LET'S VAULT IN!

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(My Eat Bulaga Experience)

It was over a year, January of 2006 actually, I have almost forgotten about it until somebody reminded me. Last week while I was having my hair cut, the barber who hardly knew me asked "Sir, di po ba kayo yung nanalo sa Eat Bulaga dati?" I was surprised because like what I said, more than a year has passed. It was then that it occurred to me that i haven't written about it yet.

Yes, I won in an Eat Bulaga contest and I was on television last year. And there were lots of stories- before, during and after I claimed the price. Now before you think otherwise, I didn't dance in Eat Bulaga nor did I join the Mr. Pogi contest. I won in their home partner portion for their Laban or Bawi then, which was the Let's Vault In.

I have been joining the contest since it started. Because I was jobless, I was able to watch almost all shows on TV then, Eat Bulaga included. But after some months of texting, I quit joining thinking that there's no way I could win there. But on that fateful day of January, I was again in front of the TV watching Laban o Bawi on Eat Bulaga. I noticed my cellphone lying in front of me. I picked it up and started composing the format for the text contest, the number of the first and last contestant who answered. I already have the first number typed in, the contest is still in progress. Until finally, only two contestants were left. I just typed in the number of one them and sent the text to the required number. I just sent two text messages then. After that, I went out of the house hoping that I could find some opportunities elsewhere. I left my cellphone at home then.

I went home at almost 7PM. My wife asked me "Sumali ka sa Eat Bulaga?" I didn't tell her about the text because I actually have forgotten about. So I said yes and asked her why. She said in rather excited voice, "Tumawag ang Eat Bulaga sa cell mo, tinatanong kung sino yung nagtext at kung ano yung combination. Sabi ko, baka husband ko kasi siya yung sumasali. Tinanong sa akin kung alam ko yung combination sabi ko hindi. Tatawag daw ulit sila. Kaso tumawag ulit sila wala ka pa rin! Ba't kasi di mo sinasabi sa akin e!"

I was dumbfounded! I didn't know what to say! An opportunity passed me by and I let it slipped! For the rest of the night, I was quiet. Constantly looking at my cellphone every now and then.... waiting... hopefully....

Then at around 9:30 PM, my phone rang I hurriedly picked it up and answered it. My hands were quite shaking:"Hello, si Mr. Arnaldo dela Cruz po ba ito?", "Oo, ito nga. Sino po sila?", "Sa Eat Bulaga po ito, sumali po ba kayo sa Let's Vault In?","Yes mam! sumali po ako","Ano po yung combination na pinadala ninyo?", I told her the combination, which I really can't remember right now. "Okay, for verification, ano po yung complete address nila?" So I told her my complete address, just the way I texted it.

"Mr. dela Cruz, sa ngayon po hindi pa po kayo sure na nanalo. Makakapunta po kayo bukas sa Broadway Centrum?","Yes mam! Pwede po akong pumunta", "O sige po, be here po before 9:30am, magdala po kayo ng valid ID na may address po na binigay ninyo. Bukas pa lang po natin mako-confirm yung panalo ninyo ah. Basta be here early po. Wag po kayo magtsi-tsinelas kasi po may posibility po na lumabas kayo sa TV. Sige po sir, bye."

I was speechless after that, I was looking at my family and I wasn't talking. They were asking me if it were Eat Bulaga who called. When I was finally able to say 'Yes', they all shouted! I was very thankful because after two calls, they still called me back. They didn't give the P25,000 to others who also texted, my chance was not forfeited. Then I felt tears trying to escape my eyes, as I was silently praying and thanking God. I was jobless then, and I remember telling myself "P25,000, that's a good 7 to 8 dialysis sessions for my wife."

It was then that my tears finally managed to escaped....