KIT AND I

He was one of the most hated teen housemates of his batch. Despite the good looks and the towering height, viewers thought that Kit Thompson is one mean guy. Oo nga naman, based sa mga napanood natin, almost everyday may nakakasagutan siya. He speaks his mind and heart out tactlessly. Pati babae, pinapatulan niya.

Despite those, Kit was one of my two favourite teen housemates (the other was Yves Flores). Bukod sa gwapo, I was so curious of his character. “Bakit kaya siya ganun?”, I thought.  Saka ayaw ko maniwala na 16 lang siya. He looked so matured. Feeling ko, 18 o 19 na siya. But I really wanted to meet him.

After Kit was evicted of the PBB house.

So nung lumabas na siya ng bahay ni kuya, I had that opportunity to meet him. We were introduced. We had small talks. Ilang beses din yun pagkalabas niya. But all those were “forgettable”, if I would describe it. Ewan. Ang naalala ko lang was, I gave him McDo nuggets then kasi he was hungry. I don’t even think he remembered me, especially after a few weeks. He was casted na in “Kahit Puso’y Masugatan”  afterwards. I would watch him nightly, pero hindi na kami nagkita halos uli. He wasn’t even following me on Twitter.

But after a few months, for some strange reasons, we were reconnected. Medyo personal kasi, so I won’t go into details. But in an event, nagkaroon ng chance na magka-bond. He was at his “lowest” then, and nagkataon na I (with, again, Julian Mauricio) was there. Parang he was talking of his problems then, and we were there, listening. And that was the first time I saw him like that. I was moved, seriously. Kasi, coming from his PBB stint, I thought he was this insensitive, brat na walang pakialam, at walang pinoproblema. He had the world on his hands, I thought. But I was wrong. So wrong.

Masusundan pa yan when, a few days later, after work, I received a call from him, asking if we could meet. I said yes, and we spent a few hours talking habang nagpapa-foot spa. He started opening up his life’s journey to me. I would ask questions, he would answer in his most honest way. From then on, I saw Kit in a very different light: sensitive, in touch with his emotions, and takes joy in the simplest things in life. Sa likod pala ng toughie, “man of steel” image na pino-project niya, is a regular young man experiencing the highs and lows of teenage life.

At Kittle event last December. 

His PBB Teens stint last year really taught him a lot. Masasabi ko na, he emerged as a better person afterwards. Yes, he is still outspoken. He really tells you what’s on his head at the moment. Prangka. Very honest. But he sees to it na, if you make him aware na you were offended, he says sorry. He has lot of things to say e, and most of them are good sa totoo lang. May sense kasi siyang kausap. Though minsan, papalit-palit ng isip at desisyon yan. Dyan pumapasok yung childishness niya, you’d think na, “tama, 16 nga siya!” But once he makes his final say on something, pagkatapos ng mahabang diskusyunan, debate, at realizations, he sticks to it. No turning back.

Contrary to what others perceive, hindi siya mayabang. Siguro hindi lang siya yung sweet-sweetan, especially if hindi pa kayo magkakilala. At kapag pag naglakad at tumingin pa yan, medyo maangas. But when he sees na you are a good person, or you do him a favour, binabalikan niya yun ng genuine kindness niya. Napaka-generous niyang tao, sa totoo lang. Hindi lang sa material things, kundi sa time at sa effort. He will be there for you if you need him. Makikinig. Mag-a-advice. At hindi magja-judge.

Napaka-sweet din nitong si Kit. Gentle Giant nga minsan ang description ko dyan, kasi kung makayakap yan, wagas. Hindi siya nahihiya na ipakita yung paglalambing niya sa ibang tao. Malakas ding mang-asar, mangonsensya. Nakakagulat minsan kapag hihiritan ka ng mga jokes. Minsan iisipin mo, hindi nagse-seryoso. Pasaway siya, oo. Normal lang naman sa mga teenagers na gaya niya. But since medyo independent siya, you will see na he’s turning into a responsible young man now, the way he handles his own welfare and affairs. He wouldn’t have survived the past months if he hasn’t.

KIt's birthday last February.

Intense na tao si Kit. The way he loves, and takes care of the people around him… Ang swerte mo kapag naging kaibigan ka niya, o kapag minahal ka niya. He really gives it his all. In the zone. Though siyempre may downside din ito sa kanya, as he tends to forget na magtira para sa sarili. He is so much in touch with his feelings. He holds on to it at the longest time. Wish ko nga dyan, makahanap na talaga ng girl who will really bring out the best in him. “Work in progress” si Kit, I must say. But the progress, I can describe now, is turning out for the good. His imperfections make him who he is, na once you get to know him better, he will grow in you.

What I am most proud about Kit now is his improvement niya sa ginagawa niya. In fairness dyan kay Kitty (as I fondly call him), seryoso yan sa mga workshops, dance man or acting. Gustung-gusto niyang mag-trabaho. Nakapag-inspire sa kanya most likely yung success ng Must Be Love, at yung pagkakasali niya sa Star Magic Circle Batch 2013. Yung intensity niya, nagagamit niya na sa work ngayon. Mas ok na siyang sumayaw ngayon, at nagde-deliver na siya ng bongga sa mga acting stints niya. He has learned the techniques, which is jiving well with his innate confidence. He’s proving everyone na hindi lang siya pretty face, at puro yabang as others thought.

Kit and I don’t see much of each other these past weeks. Nakaka-miss nga e. I miss his kakulitan, his rants, his jokes… His being Kit Thompson - real, walang pretensions, and a great friend I know I can count on to when life doesn’t go my way. Isang mahigpit na yakap lang mula sa kanya, I know everything’s gonna be okay.