Thank God for brothers (honest)

I started out as a Pat Boone fan. I liked his suave, clean-cut looks and easy style of singing. Somewhere along the way, his nemesis, Elvis Presley, caught my attention and Elvis it was for the rest of my younger years.

I was 11 in 1957, when Elvis’ film, Loving You, was shown in Manila. I nagged and cajoled and pleaded with my parents to take me to watch it. Both couldn’t for some reason, but my Dad promised and made sure.

When he came home from work that night, he instructed my brothers Rene and Bibit (Raul to some) to take me to the movie the following day. Both being much older than me, Rene was a Platters and Tony Bennett fan; Bibit was a Frank Sinatra diehard. (Both still are.) To them the Pelvis was just a noisy gyrating performer that mumbled through his songs. Watching his movie would be a waste of their time. They therefore tried hard to get out of the "assignment". Of course in the end, my Dad's instructions stayed. Rene and Bibit grudgingly acquiesced, but not without sending dagger looks my way.


The following day was a Saturday but I was up early. It was THE DAY!

Soon we were in Escolta.

Outside the Capitol Theater, the line was long. It was a convenient and valid excuse for us to go another day but I was unwavering.

Finally we managed to get our tickets. We caught up about the last quarter of the movie. Inside, all seats were taken. Even the aisles were lined with people. Since that was the only place where we could squeeze in, that was where we stayed until the screening ended.

I was carried away by what was on the screen the moment we hit the dark. I was therefore oblivious that we were crouching really low the whole time, so as not to block the view of those in their seats.

One could watch movies in the Philippines then for as many screenings as one wanted. So when the movie ended, it seemed that no one was leaving, at least not among those seated. Fortunately, a few seats within an easy jump from where we were were vacated after a while.

I recall and my brothers later told my parents and me that I would squeal every so often during the movie. I sensed their chagrin at my behaviour but I soon focused on the screen again. Obviously, their whispers to quiet me me down went unheeded. Perhaps some of their attempts were drowned out by the squealing and screaming that punctuated the dialogue on screen.

We finished the show without incident. I tried to convince them to stay for another screening but they would have none of it. I guess in today’s lingo, their response would be Sobra!!#@!!! After a while, my better sense told me that that was the end of the line.

From Escolta, all three of us walked to the jeepney stop with a happy gait. I did because of the Elvis movie, they did out of relief.

I thank God for my brothers Rene and Bibit and not just because of that one movie date.

Their photos above are by no means an indication of any favoritism on my part, just my failure to find any newer photos for now. Rene is the silver-haired man walking down a Northlake, Illinois street one sunny day in March 1998. Bibit is the one with the moustache a few years earlier.