In My Own Words - Ron Centeno

When I was a kid, I marveled at how Superman, Spiderman, Batman, as well as Wonder Woman in their fantastic battle against the evils in their territorial empire. In my sleep, I would dream running along Bugs Bunny or singing with Tweety. As soon as I woke up in the morning, I would run to my toy soldiers, aim my water cannon and celebrate my victory at their expense. At the end of the day, when I had to retire to bed, I would grab my wooden sword and pretend I was He Man. In those times, like any other unsuspecting kids, I would wish my superheroes to make a spectacular entry into the windows of my bedroom.

Fastforward, none of them, of course, appeared. When I look back, I thought it was silly to be a kid until I found myself behind the walls of Perlas ng Silangan, in Queens, New York. No, my superheroes were not rocking and rolling in that bar-restaurant. But it was there where I found my true-to-life Superwoman.

She's my Ces, a registered nurse by profession. She is, however, more to it than having to run around the hospital floor. Her being a computer savvy prompted those who know her and dubbed her as ‘tech support’. Inside the four walls of her cozy apartment that she painstakingly painted, carried seven-foot decorative plants and rearranged those pieces of furniture all by herself, she is no different from your sought-after interior decorator. Yes, she does interior designing, both for fun and bucks, on the side. Further, when her artistic mood sits in, she would bring herself and take photos of the lighthouses of Orient, New York, the skyscrapers of Manhattan, the casinos in Las Vegas, and the rail tracks of the South Bay Area in San Francisco, California. Photography is her passion and the proof of her works is found in her website where you can order them through on line. Back in the days, she was a class declaimer, a music teacher and a glee club member who travelled to Taiwan and San Francisco to perform. Her cherubic voice is a cross between Barbra Streisand and Nora Jones.

But what makes Ces a truly superwoman is her endearing personality. A beauty and brain rolled into one, she could easily capture any man’s attention, to my disapproval, of course. When she walks the aisle of most Filipino restaurants, her vertical measure stands out. Her good looks is nothing but mesmerizing. And when you begin talking to her, you are rest assured of an attentive audience and a well-informed speaker. Further, she is a loyal friend to those who value friendship and a worst enemy to those who disregard it.

Finally, she is a woman of incredible passion – literally and figuratively. And when all the lights are out, her stamina extends farther than I could possibly cope up with - if you know what I mean. When that happens, I wish I were a kid again wishing to be the ‘Man of Steel’.