My Long Lost Kumpare

After more than a decade, I finally saw again my kumpareng Eugene last Monday in, of all places, Divisoria when wifey and I went there for Christmas shopping.  He was a good friend from our former office and one of my eldest daughter's godfathers.


I have been searching for him in Friendster and Facebook but to no avail. I did find a namesake of him in FB and found out that they were distant relatives but was not able to get any information leading to his whereabouts. Until finally, I was able to trace him from his brother whom I have not yet met but was only able to find through Google. When I got his e-addy and mobile number,  I immediately sent him text messages and called his number and emailed him but he did not reply to any of those. That left me wondering.

So you could just imagine the happiness I felt when we finally met once again. I also felt his excitement in seeing me, too, but the place was not conducive for long talks because of the multitudes of people doing their own shopping at 168 Mall. We just exchanged very brief pleasantries and it was only then that I learned that he was no longer using the number I got from his brother and he has not opened his email for quite some time.

Before we parted ways, I asked for his new number and told him that I would just text him. As we moved towards opposite directions, I and wifey shared our common observation about our kumpare's physical appearance. Father Time has not been so kind to him because he has grown so much mature from the last time we saw him some 12 years ago. Whatever had happened to him in that span of years that we did not see each other, I could only speculate.

I hope we could set another meeting where we could have more time updating each other and rekindling our good old days.