Jerry araos and alex dacanay family

Before journalist-poet-chess whiz Alex Dacanay left this world, I had listed him in my phonebook as 'Alexei Pushkin,' after the Russian writer.

His wife Barbara Mae is saved in my directory as 'Barbra Mi Streisand.' This is my lighthearted way of remembering friends. After all, they call me 'Babeth's Feast.'

Recently I scoured my blog (www. brooksidebaby.blogspot.com) for old entries mentioning Alex.

Jerry araos and alex dacanay family photos

I found three. Goose bumps grew on my arms as I saw a group photo of Alex, the documentary producer Caloy Abrera, poet Jolico Cuadra and myself enjoying ourselves at a garden party of birthday boy Jerry Araos, the sculptor, in 2002.

There I was at the edge of the picture with these bigger-than-life men by my side.

Caloy went first in 2004, in what Jerry described as 'a loud clanging of bells and steel' (a freak train accident). Jerry followed in 2012, then Jolico in 2013.

I recall Alex issuing a call for blood and financi