The Prince

              When I was 9, I had my first crush. Sounds like that Justin Bieber song. Haha! But Seriously, I had my first crush when I was in the 3rd grade.

               I was a young girl who got hooked at, of all things, basketball. Having two older sisters who are both basketball fanatics, I guess will be enough to influence my young, vulnerable and hungry mind. First, I saw them watching those Chicago Bulls games Michael Jordan era. Then, I saw them following those Ginebra games Coach Jaworski era.

               I got curious when I heard them cheering and screaming in the other room so I joined them. Since then, there were three loud girls watching every Ginebra game on TV. Screaming our heads off on every hang time move, trip to the line, shots from the rainbow country, tap on the board, sneaky drives, unexpected jump shots and diving for the lose ball. My oldest sister's favorite was Noli "The Tank" Locsin to the point of naming his first son Luis Manuel, Locsin's full name. My second sister loves Vince "The Prince" Hizon and Bal "The Flash" David like covering her room with Ginebra team and individual posters.

              Me, I was different. I just write his name (Hizon's) on my arm together with his jersey number using any ballpen I can get, enough reason for my mother to scold me. She really doesn't like tattoos, real or not, permanent or temporary.

               My classmates from Grade school and high school know how crazy I was over Vince. In 2004, I've witnessed his live-on-Philippine-TV proposal to PBA courtside reporter, Patricia Bermudez. And that was my first broken heart.

                When I entered college, I stayed in Manila and started watching live PBA games a lot. I was able to meet a lot of people - PBA superstars and not. But the irony of life, I think I've seen everyone except him

                Now that I've graduated from college and been working for almost three years. I think I have given up the hope of seeing him in person. He's retired from the PBA and I don't know where the hell am I supposed to "bump" into him. And then, I found out that he's friend with one of our company's HR managers and he will be guesting on our sportsfest.

                After four grade school years, four high school years, four college years and three working years, all at once, I was a 3rd grader again.

                He's now 40 years old (turning 41) and looks more mature (I won't say old), he got fat but still got the charm, now a father of two - Vicente and Paul Andrei. Some things may have lost, some things may have changed but he will always be The Prince that I know.-C

Vince Hizon and I during our company's sportsfest