Manila, Philippines - They came, they saw, the devolved.
Those who attended the book of launch for STAR writer Scott Garceau’s short story collection, Simianology, at National Book Store in Glorietta 5 on April 5 got their to copies signed by the author, as well as introductory words by RJ Ledesma, popular STAR columnist whose “Pogi From A Parallel Universe” runs in the paper’s “M” section.
Ledesma, whose remarks followed a warm introduction of the book by Xandra Ramos of National Book Store, told the crowd that he’d long been a fan of Garceau’s STAR column “The X-Pat Files.”
“When I first started reading ‘The X-Pat Files,’ I was greatly impressed. It was like reading an anthropologist looking at the quirkiness of being a Filipino. There’s some things we don’t see anymore, idiosyncrasies that are funny or strange, and Scott was able to distill them, take a look at them and make us laugh at ourselves and our quirky behavioral patterns.”
Ledesma said the short story collection Simianology is about “the evolution or devolution of the human race.” The transplanted American has been writing for the STAR since moving to the Philippines in 1995, first as a front deskman, now as a Lifestyle editor.
“I always wondered what is this white guy doing here in the Philippines?” Ledesma recalls. “Many of us have been reading Scott for a long, long time. For those of us who follow our favorite columnists, it’s like we’re with our friends who we’re comfortable with.”
One distinct memory he has is seeing Garceau at the Eraserhads reunion concert. “Of all the people I saw there, there was a drop of white in a sea of Filipinos, and that person was Scott, pumping his head with the rest of them. That tells me he’s not only appreciating our culture, he’s also reveling in it as well. That’s a man who enjoys our culture as much as the rest of us.”
Also attending the evening launch were National Book Store marketing director Miguel Ramos and Xandra Ramos, food writer and artist Claude Tayag, STAR Lifestyle editor Millet Mananquil, STAR writers Therese Jamora-Garceau (his wife), Audrey Carpio, Igan D’Bayan, Ramon De Veyra, Cecile Lilles and Enrico and Joy Subido, actresses Monique Villonco and Jenny Jamora, and the author’s family members and friends.