The Unabridged Biography of an Unknown Family

By Kenneth Gascon

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• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Dec 12, 2021
• ISBN: 9781664198838

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Copyright © 2021 by Kenneth Gascon.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Rev. date: 12/06/2021

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CONTENTS

Prologue

Chapter 1 New Beginning

Chapter 2 Shirley

Chapter 3 Blondie

Chapter 4 Anika

Chapter 5 Philippine Guerilla

Chapter 6 Progress and Headaches

Chapter 7 Negotiations

Chapter 8 Trish

Chapter 9 Brigitte

Chapter 10 Aloha

Chapter 11 Family Military Menbers

Chapter 12 Make Love Not War

Chapter 13 Work Hard Play Hard

Chapter 14 My National Flower

Chapter 15 The Rise and Fall

Chapter 16 All Good Things Come To An End

Chapter 17 Starting From Scratch

Chapter 18 Budget Car Rental

Chapter 19 The Corporate Travel

Chapter 20 Omega Travel

Chapter 21 Americana

Chapter 22 The Pilgrimage

Chapter 23 Four Seasons

Chapter 24 President Joseph Estrada

Chapter 25 Dos Palmas

Chapter 26 The Proposal

Chapter 27 The Olde World

Chapter 28 Merry England and Gay Paree

Chapter 29 Scandinavia, Russia and the Baltics

Chapter 30 The Holiest Place on Earth

Chapter 31 The Third Time is a Charm

Epilogue

PROLOGUE

Although the events and places in this narrative are factual, the names of the characters involved have been withheld or changed for their privacy and protection. Not all incidents are exciting adventures, many are misadventures with a little humor included with my wild and wicket ways in an attempt to give the readers some added enjoyment as they peruse this story.

Some affairs might have been innocent love emotions of the heart and others were lustful moments of human weaknesses. I confess to all these frailties of my nature and flawed character. I will let you, the readers, decide.

I would like to extend my profound gratitude to the men and women involved in the creation of this book. To one and all I say, Thank you!

Ken Gascon

CHAPTER ONE

New Beginning

First my right eye opened, then followed by my left eye. But I could not see anything. The light was blinding. Was it the sunlight or one of these led lightbulbs? Or did I die and my spirit was being transported somewhere?

No matter how much I tried I could not move. Then as suddenly as my eyes opened total darkness arrived. And as the saying goes, I was out like a light.

Some hours later I woke up again and it was dark. After my eyes got used to it I could make out my hospital room. This time I could clearly see demons that looked like lizards flying near the ceiling. I tried to catch them but fell back to my slumber.

Daylight finally arrived and my eyes opened up again. This time there was a man in a white jacket seated beside my bed.

Where are the demons? was my immediate reaction.

What demons? There are no such creatures here. I am Dr.Noel, the physician on duty today.

Why am I tied up? I demanded.

Let me read to you what’s in your chart here.

Patient was admitted on Dec.1st, 2019 at 11:00 PM. Patient was unruly and combative. It was necessary to contain and tie him up for his own safety.

but why am I here?

You were brought here by the paramedics with the following symptoms and ailments.

1. Difficulty breathing

2. Both lungs with pneumonia

3. Heart attack

4. Kidney failure

You are lucky to be alive Mr.Gascon.

Can you please remove whatever I am tied up with and hand me some water; I am dying of thirst.

"You also have water retention which we are draining. If you promise to behave I will untie you and give you a couple of ice cubes to suck on until you are allowed to drink some water.

Agreed. I replied.

A few minutes after the doctor left an aide arrived. He untied me and gave me two ice cubes to help my thirst. As I sucked on the cubes I thought of the saying,when one has a near death experience one’s whole life flashes before his eyes.Well, my near death experience had my life and family’s life flashing in my mind and memory in bits and pieces which I will try to arrange together. My mind ran back to the time I was still a student at the Ateneo de Manila University.

My dad at the time was Captain of a cargo ship sailing between Hong Kong and Vietnam. The weather was dangerous on that day. Dad’s ship was an old tub and liable to be damaged by that kind of weather.

Sure enough his SOS to the authorities was disrupted and everyone assumed he was lost and in trouble. The Jesuits had the entire school body kneel and pray for my dad and crew. My dad was a disciplinarian on board his ship and aside for a couple of officers his entire crew were Chinese whose affiliations were with the Viet Cong. We were afraid they might take revenge on him. The ship ran aground in the Mekong river and was taking in water. The entire Chinese crew abandoned ship and ran with the Viet Cong. Luckily the U.S. Marines with their helicopters rescued my dad and his two officers. When I heard the news my eyes were in tears as I realized for the first time the power of prayers.

CHAPTER TWO

Shirley

As I have mentioned in my first book(the Unauthorized Autobiography of an unknown Person) my partners and I established two businesses. First was a travel agency called Travelease and about a year later, an air charter company called Westbound Travel Center,which was contingent on my contracting sufficient commercial accounts, setting up an office in San Francisco and marketing our products. I was given a two year window to accomplish these goals. They would provide the financing and I would do the research and leg work.

Those were very stressful years; aside from the business responsibilities and government red tape my first marriage was over. I don’t blame anyone. It was just that we were too young and later discovered that we had different aspirations in life so we parted amicably and went our separate ways. I was left with my two kids, leonard and Catherine and parents to take care of.

I needed someone to relieve tensions in my neck, back and legs. I discovered a reliable legitimate massage parlor I could use daily. So much so that I have not showered in my own apartment for months at a time.

My masseuse was so good at Shiatsu, an acupressure type of massage that I became addicted to her magic hands. She was also young and pretty. She had that soft, soothing voice that would put me to sleep as she massaged me.

Predictably, we developed an affinity for each other.

One night I convinced Shirley, as I call her, to leave work early so that we could go for a canoe ride at the reclamation area along the Roxas (formerly Dewey) boulevard. I instructed my driver to rent a motorized canoe from a nearby twenty four hour beach resort and pick us up at the reclamation area.

It was a full moon night with a tranquil sea which was a perfect setting for a romantic evening. My driver set the canoe on a sand bar. We got off the boat and walked on ankle deep water away from it, holding hands under the moonlight.

It was irresistible and we