‘Buo na uli ang troika nina Alfie, Oskee at Billy sa dako pa roon…!’

JUDY ANN SANTOS AT ALFIE LORENZO

MULA sa pang-umagang pagraradyo sa “Cristy Ferminute” nitong Miyerkules—it being the second and last day of (Kuya) Alfie Lorenzo’s wake at the Arlington Chapels—ay sumilip kasama ni Tita Cristy Fermin along with Japs Gersin and Tina Roa.

Although we already said a prayer for his passing ay iba kung personal naming masusulyapan ang labi ng batikang showbiz writer at makapagpaalam kami. Minsan kaming pinaglapit ni Kuya Alfie through his cabalen Alfred Yumul dekada nobenta.

Between that time and until he left ay nagkaroon din kami ni Kuya Alfie ng matinding away noon, but yes, time heals all wounds. Parang walang nangyari noong magkrus muli ang aming landas, rekindling our friendship.

Although we would bump into each other at network parties, the last unexpected bonding with him ay noong December, 2016 as he made an unannounced visit sa Mga Obra ni Nanay gallery ni Tita Cristy.

Parang pa-presscon ‘yon ni Kuya Alfie who, as usual, steered the conversation habang nakikinig lang ang mga kaibigan niyang reporter na nakapalibot sa kanya.

That time, may pinagdadaanan si Kuya Alfie. Definitely not about the state of his health (nito lang kasi namin nalamang he had emphysema) as he still smoked like chimney, and before we could even look at the ashtray ay puno na ito ng mga upos ng yosi.

For someone like like Kuya Alfie na kilala naming may singhal pang kapartner ang kanyang pagtataray, ibang Alfie Lorenzo ang kaututang-dila namin. Cool, collected, composed. Malayung-malayo sa nakasanayan namin, much less ng buong showbiz.

Siguro nga, when one ages, he mellows. What used to be his tarmagant ways are toned down dahil na rin sa mas lumawak ang kanyang pang-unawa. And Kuya Alfie was certainly no exception.

Lutang na lutang din ang kapayapaan ng kanyang kalooban the way he looked laid in his coffin. Bakas ang inner quiet sa aura ng 78 anyos na manunulat.

Ayon kay Ronnie Bernardo, ng gabi ring ‘yon ay gaganapin ang necrological mass para kay Kuya Alfie sa pangunguna ng PAMI (Professional Artist Managers, Inc.) kung saan siya kasapi. That was to be the last night as his cremated remains will be brought to his native hometown in Pampanga.

Amidst all this, ang dating alaga ni Kuya Alfie na si Judy Ann Santos ang punong-abala.

Pagtatalakay nga namin ni Tita Cristy noong mismong araw na pumanaw si Kuya Alfie, marapat lang na gawin ‘yon ni Juday na kulang na lang ay iniluwal ng kanyang tatay-tatayan mula sa kanyang sinapupunan, or so Kuya Alfie had wished he had.

Kahanga-hanga si Juday dahil sa kabila ng pagkakaputol na ng professional chain which had bound them for many years ay nariyan siya para kay Kuya Alfie until the latter breathed his last.

Munti mang pag-alaala ito, hangad namin ang mapayapang paglalakbay ni Kuya Alfie sa dako pa roon kung saan buo nang muli ang kanilang troika nina Kuya Oskee Salazar at Kuya Billy Balbastro.

You will be missed, but you will always be remembered, Kuya Alfie.