The other interview, Part 1

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BY PETER SOLIS NERY
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Friday. September 15, 2017
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CAN you recall a vivid incident in which you realized you were destined to become writer?

I know it sounds like stuff of legend, but having my haiku published in our school wall paper while I was in third grade started it all. I liked the idea of seeing my name in print as an author. That confidence right there made me aim for editorship in elementary, high school, and college. And once you are an editor, it is easy to see why you would want, and can be a writer, too.

How did you get along with others not as impassioned with writing as you at the time?

It didn’t really matter to me. If they didn’t want to be published, I didn’t care. I want to be published! Early on, I understood that writing is a solitary job. And newspaper work is not for everybody. In fact, in high school, I was writing more than half of the content of our school paper. I wrote the unsigned editorials and newsbits. I also have bylined news stories, columns, and feature articles. I also used pseudonyms for my literary attempts. And I was proud, and happy, to write everything.

Were you really hell-bent on making a name for yourself as a writer?

I was purposive. It all started in third grade, and I never looked back again.

How did you spend your leisure/free time at school, and at home when you were younger?

I was a library user. I went to the library during my free time in school to do my homework, and I would borrow books to read during my free time and weekends at home.

By this time, your relationship with your father had gotten cold and remote. How did you deal with that?

If we were dysfunctional, it didn’t look that way to me then. Most father-and-son relationships that I know at that time were similar, if not worse, than ours. I guess, my dad and I just co-existed. He didn’t care about what I did; I didn’t say anything about the things he did even if I didn’t like them.

Did you manage to express that issue in any of your early attempts at writing?

No. At that time, I felt that creative writing is the “other life”, the other reality. Anyway, most of my high school writing is journalistic. What literary writing there was were imagined stories, perhaps with plots copied from movies, TV, and pocketbooks.

What was the one recurring dream/daydream you were having when you were close to graduating high school?

Basically, becoming successful in a Nursing career, working abroad, and going to places I read about in The Book of Knowledge. Paris, New York, Tokyo, Beijing (for the specific cities), and Egypt, Australia, England, America, Africa (for the more general places).

Did you have a gay relationship (open or illicit) when you were a teenager?

No. Except for that boy who always rubbed his crotch to my behind. Haha. I wish we f*cked, maybe touched dicks, or sucked, or something. But I was determined to be a virgin!

Your class with Dr. Deriada was legendary. What other circumstances, far or near, that brought you closer to the writing life?

After high school graduation, before starting at UPV, I wrote a story that got published in “Yuhum” magazine. It was called “Sniffles” based on the Smurfs, but unfortunately I don’t have a copy and, after much effort to track it down, I think I can say conclusively that it’s pretty lost. Deriada was able to read it; and as my Communication Arts 1 teacher, he made comments about my strong points. I thought that was cool. I mean, that he has read “Yuhum”, and particularly remembered my story.

Recall a highly telling/meaningful incident on campus or off-campus that had a bearing on your life as a student writer at the time.

I worked part-time as writer and editor of “Voices”, the streetchildren program publication of Iloilo City starting third year in college. I kept that job for three years. I was editor of UPV’s “Pagbutlak” when I was third year in college, and one of my staffers/classmates is the daughter of the program director. I was recommended, and got promptly hired. Part of my job was to interview distressed streetchildren and their families. Writing for the “Voices” made me realize that I wanted to tell the stories of other people’s plight. It also dawned on me that if I write well enough, readers will be convinced, and moved, to offer help. Who wouldn’t like to be a writer if one can affect such change in others?

How was it writing and editing the “Pagbutlak”?

It was nothing new, really. No big drama. I treated it like my high school newspaper. But of course, I was already overly confident as a high school editor. What with all the journalism awards, and all the essay writing awards I’ve won in various fields/subjects! Because I brought that confidence with me, my staffers just respected and obediently followed me. I knew what I was doing, most of them didn’t. If they were lazy to write, I put my stories in. Simple! (500tinaga@gmail.com/PN)
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