How We Met cont....

It first started out with Don deciding to stay in the Northern California area after graduating from Cal State San Luis Obispo. In his process of finding a place to stay, he ended up staying with my aunt and uncle, Rosalie Gorostiza (aka Tita Wilma) and Jose Gorostiza (aka Tito Buroy), temporarily for a night. During his stay and as they saw him more, Tita Wilma and Tito Buroy became fond of Don. They thought that he was a nice, sweet, funny and responsible guy. In addition, he was very patient with their daughter, Gabrielle (aka Miggy) who was around 3 years old at the time. Tita Wilma was very surprised that even though he only stayed for a night in their home, months later, Don remembered Miggy’s birthday and gave her a birthday/Christmas present that December 1999. Don left quite an impression on them.

Rewind: Now you ask, “How did Don find my relatives?” Well, Don and his mother’s side of the family grew up in the same town in the Philippines as my relatives in my mother’s side. This small town is called, Bungoy, Dolores, Quezon, and it’s a place where everybody knew everybody. Though he was younger than my aunts and uncles, Don still occasionally spent time with them while he was still in the Philippines. When Don found out that there’s a group of people from Bungoy in the San Jose, California area, he got back in touch with them.

Back to the story: As they spent more time with Don, Tita Wilma and Tito Buroy then started getting some “ideas.” Fellow town-mates from Bungoy, Tita Lani and Tito Toto Repospolo also lived with Don for a short while and got to know him better. They too started getting “ideas.”

Next thing you know, Tita Lani was asking Tita Wilma if I had a boyfriend (I’m sure they had their questions for Don as well). So, each time there was a family party, these beautiful ladies started talking more and more about their “ideas.” From then on, they made an attempt to make sure Don is invited to these parties, especially when I was there visiting from Southern California.

Meanwhile, Don and I were clueless! We kept missing each other. When Don was in Northern California, I was in Southern California and vice versa (the majority of Don’s relatives were in Southern California). Months went by where the “town” in San Jose tried to get us to meet each other (including other aunts, uncles and friends), but no such luck.

Slowly but surely, I started hearing about this “Don” guy and he started hearing about Ate Rosalie’s niece (this is what Don called my Tita Wilma at the time). The teasing was only just beginning. I don’t know about Don and I have yet to hear about what he exactly thought throughout this process, but I would just smile and feel a bit uncomfortable whenever Don was mentioned or whenever they would ask me if I had a boyfriend. My aunts and uncles are setting me up with one of their friends for goodness sake! I didn’t know what to think of this guy, Don…older maybe?...hmmm…I really did not know. When this all started, I was 21 years old.

In May 2000, My uncle, Melco Ventocilla (aka Tito Melco) even invited Don to my college graduation at Chapman University and the celebration afterwards in the Dolar’s residence in Garden Grove, California (the home of my mom’s oldest sister and her family). Don was in town, however, Don was unable to attend since his cousin, Jill Montenegro was graduating the same day at UC Irvine.

Months went by, then November 11, 2000 came along. It was my cousin’s, Jaide Ventocilla’s baptism, daughter and youngest child of Zenia and Melco Ventocilla. It was a Sunday, and I decided to drive up to San Jose from Irvine the same day for this event. I was with a “friend” at the time and I took him along with me as he was visiting from out of town. Hours passed. From the church, we went to a restaurant for a lunch reception for my cousin’s baptism.

The meeting: As I was getting close to finishing my lunch (at around 2 or 3 p.m.), I noticed a guy come in and all the kids, including my cousins swarmed around him. Hmmm…I though these kids love this guy. Then, a short while later, Tita Wilma took me aside and asked me, “Do you still want to meet him?” I did not get it at first then I realized that she was referring to Don. (My aunt thought it might be weird for me to meet him while I was there with a “friend.”) I said, “Sure!” I thought, “What was the harm of meeting my aunts’ and uncles’ friend?” So, she took me over to where he was sitting, where I found him eating his meal. When I saw him, I realized he was the guy the kids crowded around. He had his awesome smile and we started talking. “Hi”…”I heard a lot about you”…names were exchanged, etc., etc. We did not talk long since he was still eating and I had to go to get ready for my drive back to Irvine, Southern California.

Most of the family returned to Tita Wilma’s house, where a group of us going back to Southern California got ready. We were outside checking my car (for oil, etc.) when Don came walking up to the house. He immediately started helping my dad, Roger Rickman, with the engine. Hmmm…I thought :). Don made small talk with my family then with me. (Hehe…the “friend” was in the passenger seat this whole time.)

I can’t remember exactly but I think the conversation went something like this…

Don: “Hi Eurose…”
Eurose: “Hi Don…”
Don: “Hey, if ever I’m in town in Southern California, we should hang out.”
Eurose: “Sure. That would be great.”
Don: “Can I get your number so I can get in touch with you when I’m down there?”
Eurose: Thinking…Hmmm…kind of uncomfortable here with the “friend”…then…what the heck?…this guy is only a friend…I shouldn’t feel uncomfortable at all. And Don and I will just be friends anyway. “Sure. We can just hang out when you’re in town.” Eurose hands him a piece of paper with her number.

Hehe…so there you go. That’s where it all started. Don then waited a week to call me (can you believe him?!). He made me wait! Anyway, he called me when he was on his way down to Simi Valley. Next thing we knew, we were talking for hours. Then, we decided to go to a Rex Navarette (a Filipino comedian) Filipino Culture Show in Cal State Fullerton. I was already planning on going with one of my girl friends and I mentioned it to Don. He said he wasn’t doing anything anyway, so he went (drove from Simi Valley to Fullerton and back…no wonder he has 80K miles in his 3 year old Pathfinder!). I can keep on going as you can see …:)… basically, after more long talks and a trip to Las Vegas for New Year’s weekend with Don’s friends…

It became officially a “long distance” relationship from January 1, 2001.

We are both now in Northern California…Tracy to be exact. I moved from Southern California last November 2002.

It was a pleasantly surprising whirlwind of events since then until now J.