But I know Joey Generoso of Side A because we made him do a duet with Sharon Cuneta in the 1997 Gawad Urian. I also know Jay Durias of South Border because I interviewed him early last year when he was hauled off to NBI on what apparently were trumped up charges filed against him by a former business partner.
I know South Border lead vocalist Luke Mejares because when his band performed with Rosanna Roces in Startalk about three years ago, he was the only one who approached all the hosts to thank us for allowing them to do a number in the show. Right that instant, I knew he was a nice and sincere person.
The other week, I got to meet Luke once again to interview him about his search for his father, a certain Captain Robert Davis who is now based in Maryland. I’ve already written the background of this search in my Saturday column. My conclusion, however, was open-ended because nobody know at that point what was going to happen next. As of press time (Friday afternoon), all I knew was that Luke left for the US Wednesday evening with his girlfriend via Northwest Airlines.
Before Luke left for the US, however, I offered him a few pieces of advice on how to get around in the US – having lived there for quite sometime.
I was worried for Luke because it was his first trip to the US. He didn’t know anybody in Maryland to begin with. All he had was the pocket money he saved for that trip and a lot of determination and perseverance to look for his father. From the airport in Maryland, he would just check into a hotel near the school where his father now works and he’ll take it up from there. I just wished him well and waited for the outcome of his meeting with his Dad.
Last Friday at around 8 p.m., I got a text message from Bessie Badilla who is now based in Connecticut. It says, "Butch, I got this text from Luke: Hello! Dito na kami Maryland. I’m going to meet my Dad in one hour. Please pray for me."
Luke and Bessie actually had just gotten acquainted with each other only recently, but had obviously became fast friends. Bessie also sent me other text messages after that and she was really worried for Luke.
That one full hour was really quite suspenseful. It was like waiting for the results of an exam. You begin to pace the room – worried about making it or not. I turned on the TV to get my mind off it, but scenarios between Luke and his father kept playing in my mind.
Then, after an hour, I got another text message from Bessie. It says: Butch, Kawawa naman si Luke. Hindi maganda ang usapan nila ng Dad niya. Galit daw when he saw them. Cry ako for Luke. Pa-kwento ako sa kanya mamaya sa landline and I will text you later."
That was my last communication with Bessie Badilla. But the following day, Startalk put me on the phone with Luke from his hotel room in Maryland. Based on my communication with Luke, it was his girlfriend who talked first with his father, who was still very polite at that point. But when Captain Robert Davis saw Luke, he got upset and threw them out. Ouch! You can just imagine the humiliation and hurt Luke went through that very moment. According to him, he was very sure that the Captain Robert Davis who stood in front of him and later turned him away was his Dad. Lukso ng dugo – you know. But then, what else can he do? His father won’t acknowledge him. Why? Nobody knows.
Maybe Luke really made a mistake. After all, there must be thouands of Robert Davises spread all over the US. Or maybe Captain Robert Davis didn’t tell his family in the US that once upon a time, he sowed wild oats overseas. Taking Luke into his life at this point maybe would unsettle things at home and wouldn’t sit well with his wife, three kids and three grandchildren.
Luke obviously is not after financial support from his father. All he wants at this point is to get recognized by his biological father – the one missing piece in his whole being.
If Captain Robert Davis doesn’t want to acknowledge Luke, then, that is his loss. He doesn’t know what he is missing. For Luke Mejares is one fine young man any father would want to have for a son.