My little black book

THEN: March 26, 1988 — 23 years ago

My little black book is running out of space and I am now in the process of writing the addresses of all my friends into a new one. I just realized that my little black book, studied at close range, is actually a document of the social movement of friends.

Addresses are getting to be symbolic of social position. For example, if your address is Forbes Park, people automatically assume that you belong to that magic circle worthy of the PCGG sequestration. In truth, you could just be a poor relation living with a rich aunt who makes you eat with the household help.

It is not easy to live in Forbes Park if you are a prolet (proletariat, dear). The houses are big and the walls are high. It is meant for people who move around in cars. If you are the type who thinks that a tricycle will come to your rescue if you are stranded in Banyan Street, you are wrong.

This was exactly what happened to Maria de la Paz of Tondo when she lost her way in Forbes. Maria’s daughter, Marivic, used to work in Gapo but has since moved for her American husband to Forbes when the husband accepted a transnational job in a top corporation with offices in Makati City. Marivic now sends her children to the international school in a chauffeured car with their yayas.

One day, Aling Maria waited for a tricycle to go to her daughter’s house. When she got tired of waiting, she finally hailed a taxi to go to her daughter’s house. When she complained about the lack of tricycles, the maids snubbed her. But to Aling Maria of Tondo, taking a taxi to such a short distance is a monstrous waste of money.

There is something distressing about friends moving although they may be moving up. For one thing, it messes up your black book as you are forced to update addresses and the telephone numbers. I have kept the same black book for the last 10 years. It contains the addresses of friends I have known for years in the newspaper, advertising and the entertainment business. Very few in my book live in Forbes Park. Most of my friends live in Singalong, Ermita, Quezon City and Makati City. Elvira Manahan used to live in Forbes and there is her address in my book and I can’t erase it though she is gone.

I also copied in my new address book the address of writer Celso Carunungan in San Juan, remembering his well-stocked library. Ben Farrales still has the same address and so does Behn Cervantes.

I keep my old black book as a souvenir and remembrance of those who are in the great beyond like Rudy Fernandez

The most movable friends are those in the entertainment scene. Nora Aunor has filled up almost a page in my book with all her different addresses. She is now occupying her 17th house and I just got her telephone number. Didith Reyes used up almost the same space in my book. She has moved from Makati to Scout Fernandez, to Sta. Mesa to Pasig to Malate. Lately, a card she sent me informed me of her address in the US. She built a couple of houses: One in BF and one in Kawilihan St. in Pasig. But the only way to get in touch with her is through her mother, who lives in their old family home in Makati City.

Even JQ (Joe Quirino) has moved from Camerino St. in Project 4 to White Plains. Nick Joaquin still has that old address in San Juan.

Joseph Estrada has several addresses, too, and they are all current. The best way to get him is at the Senate where there will be less complications.

Friends in foreign countries move away more often than friends here. It is very distressing to be in a foreign country and to discover that a good friend you hope to see has moved away with no forwarding address.

My friend Lydia is like that. Her first address in the book is listed at East 42nd St. in New York. I can still picture that place with Louis XIVth furniture and Chippendale chairs. She was married to a gorgeous Italian guy who deals on antiques. When I went back to New York after two years, Lydia was not there. But her husband was still around though he was not so friendly anymore. He used to be so charming cooking all those Italian pasta smothered in white wine for me.

Anyway, after some time I picked up the thread of my friendship with Lydia and discovered what happened. The gorgeous Italian hunk turned out to be a closet homosexual who was starting to live a “normal” life by marrying Lydia. He had a long ongoing affair with a well-known pianist and Lydia discovered one day that their funds in the bank had three signatories — she, her husband and the pianist lover. A ménage à  trois that baffled the banking system.

NOW: Oct. 18, 2011 — 23 years after

I have a new black book for addresses. I keep the old one as a souvenir and remembrance of those who are in the great beyond. In my mind’s eye, I see their aura everytime I see their names: Elvira Manahan, JQ, Rudy Fernandez, Nick Joaquin, Celso Carunungan, Tita Muñoz, Estrella Alfon, Inday Badiday, Vic Vargas, Oskee Salazar, Charlie Dabao, Nida Blanca, Didith Reyes, Bong Erana, Babette Villaruel, Mar Cornes, Douglas Quijano, Wyngard Tracy and just this week, Vic Jose. I can’t erase their names from my black book.

Nora Aunor is back in town but I still don’t have her new address. I heard that she is billeted at a hotel at present courtesy of ER Ejercito, her producer in a new movie. She has been busy doing a teleserye for Channel 5 as arranged by good friend German Moreno.

There are more addresses of seminar and investment gurus in the new black book. It is a study on my new interests as an entrepreneur. Names like Jomar Hilario, Bo Sanchez and Larry Gamboa. Also yoga and fitness stuff that guarantees more years of being or looking young. There was a time when I did not update my black book, as I depended more on my reliable iPhone. Then, I lost the phone and now I’m back to getting my black book of contacts and addresses in order.