On my way to Lung Center of the Philippines (LCP) to follow-up on medical documents in connection with the hospitalization of my departed sister, I walked along the pavement of Quezon Avenue from the corner of Centris Station Mall.
From a short distance of about four feet, there was a man, leaning on a steel traffic sign post, dressed in blue, obviously a traffic enforcer of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) who called on my first given screen name.
Curious as a cat, I went nearer to him who called on me again, this time in my complete screen name.
As I came closer to him who was grinning ear to ear widely and still calling my name, recalling his encounter and familiarity with when he was still a boy in Sampaloc, Manila, I looked at his embroidered name plate which read "Dalanon JE," it immediately dawned on me that he is a kin of my Dalanon friends, namely Peter, Adrian and Sidney (the latter is the Artistic Director of my community theater group in Lopez, Quezon, DUMALO (Dulaang Don Mateo Lopez).
"Maliit pa ako, nakikita na kita sa Sampaloc kaya paano kita makakalimutan? Kilala kita (Since I was small, I used to see you in our house so how can I forget you? I know you)," he said with his eyes and lips smiling.
I told him I would go to LCP.
After little pleasantries and in haste, I wanted to walk away when he opened his cellphone Gallery and showed me a photo of him with a familiar actor.
"Si Mark Herras," Jovicen volunteered.
"May banggaan d'yan (There was a vehicle collision)," Dalanon pointed to the west-bound side of the road.
"Nasagi ng sasakyan ni Mark Herras ang isang motorsiklo. Si Mark talaga ang makabangga (His pickup swiped the side of the motorcycle. It was really him who hit the motorbike)," said Jovicen.
He said that the motorcycle rider was dismayed and irritated over the accident and the scratches on his vehicle.
According to Dalanon, when Herras stepped out of his car to see and to approach the motorist, everyone was surprised to see the actor.
The aggrieved party was also stunned by the presence of the actor.
"Nagulat yong naka-motor. Hindi niya akalain na si Mark Herras 'yong nakagasgas sa kanya (The rider was stunned. He didn't expect that it was him who had scratched his motorbike.
"Hindi na nagreklamo 'yong naka-motor (The motorcycle rider didn't file a complaint).
"Na-"StarStruck' siya (He was StarStruck') Dalanon jeered at the motorist involved.
Herras was a product of GMA Network reality talent search "StarStruck" with Rainier Castillo, Yasmin Kurdi and Jennylyn Mercado.
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