Chapter I: The Gathering

Everyone was thrilled. It was New Year’s Day here in the 51st state of USA. Here in this southern city of Camp Rock, the first day of the year is celebrated with fireworks, overflowing booze, roasted calves and pigs and pockets of gunfire can be heard from time to time. It is a point of fact that this way of celebrating holidays and festivals in this state is a manifestation of the three hundred years occupation of the Spanish armies and priests before it became a part of United States of America. It is a lasting symbol that the Spanish Empire made in this South East Asian archipelago.

In Mr. Gutierrez’ residence, the atmosphere reflects the mood in most of the city’s elite abode – blasting music reaching hundreds of decibels, expensive sushi, fettuccine al gorgonzola, spring lamb chops, all kinds of beers, cocktails and wines, and people partying till they drop. The Guts, as they are fondly called, is one of the city’s most prominent families mainly because of the vast wealth they have accumulated, and passed from generation to generation, in the last seventy or more years. Today’s Guts were nowhere near their original family ascendants who started their success story. The family then had simplicity painted all over their faces. They never showed off their money, their cars, even their house, although it was considerably large at that time, it wasn’t proportionate to what they actually could have afforded.

The Casa Mohica, Guts mansion, lies on a 5-hectare well-landscaped area. The house was designed by Mr. Moriarti, a known architect from Italy, using big rounded Gothic columns, large glassed Greek windows with trench curves at the side, an airy veranda as façade, gigantic chandeliers and with very spacious rooms inside. A large water fountain welcomes guests at the frontage. The swimming pool is found at the back of the hall. In the left corner of the vast vicinity is the parking lot. The collection tonight is eye-popping; it’s like being in a European Motor Show in Brussels. Hundreds of small bulbs strategically placed in the enormous area make the scene astonishing.

The party today in the Guts vast mansion was organized by Rolly, the eldest son of Mr. Richard Gutierrez, the CEO of 3G Group of Companies. Rolly, still in his mid-twenties, is still at school, but by his life style, everyone who doesn’t know him would surely mistake him for a successful businessman. His name alone suggests prosperity, probably taken from a brand of a loaded car. His closest friends even call him Royce. The gathering showcased the influential populace of the city. A portrait of these people would have made it to the who’s who magazine. Lester de Ocampo, Camp Rock’s youngest councilor ever elected, was present; as well as successful businessmen Marlowe Branch, Crispin Diaz, Jocylene Santiago, Ron Varias and many others whom you would only see in a presidential banquet.

There were also the eldest sons and daughters of those who can’t come, probably having their own celebration or attending some gathering they think would turn out more investment.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, it is a great pleasure for me to introduce to you the honorable host of the night, Mr. Rolly Gutierrez.” The opening words were greeted by a thunderous clap and howl from the audience, some reluctantly, some more sincere, some maybe just the result of some unexplained muscle impulse.

“Good Evening Everyone! Happy New Year!” greeted Rolly, who wore a black Manalili Tuxedo, the latest fad, brushed-up hair, polished black Magoo shoes and a clean-shaven million-dollar face.

“Perhaps it is fate that gathered us here tonight to welcome the year ahead of us. Undoubtedly, it is in everyone’s mind that we celebrate this day for the good year we just had and to have another successful and trouble-free year ahead of us. I would like to acknowledge the presence of no less than the governor of our beloved state, Honorable William Concepcion.” The Governor stood to recognize the deafening applause given to him by the assembly.

“What greater way to greet it but with the most prominent people of this city! Guys, there is no limit here! Even heaven can be achieved tonight! Enjoy and have a wonderful evening!” With that, the boisterous speakers came to life as the select audience came to dance and forget, even for just one night, they are the city’s cream of the crop.

In one corner of the enormous Gut area, three gentlemen are in a huddle, talking anything but business. Raymond, of the Mcmillan family who are in the air transportation business; Rizniel, of the Legaspi family who are into hotel management; and Sean, whose family, the Calloways is in to Restaurant industry; are three close friends since they were in their high school. Although still young in their late twenties, they corporately own a construction company. Probably tired of all those money talk they spent all year long, this night is all about cocktail, sex and ladies, masochism is more like it.

“Ever wonder how much Rolly has put up for this party?” Rizniel, a soft-spoken man of athletic physique and oriental face, asked the group.

“Oh you know him, Royce wont arrange a gig if it wont out-budget the one before it! But I got to give it to him. He surely knows how to impress!”

“Guys better tone down Royz’s here.” warned Raymond.

“Hey! Now this is what I call a party! What’s up Mr. Guts?” little appreciation on Rizniel’s voice

“Oh you’ve seen nothing yet and you guys will never see anything if you three just planned to lay your eggs here! Go and meet some ladies, there are a lot hot babes around. Hey Sean, any plans of getting laid?” Rolly joked.

