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Jan

20

Forty

Filed Under General | 24 Comments

The last day I was nineteen I was in Malabon, desperately trying win over a girl before I turned twenty. By that time I’ve never had a truly serious relationship, and typical of the young and immature, I felt that if I didn’t have a girlfriend when I stopped being a teenager the world will end for me. I couldn’t see that far ahead into the future. The twenties were grown-up territory and when I stepped into it, I knew I would no longer be as young and carefree. I remember that day like it was almost yesterday. I was with this girl when rumors started to spread about the world ending in the year 2000 and I thought well, that’s years in the future. I’m sure by then I would be married and have kids and if the world would end, I’ll worry about it then.

Strangely, I cannot recall any specific thing I did, or any specific place I was when I turned thirty. I remember I did have a girlfriend, or rather a girl friend. During those days I remember a date we had to watch Titanic. I liked this girl and I was rather excited that we were going to watch a movie together. I got so engrossed in the movie, and so lost in the story being told that by the end of it I was in tears… and I completely forgot that I had a date with me.

Tonight I just got done watching an episode of Star Trek. It was a story about an immortal man holding the Enterprise hostage while Captain Kirk fell madly in love with a stunningly beautiful android. I’m very much happily married, grateful that the world didn’t end eight years ago. The girl from Malabon is herself happily married today. She and her husband have a child and we’re still friends, keeping in touch via email once in a while.

My date on the Titanic movie is also happily married with a child of her own, and living in Italy. I’d like to think we’re still friends, but we didn’t exactly part on the best of terms and it’s been many years since we’ve been in touch.

Visiting a friend of mine sometime in 1996, she was rather horrified that I had grown my hair and that I’ve taken up comics as a career. She looked at me and said rather carefully, “Long hair? At your age?”

At my age? It’s very strange to me that people have very funny ideas about the meaning of maturity. I had a job, I supported my parents, made a good living for myself, and I took care of all my responsibilities. I had nothing to be ashamed of. I still don’t. Curiously, today I still feel very much like a young man. Though not really physically, but in many ways I still think like one. In certain ways, I’ve never really grown up, and I’m really glad. I hope I never do.

Comments

24 Responses to “Forty”

  1. Josel Nicolas on January 20th, 2008 12:12 am

    Happy birthday, sir!

  2. Jonas Diego on January 20th, 2008 1:12 am

    Happy birthday my good friend! :)

  3. Sandy Sansolis on January 20th, 2008 2:18 am

    Happy Birthday Gerry!!!

  4. Jose Mari Lee on January 20th, 2008 2:26 am

    Actually, once you reached the age of 20, that becomes you. Even if you lived up to 100, your emotion and your self-awareness will be the same as when you were 20.

    Women usually say that MEN ARE ONLY GROWN UP BOYS. But, it can also be expressed the other way around: Women are just grown up girls.

    That’s why for people who are in their twenties, they shouldn’t kid themselves. When you meet someone at 20, rest assured that what you’re getting is the REAL DEAL. Don’t dream that because of you, he or she will change according to your own expectations.

    There is an old Spanish expression I’ve been hearing since I was a child:

    Genio y figura, hasta la sepultura.

    So, I’m not surprised at all why you don’t feel like forty. Mark my word. The moment you hit 50, you’d still think like twenty. I’ll be forty eight this coming April, and I don’t feel that age.

    So, Rod Stewart, eat your heart out. I’m living the lyrics of your song: FOREVER YOUNG :)

  5. Reno on January 20th, 2008 8:16 am

    Maligayang kaarawan! ‘Ika nga ng iba, “Life begins at 40!”

    And about Kirk, he falls in love with every woman he meets. hehe. :P

  6. headlessspider on January 20th, 2008 8:57 am

    have a great one bro.

    remember that coffee mug i have? the black one that says, “life’s a b+tch. then you turn 40.”

    well… it really does… ;)

  7. Teddy on January 20th, 2008 10:48 am

    Happy Birthday!!!^_^V

  8. noel alanguilan » blog archive » life’s a on January 20th, 2008 11:18 am

    [...] brother turns fourty [...]

  9. pat on January 20th, 2008 11:47 am

    Happy Birthday! Keep that imagination alive!

  10. John Beatty on January 20th, 2008 12:57 pm

    Happy “40th” Birthday, Gerry!

    Welcome to “middle-age!” :)

    -John

  11. LAR on January 20th, 2008 6:27 pm

    Happy Birthday Kaibigan! Wishing you always a full and happy life ahead. Tama ka, bata ka pa dahil life begins at 40. You just have to enjoy every minute of it! :)

  12. Rene on January 20th, 2008 7:34 pm

    thanks for the sue-man! and oh, happy birthday again. ;-)

  13. Zohaib on January 20th, 2008 8:43 pm

    well … u scared me man coz im going to be 20 in the coming MAY…omg why m i in a relationship sooo000000000000 early!!!!!!!!!

  14. Mall on January 20th, 2008 9:09 pm

    Maligayang Bati, kuya!!!! Hooray!

  15. gilbert monsanto on January 21st, 2008 1:37 am

    Kung life begins at forty. Happy First Birthday!!!! O di ba nakakabata? hehe

  16. Jonas Diego on January 21st, 2008 2:45 am

    Was it only yesterday that we were wondering what your 30s were going to bring? Happy birthday, man…and thanks for the good food and the good times! :)

  17. Pope on January 21st, 2008 6:37 am

    HOY TANDA! eheste, Ser! Mang Gerry!

    Belated Happy Kaarawan!

  18. Rey on January 21st, 2008 11:13 am

    Even me still think I’m young. Like I’ve just get out of college or something. I still feel a bit stunned when people call me “sir”, or when younger people call me “uncle”.

  19. chummy on January 21st, 2008 2:13 pm

    Belated Happy Birthday Sir!

    Just browsed your website today and I was busy with the Sinulog Festival here yesterday…and like you I still think I’m young eventhough I just got 32 last Jan. 17 and up to now I’m clueless as ever like when I was still in college

  20. Francis Lim on January 21st, 2008 3:23 pm

    hmmm….40…happy birthday! Myself, being 45…don’t fret….a part of us will always be that wide-eyed 20-year-old.

  21. kc cordero on January 21st, 2008 3:35 pm

    gerry,
    curious lang ako… may baon ba kayong lanzones na nasa supot nang manood kayo no’ng girl ng titanic? :)

  22. arambulo on January 22nd, 2008 4:42 am

    happy belated birthday, Gerry!

  23. Gerry Alanguilan on January 22nd, 2008 9:33 am

    he.he. Pareng KC di ata nasa panahon ang Lanzones noon. :D

    Thanks very much for the birthday greetings everybody! I think I had a really nice day. :D

  24. yoko ono on January 26th, 2008 10:35 pm

    happy birthday, gerry pie!