Goodbye My Friend

I have been in a state of catatonia since I received the devastating news yesterday morning that a good friend of mine has just passed away

I am grieving and I am so saddened by his untimely demise. Mind you, it's not pro forma grief but real pain and anguish

Early last year, just before the 10th year bash of his swinging Oops! Bar which is ideally located right smack in the middle of the entire Alona Beach stretch, we had a falling out. It was a simple, petty misunderstanding that soon blew out of proportion. Add some intrigues here and bloated egos there and it was a point of no return. Some well- meaning friends tried to step in and intervene but these were simply exercises in futility

Crossing paths in a very small community where everybody knows everybody became an acid test for civility. Exchanging dagger looks and giving each other the cold shoulder treatment became a common occurrence that it soon bordered on the comical. But what's funny about losing a friend? The wedges between us became so deep that it became clear to those in the know that it was impossible for us to become friends again. 

I thought I had moved on. I thought I had everything covered. I was coasting along with my second lease on life when the call came yesterday morning

Right now, I am so distraught and my heart bleeds for dear Uly with whom I shared a lot of personal and private triumphs, the small intoxicating doses of hedonism and his constant advice on how to live a worry- free life. He is gone now and I really regret that I wasn't able to say sorry and for not telling him how wonderful he was as a friend

DURING HAPPIER TIMES. Hosting the special events in Uly's place was something that I always looked forward to like his Puey Quinones Fashion Show in 2009 

Alona Beach in Panglao Island, Bohol would never be the same again. Long before event planning was in vogue in Bohol, Uly was already the master planner. He was a wiz when it came to events and especially when it has something to do with creating noise and making waves. 

The signature pose, his boisterous laughter and his witty punchlines ...all these would be memories from now on. 

I'm sure right now as I am blogging this very minute that Uly is up there and peering down from where he is ensconced, he is asking "My oh my, what's the big fuss dahleeng?" 

Uly, sleep tight now. 

Goodbye, my friend...