the most beautiful story i ever wrote (& so far the only)

I'm writing again. It's something I know I'm good at. I should know I'm my no. 1 fan. I keep re-reading my stuff & enjoying it! Haha!

I remember my lolo, Tatang Biano admiring my letter to my auntie Linda who works abroad. He said, you write well. I was about 9 then. I was like, you should read my essays, lolo. But of course, I just smiled politely and I was itching to show him my formal theme notebook so he can heap me more praises. Why did I not bring it with me on my vacation at lolo's house kasi! ;p

Among my talents, I always put "writing." It's something I like doing & why I don't do it as often, I don't know. I do have a journal but I don't have as many entries. I always find an excuse like I'm busy with this & that. Always procrastinating.

It's one of my childhood dreams, to be a writer. In fact, I told myself then that Iwill have my first book published by age 27. I remember telling myself that. Oh well, I'm super late. I did have 2 articles published though at Twentysomething column of Inquirer. Not bad? That was eons ago.

The other dream is to become the first lady president of the Philippines ;p When Tita Cory became one, I lost heart. She stole my thunder, so to speak. Anyway, I have many others that I am still pursuing. Plus this writing thing.

I have attempted writing short stories early (so did my sister, Jelen. I don't know if she remembers.) and continued on but never finished any. An unforgettable story I wrote when I was in grade school was for Gospel Komiks.

It was about a new little girl in school. Being new, she had no friends. Her new classmates didn't like her because she was new, poor, plain Jane or with disability or all the above, I don't recall exactly. After a while, she gains friends because she's apparently nice but still there were those who teased & ridiculed her, for drama hehe. They are the villains- rich, pretty, sassy girls. Then came a swimming excursion and the plot thickens. (Now why would the teacher bring her class to swim, you might ask. I was in grade school ok. And why the school approved? And the parents? Wherever did I get the idea? ;p) Tragedy strikes, the Leader of the Clique who belittles Plain Jane drowns & everybody froze in fear. The teacher was nowhere in sight or maybe she got cold feet or doesn't know how to swim, we don't know. (Then why bring a bunch of kids to the beach? Same excuse, I was in grade school, ok.) So now it's our heroine's time to shine, without hesitation & forgetting the hurts she received from LC, showing forth her golden heart & true color, dives to the water and rescues her. LC is saved & lives. Then they become best of friends. The end.

I wrote this not only because of the cash of 100 pesos but because I fancy myself a writer & my name will get printed in the religion comics that everybody is required to read in my school, Sacred Heart. I remember writing my story in a grade school pad paper instead of coupon bond because it was so beautiful & well-thought of that the editors might not believe it was written by a kid. Whoa, loaded with confidence huh!

I didn't tell a soul & mailed my letter myself at the post office in our subdivision. And waited months. I was going to surprise my mom & dad & sibs & friends & teachers & classmates. To my chagrin, it didn't get published as is.

Oh, and did I say I named my characters after my friends? PJ and her friends were named after my friends, while the "bad" girls after my classmates who weren't my "bati" that time I wrote it. Told you, so grade school.

Anyway, then one day, I read it on the same Gospel Komiks, MY STORY, only it had boys instead of girls as characters. They made the new boy, Muslim. Same storyline, Christian classmates hate him, stupid teacher brings class to the beach. Christian boy drowns & is saved by Muslim boy. Then they become friends. To this day, I vividly remember the frame-by-frame pics. It was MY STORY and yet no credit to me. Some guy's name was featured on the "written by," who I think if I remember correctly, was the editor. He stole my story!!!

I didn't tell anybody. Who would believe me, I thought. But I think I wrote the editorial board about it. Not so sure if I got to mail it though. I did think of hiring my dad's lawyer. But since I didn't have proof I just let go. I remember thinking I should've xeroxed it.

I got frustrated & didn't bother sending them another story. But I must say this, some stories that were sent by students like me & appeared there were copied from our Reading book, duh! But that didn't stop me from writing because around grade 6 till high school, I made attempts of writing novels ala Sweet Dreams. But I never got to chapter 2. I did write for our high school paper at Lourdes.

When I read Gabriel Garcia Marquez, I fell in love with his works. I must have read his, "One Hundred Years of Solitude," twice or thrice completely and about 5x partly, and devoured his other novels & short stories. I dreamed of becoming like him a Nobel Prize winner for Lit minus the cancer. And told myself, one day, I'll put the Philippines in the literary map. Right. Nowhere near right now. As my latest attempt to write my first novel is nowhere near chapter 2. For now, my most beautiful story is about the girl with the golden heart.