Boy Abunda kumakain sa mga karinderia nang nakakamay

Pero isang OOTD lang mas mahal pa sa talent fee ng artista

NGAYON ang kaarawan ng nag-iisang King of Talk na si (Kuya) Boy Abunda.

With the indulgence of our readers, nais naming ilaan ang buong espasyo ng aming column sa kanya as we’ve never done this the previous years.

Bago namin naisip isulat si Kuya Boy, we warned ourselves: no pandering. Kuya Boy wouldn’t like it either.
Neither did we intend to sugarcoat this piece, du’n lang kami sa totoo based on what we see or have seen of his company, and how he treats or has treated us all these years.

Malas ko lang siguro that we’ve not found a drinking partner in Kuya Boy. But his teetota-lism has never been a hindrance from bridging friendship kahit hindi kami madalas magkita. ‘Yun ‘yong uri ng pagkakaibigang mas marami pa ang kumustahan punctuated with laughter and giggles (teenager lang ang peg).
But there’d always be a room for some serious, thought-provoking talk.
Outside our respective work ay may ilan ding pagkakataong nagsama kami ni Kuya Boy. Pero trabaho pa rin ‘yon, raket nga lang. He would drag us to some little money-making tasks with him at the helm.
Nabanggit namin ito dahil mag-eeleksiyon na naman. Years ago in Pasay City (where we reside) ay may tinulungan siyang kandidato. Karay niya kami in going down to the residents kabuntot ng kandidato.
Several meters away from his parked van, lakad keti lakad-rampa keti rampa kami ni Kuya Boy sa mga kalye ng siyudad amidst starstruck neighbors na ginagaya ang kanyang voiceover extro spiel sa The Buzz. It was an exciting campaign trail, masaya na’y bayad pa.

He would later host the mi-ting de avance, itsura ng showbiz talk show. Parang remote telecast lang ng The Buzz minus the studio cameras. To my recollection, tatlong beses kaming binitbit ni Kuya Boy until naging kaibigan na rin namin ang misis ng kandidato.
Change location.
Much earlier—before year 2000—ay binitbit din kami ni Kuya Boy to his radio program with Jobert Sucaldito. Teleradyo was not in vogue yet.

In the one and a half years of The Boy Abunda Radio Show, nagkaroon kami ng show sa Cebu. Kuya Boy made sure we had first class seats on the plane. Sa isang plush hotel pa kami naka-check in. Yes, he even had suits tailor-made for us (ours were by Ariel Agasang).

He made us feel we were like stars. Importante. Nakaka-overwhelm considering that Jobert and this columnist were mere “bit players.”
Came dinnertime. Dito ko mas napagtanto how Kuya Boy could be grounded. By groun-ded, we mean na tulad naming he belongs to the “jologs species,” walang kaarte-arte sa katawan, only the way he speaks (hehe!).

Our hunger pangs dragged our feet to the famous Larcian where customers would eat with bare hands (parang ‘yung commercial lang niya of a handwash along with other celebrities now circulating in social media). Ihaw-ihaw ‘yon sa gilid ng kalye, na noong huling kainan namin ay isa nang malaking food plaza.
Paborito rin niyang lantakan ang paksiw na bangus, yes, nang nakakamay. With his mien, iisipin mong pang-richie lang ang pinapayagan niyang sumayad sa lalamunan niya hanggang sa bituka.

Noon at hanggang ngayon, there’s a Boy Abunda in most if not all of us. Simple lang pero fashionista. ‘Yun ang kasiyahan niya, ang magbihis even dressy to a fault. Pero mamahalin. Magbibiro pa ‘yan, “Eh, mas mahal pa nga ang outfit ko kesa sa mga artista,” which is true.
Kuwentahin mo ang suot niya, mula ulo hanggang talampakan, ay baka katumbas na ‘yon ng pang-down payment sa isang brand-new car. But did you know na dala lang ng kabisihan kung kaya’t gustuhin man ni Kuya Boy na mag-shopping sa Divisoria o Baclaran ay hindi niya maisingit?
We remember wearing a pair of Roman sandals na yari sa balat ng kung anong hayop, Kuya Boy took fancy at it. At the same time how he wished he had the luxury of time para mamili ng mga good buys.
Anyway, today marks his birthday. Pasensiya na, hindi niya sasagutin ang tanong kung ilang taon na siya. Age is classified info as far as Kuya Boy is concerned.
Kunsabagay, sa kanya na rin namin narinig ang mga katagang, “It’s not the age, it’s the mileage.”
At obvious naman ang milyaheng narating ni Kuya Boy all because he’s a good soul.