"Parang chickboy na mayabang."
That was Patricia Javier's first impression when she first met American chiropractor Robert Walcher. This was in San Diego, California, in 2003. The sexy actress (real name: Genesis Canlapan) had gone to the U.S. for a series of shows with singers Jaya and Ogie Alcasid.
The first meeting was awkward. Rob wasn't much of a conversationalist. It took a little bit of alcohol for him to loosen up. When he did have that little bit, he asked Patricia out for a breakfast date on the beach.
"Nakakatawa," Patricia recalls. "Hindi naman kami nag-breakfast. Naglakad na lang kami do'n sa shore. Alam mo 'yong parang... minsan, pag gustong-gusto mo 'yong kasama mo, ayaw mong kumain? So 'yon. No'ng time na 'yon, parang feeling ko na there's something, kasi busog ako parati. Alam mo, pag busog ako, ibig sabihin gusto ko 'yong kasama ko."
On December 27, 2005, two years after that first breakfast-less date, the couple got married in a San Diego courthouse. Almost two months later, the couple went through another, more elaborate wedding ceremony in a house owned by one of their friends.
The second wedding was actually a surprise for Rob that Patricia organized. "Akala niya malaking party lang. 'Tapos, pagtingin niya, o! Pagpasok niya sa loob ng venue, nakita niya en-grandeng wedding, inayos ko lahat."