MY 2ND JOURNEY-JOSH' ROOFTOP WITH DOZENS OF DOVES

I was disappointed to Master’s decision na I can’t go anymore to other beautiful places for the reason na may nilabag ako sa rule no. 1. So, I took a nap after lunch. I woke at 2 pm and resumed working. After work, I was about to check my blogspot account when there was a sign of Master. The computer screen became black and white again and only the ENTER and EXIT button appeared. I clicked the ENTER button immediately. Hindi lang naman ako excited sa sasabihin ni Master hehehe. Ganun pa rin ang nangyari. I found myself in an empty room. The laptop was there at same procedure ang ginawa ko. “Pinag aralan ko ang case mo, ang pagkakamali mo, ang paglabag mo sa rule”, bungad niya sa akin. “At may punto ka. I revised the rule no. 1. Kung naroon ka na sa lugar na gusto mong puntahan, ang mga bagay na gusto mong tingnan ay pwede mong galawin pero u can’t get or bring it with you. Kaya pwede mo na ipagpatuloy ang journey mo. Click ur next choice na”, huling sabi niya. “Thank you, Master,” tugon ko sa kanya.

I found myself at the 3rd floor of an apartment located in Caloocan City. Hindi ako dumaan sa pintuan. Sa isang-kisap mata sa rooftop ako naglanding. Nagulat ang mga doves. Maraming doves: may white, may gray, may brown. Siguro yung brown ay si brownee- the new kid on the block. I even don’t distinguish which is male and female. But according to the owner, pag male ay mahaba daw ang beak at short naman pag female. Makapasok na nga sa loob para makahop. Oh the owner left the music on. A captivating hymn with moving melody and lyrics, the classic, YOU ARE NEAR by Dan Schultz was playing. Naamazed ako sa maraming paintings hanged all over the room. Hinubad ko ang aking sapatos kasi napakalinis ng room, everything is orgainzed with red motif ba yun? Ganda ng blinds. Tip toe akong pumasok. Ako ay parang isang magnanakaw. Ang unang nakaagaw ng aking pansin ay yung drawing na parang dove-look-alike. It’s like a simple boat like body with big eyes at si Jesus na may malaking eyes din. Oh that’s “Sacred and Profane Love” painting. It was painted by an old European painter named Titian. The painting of two voluptuous women as subject, one being clothed and the other in her birthday suite. There were some books I found too. The TROIKA bookgazine, oh oh and “THE KEY TO FAITH MEDITATIONS ON THE LITURGICAL YEAR”. I saw a stamp collection. There were interesting stamps of the Philippines which commemorates the first national Eucharistic year 1937 under the commonwealth republic and the new stamp with the logo of the national Eucharistic congress 50th anniversary (1037-1987). “For a person who was forgiven a bigger debt, loves bigger,” the great line I read. At least now, I can touch everything that I want to see and read. Master permitted me to touch and read anything and that's official. Tapos may isang note sa side table: "Nude art class of Maestro F. B. Sena will be having a nude art exhibit and you are invited to grace the occassion which will have its opening on June 23 (saturday) at 6pm. "Is this for me?, am asking to myself. I guess, I've dona na sa loob. Gusto ko ng bumalik sa rooftop. Ang gusto kong i-touch ay ang birds. hehehe. Of all created birds daw, the dove is the most submissive and trusting of humans. They are monogamous creatures. Once they find their lovey dovee, they stay together till death do us part. I would love to feed them. Nakakaaliw silang tingnan. Am in the middle of my silence looking with the doves when I heard sounds behind. Oops! May tao. Nahuli ako. He is stands 5'5" tall. I am somewhat 5'6" so kaya ko siya. Ako pa ang matapang ngayon. hehehe. But I said was "hi. nakialam ako sa mga doves mo", ang sinabi ko instead to have a fight. Ako kasi ang 3passing. I am not the culprit. I will not kill ur doves like what the large stray cat did to your original pair of white doves. Sorry to say about that", i sadly said. "It's okay", he smiled. "I mean it's okay to watch them and not to kill them." Sobrang love ko ang mga doves ko." I admitted that I grieved for those original doves i had before but not naman to the point of crying". But he was about to cry. hehehe. "You are familiar to me", he told me. Yeah, I saw you in VEGAN PRINCE' PLACE", I replied. "BTW, why u really love doves?", I asked him. "I dunno. It's just my feeling. I really love to care them. My dove adoption program started with that two doves which came from my younger brother's wedding. We are 6 siblings, 5 anatomical boys and the youngest a girl. I'm the second to the eldest. My childhood memory of doves was in Luneta Park! There is a tree there which was structured with rows of pigeon holes. These doves fly freely. "How do I catch one of these?", I wondered while making all those strange whistling and clapping of hands." he said matter of factly.

"Lastly, why do you have the idea to have this peaceful and colorful place? I asked him. You know with ur doves, the paintings, the religious books. I don't want to mention the troika bookgazine. hehehe", I joked him. "I can say this is a religious place in general" , I added.

"You know what? At first I was really hesitant to have this place and to start with all of these things. I asked myself so many questions. However, like d very 1st Pentecost, i needed power & strength (from beyond) to start one (of course not to build my own church, silly, though its not a bad idea? One way to earn easy money nowadays is to preach & accumulate tithes - tax free!). Somehow I have the urged to put into writing my life (hope it be interesting & hot), experiences & thoughts of things and what have you. But the real motivation are d friends I have in the blog scene who pushed & gave me d guts... and now here it is. I want to acknowledge and thank the people who trusted me. To MARK, CLARK & FLASH, luv u guys, to MIGS, MCVIE & GIBBS (troikasters) such inspirations, to MOING21, KHALEL & TIGGAH(frm USA). These are my sets of threes, my TROIKAS, my TRINITY :)" he said matter of factly again.

"Am REDLAN, btw. And Am glad to meet you. I love to stay long but I need to go. But I promised you, I will be back here again. Thanks for the time and the accomodation", I waved goodbye.

"It's my pleasure. JOSH- a single guy living in a rooftop with dozens of doves at your service. You are always welcome here in MY LIFE, MY ART AND MY DOVES", he ended.