The Adventures of Peter Valentine

November 10

The first time Peter Valentine really entertained the idea that he could write well was when Cory Aquino, the first woman president of the Republic of the Philippines, wrote back to him within the first 100 days of her presidency.
Valentine was merely 17 at that time. He wasn't even of legal age to vote when Ferdinand Marcos, the 10th President-turned-dictator of the Philippines, called for a snap election. But young Valentine campaigned hard for Cory, pleading to his older relatives, and the parents of his classmates and friends, to vote for the widow of the slain senator Ninoy Aquino.
From his father's Philippine Daily Inquirer and Malaya newspapers, young Valentine read up on the corruption of the Marcos dictatorship—called the "conjugal dictatorship" when you add to the equation the influence and power of then-First Lady Imelda "Imeldific" Romualdez Marcos.
From Mr. & Ms. magazines, and the occasional journalistic reports from Time and Newsweek, young Valentine also got educated on the Martial Law years in the Philippines from 1972 to 1981; on the assassination of opposition leader Ninoy Aquino in 1983; and on the political and moral issues battled out in the snap election of 1986.
At a very young age, Valentine felt a great love, and patriotic duty, to his country. He also believed that goodness will prevail over the evil that bad people, and corrupt politicians, do. He believed in his civic duty, and the role of each and every Filipino in nation-building.
But Valentine never dreamed of going into politics. He just wanted to write. And he started writing letters that contained his ideas and position on public and political matters to leaders like Corazon Aquino. 
Among the other world leaders and inspirational figures that young Valentine wrote to (and from whom he got a reply in the decade from 1986 to 1996) included the pilgrim pope, Pope John Paul II; the saintly Mother Teresa; US President Bill Clinton; and the Philippine megastar Sharon Cuneta.
For a long time, it was Valentine's belief that if he could persuade famous people to reply to his letters, it could only mean that he has moved them with words powerful enough for them to even consider responding to a young closeted gay man from nowhere.
The letters he got from the people that he admired most planted the seeds of confidence in the heart of Valentine, the young writer. It made him believe that he could write, and powerfully, movingly enough to make the world take notice.
Now, in the wake of the 2020 Covid pandemic, Valentine reassessed his life situation and realities. And he reached a decision to go home to the Philippines "for good" after almost fifteen years of living in the United States.
He also realized that he could do one of two things, or both, in the Philippines:
1.) retire to a small farm in his hometown; and/or
2.) be an active force in the art, literature, and culture scene in his province and region.
And his "and/or situation" could be best resolved by a Filipino partner, probably young and ambitious.
Valentine, at 51, still strongly wanted a partner. He felt that life could still be more meaningful for him with a partner—a husband, if the Philippine laws would allow it; but, at least, a lover, a cheer leader, a companion, a collaborator, a business associate, a better half of a power couple, or a caring half of a simple farm couple.
Valentine had discussed his vision with Luke Paclibar on the second day that they chatted online, just before Luke joined the group chat with Valentine's girl friends. And they were both excited by the possibilities!
That's why Vancouver Lisa's question about what sorts of things had Valentine promised to Luke to hook him hit the most irritating nerve. Because Valentine and Luke had already dreamed together what they would do if they ended up as a couple!
Luke had actually said that he would support Valentine to do both: mostly live simply on the farm, and occasionally go out to do some civic action, a kind of mission, for literature and the arts. That way, he said, he and Valentine could live happily and contentedly knowing that both of them were also contributing to the society, and the country, that Valentine had always loved so very much.
Dreams and visions are a wonderful thing for Valentine because they set the goal, the destination, the purpose of his life. Talking about dreams and visions is also a great thing for him because, he reasoned, that's how you get other people to get excited, and inspired enough, to share and participate in your dreams.
But the best thing is, and Valentine strongly believed this—is to write down your dreams and visions (even in novels like this) because people tend to forget what they have excitedly discussed while daydreaming aloud.
As the writer Peter Solis Nery, the one they called ThePSN, has artfully said on an ImageQuote square that he shared on his Facebook wall, "Ideas are just ideas until you start writing them down. And then, they become powerful words, sacred vows, promissory notes, holy promises to keep, and magical beginnings that you can choose to bring into greatness." Valentine remembered the exact words because he believed them.
In a way, Valentine felt that their dream, their vision, of a life together was not as deeply planted in Luke's heart as in his. How can it be? What they painted together was a beautiful dream. Beautiful and doable for Valentine, but perhaps a little too beautiful and a little impossible for Luke. Could Luke trust Valentine who he only knew for less than 72 hours?
Valentine was still mostly a stranger to Luke. And Luke, already resigned to life in his early thirties, had only known sad and miserable realities. He had put his faith in a gay relationship for ten years, and ended up left behind by his tranny lover for fresh meat.
And, seriously, has he really moved on in the last five years? If so, why has he remained holed up, single and alone, in his mother's house?
If Valentine is as great as he said that he is, and Luke could actually feel that Valentine is pretty smart, could he, Luke Paclibar, measure up to such greatness without feeling small and inferior? Could he stand to be an equal partner? Or would he be reduced to being a mere assistant in their relationship?
Valentine knew he would need to write another letter to Luke.