That last one brought out a good laugh from the group, it’s good to hear people of wealth still know how to pull some smiles here and there, who wouldn’t smile with such money?

“Yeah Sure! You have anyone in mind?” Sean challenged.

“Alright, you three come along now, let me pimp you guys!”

Approximately there were about five hundred guests invited in this place, by the looks of it almost everyone has come and more are expected to arrive. This annual gathering of the selected few, although five hundred isn’t, in any calculations, few, is always one of the biggest in Camp Rock city. Here, the businessmen take the opportunity to sweet tongue the politicians in lobbying for some laws or city ordinances that would improve their commerce. In one table located at the center, there sat Mayor Villaluz, members of the Senate State Legislature Glen Antonio and Mahmoud Farouk, Mr. Milan and businessmen of Chinese decent Mr. Dy and Mr. Ho, and young councilor Lester, who at his age is already the prime person to be the next mayor of the city.

“Mr. Ocampo, I’ve heard our good mayor here has set his eyes on you to be the one to succeed him in his office. Congratulations in advance!” Mr. Milan, the president of Robins Holdings, a multifaceted business firm located up north, broke the ice.

The mayor smiled towards the young councilor as if giving him the go signal to answer the question.

Lester hesitated, gathered his thoughts before speaking: “Well, that is very flattering and I thank the mayor for his confidence in me. But really for now, Mr. Milan, I’m still concentrating on the issues important to the people now and worry about the election later.”

The Chinese businessmen nod in agreement as if that is what they wanted the councilor to do for now. Everyone knows they only care for their businesses and profit. And that would mean they care only for the ordinances that would cut their taxes in half and make their life easier.

“I can agree no less to Mr. Ocampo” Glen Antonio concurred. “We still have fourteen months before the next election, and hundreds of laws to review and pass. What I want to know, instead, is his side on certain issues like abortion and same sex marriage. Those issues are tearing up the city in half, we have to address them the soonest.”

Mayor Villaluz, sensing his protégé is being challenged and might not be able to withstand the pressure especially with a couple of drink of vodka, came to defend. “Well, I think there is a proper forum for tackling those issues, in fact we’re having our second session this second week and it would be great if some members of the board would be present” the mayor showing with flare his age in politics threw the ball back to Mr. Antonio and Farouk’s court.

“Yes of course that would be great. We will be there, I think my calendar is not that bad” Farouk replied.

Lester let out a sigh of relief.

Mr. Ho yawned.

At around 10 in the evening, more of the younger businessmen arrived as the older ones started thinking of good reasons to get out of the place, almost certainly, their age reminding them their time for parties such as this is over. Nobody was amaze by the revelry being showcased; in fact, it would astonish the crowd if it’s a simple one. Frugality is not one of Rolly’s known values, if he has any. Everything was more than enough, the overflowing liquor, the caloric food, and handsome men and gorgeous women were everywhere.

And by this point in time, Riz, Raymond and Sean are having conversation of sorts to striking women of their liking. Since they belong to families of good stature to the community it is only logical to see them talking to people of wealth. Riz was conversing with Cherry McBride, a young surgeon and a new face in town. Cherry is probably talking about syringes and stuff while Rizniel is thinking of the only injection that he knows. Sean is chatting with Lynette, the eldest daughter of Don Diego Buencamino, tycoon of the meat-processing industry. Some might have wonder if they were talking about meat or some other flesh. Angel Perez was hooked in a light-mood chitchat with Raymond. Angel just came back from mainland US and the talk within the circle is that she’s doing it with almost everyone who talks to her for more than five minutes. It looks like she has found her match in Raymond. A tall but lanky man, Raymond always finds a way into a woman’s skirt. He possesses a handsome face, straight refined hair and fair complexion.

Of the three, Riz and Cher is the couple that looked like they’ve met each other long time ago. Cherry is the kind of woman who wouldn’t be in the list of beautiful faces. But as a general practitioner and a body to die for, who needs an angelic face? The just-acquainted twosome is kissing and hugging you’d think someone’s trying to take them away from each other. But in nights like this, prohibitions are thrown out the window and whatever happens here is left when the gates are closed for the evening. Because they are the city’s best and they should protect their names or put it more correctly, the name of their family and whatever business they are engaged in.

At last it’s time to go home. Except for Sean who opted to drive Lynette back home, the friends wound up with their respective dates for that night. The party ended or rather started to cool down at around three in the morning, only after the host himself was well drunk for his own good. As the chosen crowd went in their businesses, everyone can’t help but think about what a party it was. That’s Rolly, always making a good first and lasting impression. The city’s men of power rested, and so the whole city rests…