003 ~ Living the History

There were vicarious thrills, listening to stories and adventures of the men and women who'd been there, doing global-policing what.

Then there were actual chills from gracing the mission area, to observe how a human being works in a PNP uniform capped by the UN Blue Beret.

So many insights to gain in trying to write serious and strightforward history, and so many twists and turns to get entangled in ---all of which are too exciting to be avoided.

For instance, when the website was launched as one of the book's information conduits, a new avenue of exchange was born. Every week since, messages from across the planet have reached the virtual postal center. Most of these are of collaborator concern: book-purchase inquiries or congratulatory phrases or motions (digital attachments and all) to improve the draft. Are these senders blessed!

Others carry verses that strike the chord of sentimentality and melancholy, and there are yet others (albeit a thankful few) that simply get in the nerves. Bless the senders of such, too.

Surprisingly, there flood semi- and extremely desperate requests from even the far corners of the globe (the online ones, that is), for assistance in locating any one of the Filipino police officers listed in the PNP Contingent Roll. These come from persons who identify themselves as distant relatives, high school buddies, resigned mistah from the military academy, former colleagues in the pre-Web UN missions, ex-girlfriends.

(Important: No ex-boyfriends have yet come forward to seek help in search-and-rescue operations of this nature.)

This "pumps" fresh irony for people who attempt to write serious, straightforward history: having a bit of clean fun in dealing with the lighter side of the past.

Then the burden comes when the history-writing passion presses in, and everything that can be afforded closure should be given one.

So whenever possible, the missives are forwarded to those concerned, directly or through known comrades, juniors, or superiors in the active service. The requesting parties are not given any contact information on the subject police officer, but are notified that tracking has been undertaken.

It would be nice to know if a two-way correspondence did push through, and whether or not a slice of history has had its closure or moved on to a new beginning.