Para kay B at para kay Guy

My balikbayan kumare just arrived back here in Sydney, fresh from her month-long PI visit. She called me up to say that I have a gift package from my sister and that I could get it anytime from her place. I was expecting the package. Inside it, there supposed to be a book, secured for me by a dear friend during the book launching last year. It's a precious copy because it has the author's signature and a dedication so I cannot risk to lose it in the mail. I had to wait for someone to personally carry it when he/she brings it to Sydney. It was a long wait but the timing couldn't have been more perfect.

It's Valentine's week and for 2 days, a book of 5 love stories filled my train journey. I was determined to finish reading before Valentine's day, which I did. The book? It's Para Kay B (o kung paano dinevastate ng pag-ibig ang 4 out of 5 sa atin), the first book novel of award winning scriptwriter Mr. Ricky Lee.

I have watched some of the movies that Mr. Ricky wrote the scripts of (including of course the most famous Himala) and I was sort of expecting a similar style in his first novel with serious theme and mysterious dialogue. But then, it may turn out to be a little different too so as not to pre-empt things, I avoided reading reviews from the internet. I also didn't read the comments printed on the book itself until I finished it. However, txt message has no warning so I had to read it. It was from my sister in PI (who had the first read). She said that she liked the book and couldn't put it down as she was intrigued to know kung sino si "B". I jokingly sent a reply txt, "It must be u" (my sister's name is Beth). "Corni mo", txt nya ulit. "Matagal na", reply ko ulit.

Reading the first few pages of Irene, Ang Unang Kuwento made me pause for a few minutes. "Si Mr. Ricky nga ba ang sumulat nito?" Maganda but different indeed. To start with, Taglish as in talagang conversational Taglish ang ginamit nyang medium. Nowadays, seldom that anyone hears pure English or pure Tagalog lines in a conversation so the use of mixed English-Tagalog is perfectly honest. Totoong-totoo tuloy ang pag-bitiw ng dialog ng mga characters. There are a lot of witty lines. May mga "x-rated" na salita rin and in Tagalog pa (Whoah!). Reading it felt almost the same as saying it. Natatawa at nagugulat ako habang nagbabasa. I didn't care kung mapagkamalan akong baliw ng katabi ko sa tren. hahaha I will always remember Tatlong "K" at Tatlong "P". And those characters? I can imagine them to be so real or to come to life in the big screen. They are not the goody-goody type. All of them are flawed at marami ding hang-ups (in love and war) which again is depicting reality.

Supposedly, the book is about love and the theory that 4 out of 5 will be devastated by it. And only 1 (yes, only 1!) will have an honest-to-goodness happy ending. How's that for a devastating ratio? Well, I guess the "4" can find consolation on the thought that they belong to the majority ey?

How the 5 stories were weaved together (almost seamless) is brilliant. Socio-political issues and showbusiness graced more than a few pages (It's Ricky Lee so no surprises there!). There's definitely more about the book than proving the veracity of the devastating theory. Each of the 5 stories will ask different questions and different readers will have different answers.

Summing it all up, the book is entertaining, funny and truly enjoyable to read. So...is the "devastating" theory true or not? Which story/ies had the happy ending? Better read the book now and find out...

Some quotable quotes from the book:- Tatlong K: kabog, kilig, kirot. Kapag naramdaman ibig sabihin umiibig ka.
- Tatlong P: p_kp_k, pakpak, pokpok. Mga salitang ginamit para i-summarize ang buong existence ng isa sa mga characters.
- Ang napakaraming uri ng pag-ibig at nagmamahal (p. 36 - 39)
- Petal Attractions! pangalan ng flower shop.
- Ang writer sa Pilipinas walang nagbabasa, walang rumerespeto at walang pera! (for sure, hindi ito si Ricky Lee)
- Pahabol ni Mr. Ricky: Kapag nagsusulat ako, nagpapahinga ako. (Please Mr. Ricky, magpahinga pa po kayo nang magpahinga para marami pa kaming mabasa na magaganda at makabuluhang mga istorya)

Para kay Guy
So...what does Ate Guy have to do with Ricky Lee's first novel? None really except for the special dedication on my copy of the book that says: Para kay B, at para kay Guy! Imagine my surprise when I read that! Very sweet! Obviously, Mr. Ricky knew then that I am a Noranian. Sincere thanks to a Noranian friend who told Mr. Ricky that I am eagerly waiting for his Nora Aunor biography.

If nothing else, the dedication proved again the friendly connection between Mr. Ricky and Ate Guy. From the Himala days (when he insisted that only Nora Aunor was to play the role of Elsa), Mr. Ricky has always been an ardent supporter of Ate Guy (and vice-versa). Up to this day, the two maintain a true friendship which is based on mutual respect (career and personal wise). When others don't give a hoot, Mr. Ricky will come out in defense of Ate Guy. He also lends support to projects/events which aim to promote the artistry of Nora Aunor. Thank you, Mr. Ricky Lee.

Come to think of it, hindi nga kaya naisip ni Mr. Ricky si Ate Guy sa papel ni "B"? Posible ito dahil si "B" ay magaling din umarte.

Ohhh, I remember something now. There's a small trace of Ate Guy in the book. One of the main characters "Irene" who has a photographic memory uttered famous movie lines, 2 of which were "Walang Himala!" and "My brother is not a pig!". No need to say who made these lines famous and in which movies they were from, right?

"Aswang"
The second novel to be released is "Aswang" - a political satire. Merong connect ito kay Ate Guy kasi isang pulis na Noranian ang isa sa mga characters. Hmmm...interesting...I can't wait to read it.