i will miss you, Tay Iking

“Anak, wla na c iking kgb pa.” That was the text message I received from my Mama at 9:49 this morning. I am deeply saddened by this very bad news.

Tay Iking was the family friend I visited last Saturday at the PGH. At that time I already knew that he was just kept alive through the meds being administered and various medical equipments attached to him. I knew that his demise was coming, and I was preparing myself for the bad news. Yet, I guess, no one can totally emotionally prepare for a loss of a dear friend.

I first met Tay Iking at AMA Computer College in Dasmariñas in June 1998. The school was just starting up and we were the few pioneer employees of the newly-opened branch. In my almost six years of stay in the company, we have bonded like family. The friendship was even extended to our own families. He became our home’s handyman. He was ever present in all kainan in the house, and ever appreciative of any small amount of take-home. And even if I already left AMA, we remained in touch. We may have not spent almost everyday together like we did when I was still in AMA, but we have remained dear friends.

Now that he is gone, I can only go back to all the memories we’ve had. And I only pray that wherever he is now, I hope that he is in peace.

I’ll surely miss you, Tay Iking.