Bonk... The Life Saver
By: Charles Brooks

I was stationed at Clark from 87- 89. I was more of a type to vacatin around the PI and see the place rather than spend much time downtown, I did however go downtown and got messed up on many occasions on murphy's madness....lol

At any rate... I knew a Filipino outside the gates. He was maybe 7 at the most. He would meet me at the gates and give me the lowdowns about what was going on in downtown Angeles.

His name was "Bonk", thats all I know, and for a 7 year old he sure was street wise and helped me out of some sticky situations. In return, I would give him many many pesos and feed him. When I went to Korea on TDY I would get him sneakers.

He would help me find my way back to the gate at late hours when I was drunk and made sure that locals would stay away from me at an opportunistic situation ( I remember him arguing with a guy that I was "His" American) and he saved my ass.

It seemed whenever I needed eyes he was there, almost like a ghost he would apear out of the dark grab my hand, and at the least, pull me toward the right direction till we made it to the main gate. He even knew what dorm I lived in (7513) and my room (114) And told the cabbys to get me there.

He was an orphan. I never saw family and he never went home. Had I not been so young at the time I would have adopted him and took care of him and brought him back to the States. I guess you could say we were like Indiana Jones and his sidekick "short -round". That movie always remindss me of the kid in the PI who took care of an American in a Symbiotic relationship where we both benefited.

Anyways, I was wondering what happened to him, especially after Pinitubo. I believe that in some ways he saved my life. Maybe someone would have some connections. Maybe he's gone forever. if anyone gets info, he would only know me as "Brooks" or "Brooksie"

Charles Brooks, Crew Chief, 3rdAGS/3rdAMU
Mask.Finz@verizon.net