Surprise!

Quite recently, a question got me thinking.

"What is something people will find surprising about you?", a questionnaire asks.

I was dumbfounded. How was I supposed to know the answer to this question? I tried to analyze it further.

First, I had to know how other people perceive me. But, finding this out would take time and most likely, I'd get answers which are not exactly true, only politically appropriate. I might need close friends to tell me the answers but, then again, they're actually close friends for a reason - they know me and there might be very little that would surprise them about me.

And so, I struggled for an answer.

What if I answer this question based on how I feel people perceive me as? Or maybe, I can deal with this based on how I have projected myself to others? I can start from there and maybe, just maybe, people might find some of my responses surprising thereby answering the question.

I did a quick soul-search. Here they are:

1. I have been told that I am the life of a party; that I am a party animal; that I am a social butterfly. This is not exactly true. Growing up, I used to be a nerd. To make it worse, I was an introvert. I was a geeky kid with a bright pink future. I barely spoke around people and I was content with reading books and yes, newspapers. I diligently read the Inquirer's editorial page since I was eight (I stopped reading after I learned how to party). I struggled to get out of my closet and started to explore the world beyond boundaries. I learned how to mingle, I had to. I started talking more, I needed to. I became the person many of you know. But, inside each party animal/social butterfly is a closet introvert who prefers having coffee (or tea) by himself and people-watch; someone who takes a moment of silence before entering a party; someone who hesitates for a second before approaching anyone; and someone who breathes a sigh of relief each time he successfully delivers an "extrovert" performance at the end of each day.

2. I am extremely monogamous. Yes, it is possible for a Tristan to be one. My stories might be flirtatious but I can be very faithful. I honestly believe that respect begets respect so I dare not commit adultery (adultery daw o!) when I am in a serious relationship with someone, ceteris paribus. The only thing that can make me turn unfaithful is when I am extremely sexually unhappy with a partner. Pag ganun ang usapan, kabahan ka na dahil tried and tested na yan.

3. Hindi ako mayaman, mayabang lang. I come from a very poor family - poor, not middle class. I remember when I was younger, ulam namin patis na bigay pa ng kamag-anak. Ang swerte ko na pag may catsup! At ang Spam, pang special occasions lang... ang nipis pa ng hiwa. Haha. I may be able to afford certain luxuries now but I was not able to even buy myself a cup of coffee when I was starting out. Siguro ito ang dahilan kung bakit takot ako magutom. I fear starvation. Haha.

4. And dahil takot akong magutom, I grew so big. So big, in fact, that I barely fit in any off-the-racks. Haha. Trust me, I did. Who I am now is just a fraction of who I was before, literally and figuratively. What's even more unbelievable to some people, even my closest friends, is the fact that, in spite of who I was back then, I (1) get laid over and over and over again; (2) had regulars playmates; (3) never paid to get laid; and (4) had several decent-looking boyfriends pa! What can I say, maganda talaga ko. Lalo na ngayon. Haha.

And lastly, I saved the best for last. Maniwala kayo, totoo. Haha.

5. I have not been laid for over two months now, by choice.


Blogger's Note: The question is actually one of four essay questions that potential students of a top university in the States need to answer before graduate school admission.