fvr

I have to write this one. It’s already the third time that I rubbed elbows with this prominent person. Guess who? Ex-president Fidel V. Ramos.

First encounter was, while I was aboard a jeep, The traffic was heavy, and there was this wagon just in front of me (since I was sitting at the “estribo”), a little tinted, then suddenly, the lights inside the wagon went on, and I saw FVR, holding a folder, perhaps reading it, and his trademark tobacco stick on his mouth. I was awakened instantly since I was a little sluggish that time, exhausted from an 8 hour shift. Then I kept my eye on his wagon, but the lights went off already so I wasn’t able to see him. After some weeks, I found out that FVR’s office was at the same building where my office is situated.

2nd encounter was on the 8th floor, I was with my officemate Che, along came a green wagon (If I’m not mistaken, it was a Toyota Land Cruiser) that went ahead of us. While we were in the elevator lobby, Che suddenly cried, “Fidel Ramos, that was Fidel Ramos, look, Ria.” I was a little diffident to look because I was afraid that his body guards would get annoyed at me if I stare at FVR. Che was laughing hysterically when we were aboard the elevator. Alright, I acted silly, which was stupid, it was not a crime to stare at people, especially as high profile as this one, I’m sure anybody would at least glance and for sure he’s already used to it.

3rd encounter was just a while ago, at the eighth floor, during our “yosi” break. The moment I spotted that green Land Cruiser, I cried, “that was FVR, that was him, come on, let’s see him.” Together with my officemates, we waited for him to get down his car, and when he got down, (still with tobacco stick on his mouth) he was facing at our position, I stared at him, what the heck, it’s not everyday that you see an ex president, to think that he was the very first president I voted for on the first presidential election that I was legal to vote. He looked at me and I smiled at him and he smiled back. :) It felt great, since I really take awe seeing celebrities, and he was a great man after all.