BY GEORGE NAVA TRUE II
VETERAN entertainment editor, columnist, and TV host Ricardo “Ricky” Lo died May 4, 2021, at the age of 75. The award-winning talk show host and author succumbed to a stroke, according to his sister Susan Lee.
I never knew Ricky personally, but he was one of the reasons why I became a writer. It was in 1975 when I first met him. At that time, I was a high school student at Don Bosco Technical Institute in Makati City.
As a child, I was an introvert and had a few friends. My constant companions were books and I was hooked on science fiction and horror.
Even though my family wasn’t rich and I couldn’t afford to travel, I always journeyed to alien worlds and unique landscapes courtesy of my favorite authors like H.P. Lovecraft, Isaac Asimov, Robert E. Howard, Robert Silverberg, and Ursula K. Le Guin to name a few.
Not popular
Inspired by these famous authors, I told myself that I would be like them someday and publish my book as well. Since there was no internet at that time, not everyone had a PC in those days, and the market for science fiction and horror was not as popular as it is today, I compiled the short stories and poems I made for my own –and my friends’ or relatives’ – reading pleasure. Through the years, I managed to create seven volumes of these self-made books which I fervently hoped would one day be published.
That day finally arrived when I met Ricky. It was one of my late mother’s officemates who suggested that I submit my short stories to him. In those days, Ricky was the editor of the Students Section of Expressweek, the weekly magazine of the Philippine Daily Express.
Although the section only had one or two pages at the most, I decided to give it a shot. So this student went to Ricky’s office in Port Area, Manila, where I submitted a typewritten manuscript of one of my stories.
Nervous at first
I was nervous at first since it was my first time to visiting a newsroom. But Ricky was accommodating and cordial. He took my manuscript and I left. I told myself that it would probably be the last that I would hear from him and my story would end up in the trash bin. But I was wrong.
A week later, my story “Sentimental Journey” – about a space explorer who can’t get over the mysterious death of her husband – made it to the pages of Expressweek magazine. This made a huge impact on my life. At the back of my mind, I told myself that maybe I had it in me to be a writer after all. I was a 14-year-old high school student when I became a published author and was paid for it!
I submitted more stories to Ricky and he published them all. My byline would always appear in Expressweek and this gave me the confidence to pursue my dream to become a writer. While my classmates were occupied with cutting classes, girls and sports, I labored at the typewriter at home, churning out stories that I hope Ricky would like and publish.
Ricky gave me the break I needed to start my writing career at a young age. For this, I will always be grateful to him.
Start of a new career
My love of science fiction opened my eyes to the wonders of science, medicine, and health. That’s when I decided to write about other topics. I tried my hand at feature writing and editors who were familiar with my work at Expressweek welcomed my submissions.
Although I flunked the entrance exam twice to “The Varsitarian” (the official publication of the University of Santo Tomas), that didn’t discourage me from writing. On the contrary, it made me laugh.
I was already a professional writer by the time I was in college. I was already contributing to several newspapers like Expressweek, the Manila Evening Post, and We Forum among others. I was being paid for my work. No one could tell me then that I couldn’t write.
So that’s how Ricky helped me. Thank you again, Ricky, for believing in me and inspiring this young writer. I look forward to giving you more stories when we finally meet in what Pink Floyd calls the Great Gig in the Sky.
***
National Press Club and Philippine Dental Association awardee George N. True II has written two bestsellers based on his popular column which has been running for almost 40 years. For questions about health, email georgenavatrue@yahoo.com./PN
