Punzi's Corner Blog

No matter who you are, you always fail to find the right words when faced with people you idolize.

Yes, I mean, this even applies to me despite attending college twice. (Once for pre-law and the second for law proper, or "Juris Doctor" as conferred upon me).

Despite being a new lawyer way back in 1996 (hey! That's almost ten years ago...), I was already working for a good half year and was being introduced as a lawyer by the firm I was working for before I even passed the bar (That was scary...what if I didn't pass?...). One of my first assignments as a newbie lawyer was Assistant Corporate Secretary for our firm's client, a famous beach resort (where Angelo just spent his vacation on).

As it was a class resort (then a membership club), I was given the royal treatment during my first visit. I mean the works! Free food (always my weakness), amiable and nubile hosts (they were so pretty to look at and some of them are still my friends) and a helicopter ride to the resort!

(An aside: That resort is a four-hour drive from Quezon City, maybe three hours now given the North Luzon Expensiveway. But with a helicopter, you're there in 15 minutes from Makati! The trip was so short that once, a group left that resort by land at 2:30 pm. We left at about a quarter to 5:00 pm. by helicopter. When I arrived at the law school where I committed to play for that year's bar reviewees, they were utterly surprized when I said I just arrived from that resort fifteen minutes ago. The ones that left by land were still probably somewhere in the Pampanga that time...Helicopter rides are fantastic, but so scary...)

Now on to the main story. I arrived during the time Michael Biehn and Adrian Paul were shooting a movie nearby and hence, were billeted there. Forget Mr. Biehn, I've been following Highlander: the Series back in law school! Since I did not have the time to watch TV during weekdays, I "acquired" the appropriate degree to program my VCR and tape this show. Then, I watch a month's supply per sitting.

Here I was, standing mere inches away from someone I have only seen (and admired) on TV...There he looked on the thin side. In person, he was a well-built and tall man, with pecs that would make beauty queens insecure about their chests. And he really knew martial arts, not merely acting that he knows.

So the host introduced me to Adrian Paul, and he was so friendly. "Hi, Punzi," he said. (Of course he said my first name, but I don't want to say it here....)

Literally looking up to him in utter shock, what did I say in reply?

"Loved you in Highlander!"

OMG! He slowly backed away, probably thinking I was actually "in love" with him. Well, of course not! But that only goes to show (from personal experience) that even a lawyer who uses words for a living cannot find the correct words to say when starstruck...