from left: NPC director and ‘Lapid Fire’ program host Percy Lapid, Dolphy and Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim

After more than a decade, the King of Comedy and Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim finally met once again – the former had been busy with family activities while the latter had been immersed in his hectic schedule as a public servant.

It was through National Press Club (NPC) director Percy Lapid that the two long, lost friends had their reunion at a Japanese restaurant just nearby the Comedy King’s favorite bakeshop, where once upon a time Dolphy had first got acquainted with Lapid.

Dolphy had developed a listening habit to the hard-hitting radio commentator’s program “Lapid Fire,” aired over station dWIZ every 12 midnight until 1:30 a.m., from Monday to Friday.

“Lapid Fire”  is widely listened to program not only in the Philippines – where the likes of veteran songstress Ivy Violan, comedian-actress Tiya Pusit and other local celebrities have become his avid listeners – but worldwide, especially in the Filipino communities in the United States, Middle East, Europe and Asian countries.

And in classic “Home Along the Riles”-fashion, Lim shed off his serious façade to take time out from his busy career as serbisyo-publiko and jam it with his bosom buddy.

Dolphy and Lim became friends when the mayor was a mere low-ranking policeman in the beat patrol of the then Manila Police Department.

“Do you remember, pare, that time when you were still a patrol man and you were running after some criminals and you accidentally shot a horse?” asked Dolphy.

Lim was taken aback because he didn’t realize the King of Comedy still had that sterling memory that gave him a clear image of things that had come to pass even decades before.

What Dolphy was referring to was when Lim fired off a warning shot to ask the criminal he was running after to peaceably surrender. Unfortunately, the bullet ricocheted and hit a nearby horse.

“I didn’t know you knew about that incident,” Lim told his friend. To this the Comedy King gave a hearty laugh, saying it was the mayor who narrated the whole story to him even as he jokingly added that it was really funny that somebody like Dirty Harry made his first kill and it was unfortunately a horse!

There were a lot of things the two friends reminisced even as Lapid excitedly listened to their vibrant banter of their old days.

“They’re different from those who are just friends... they may not see each other often but they remain very close. They also have that mutual respect for each other – despite the apparent difference in character,” Lapid pointed out.

People say the Manila mayor is a rather pensive character in person who at most times is deathly serious when it comes to doing his job.

“You’ll seldom hear him give out that hearty laugh... unlike Dolphy whose laughter comes as natural as breathing is to him...” Lapid added.

In this, there seems to be solid evidence to the adage that opposite poles really attract each other.

But there are also similar things about the mayor and the comedian – both are avid fans of “Lapid Fire” – and that’s something worth looking into for the two friends.

“Matapang at makatotohanan...” Dolphy said about Lapid.

And according to Lim, he listens to the early program in dWIZ to know what was the opinion of people on different issues, especially when it concerned his city and his constituents.

And for Lapid, having both as his listeners is worth any accolade given to the best!