to miss nights sleeping with our children working in call centers, the Philippines’ façade of progress). Fortunately, he was diagnosed healthy. Like his siblings, he has the features of a mestizo, too.

But I’m so disappointed this post have no pictures. I was supposed to upload pictures of my Jesús which were taken while he was being delivered from the delivery/operating room. Unfortunately, I didn’t know that our Motorola RAZR V3i’s (the new “cellphone ng bayan“) memory card needs an apparatus (a “hard reader,” I think, which I left at home, stupid me) in order for the pictures to be scanned (forgive me for my technological ignorance, my mind is somewhere in the 19th century). Well, guess I’ll have to do it some other time.

Anyway, to my son, Jesús Felipe, welcome to our world. And pardon all the garbage and nasty things you’ll encounter along the way while growing up. It’s all part of the game we’ll play. But you’ll learn. You’ll find your place, you’ll survive. I’ll always be with you. The whole family will always be with you. I promise.

See you later. In my other blog? Sure! But it has no pictures also.

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