NEVER GIVE UP(7) - A Story

[gentle]

Until, we saw a clearing, a house and some cages. We met another man. He’s like an “ermitanyo” (a very old man who live in the mountains, forests alone). There he is watching his chickens feeding. When he saw us, he immediately welcomed us and you can observe that he really needs somebody to talk to and accompany him even for just awhile.
“O welcome strangers! What brings you to my neighborhood? I haven’t seen a man for quite sometime. What can I do for you? You seem lost?”
I speak and said, “ o thank you for your most welcome to us. Yes we are lost and we’ve gone I think in circles. We’re trying to go out of this forest. Can you help us?”
Certainly, but you must stay for the night. For the forest is very dangerous at night.
Thank you sir.
The ermitanyo prepared a bon fire for us and he began to secure in the cage his chickens and lead us to his small nipa hut. You can see that he has vegetables for plants and some bamboo pipes for his water. You will notice that he’s living there for a very long time. In his hut, there’s a sala and kitchen and bathroom and a bamboo bed. Actually the house is in order and thought off very seriously upon building it. As we enter the hut, he requested us to remove our shoes and there’s a bowl of water on the first steps of the stairs so we can wash our hands and our feet and freshen up. We did, and what an ambience. The sala upon entering and sitting is very comfortable and cozy. And he gave us water to drink. The cups by the way are made of wood.
“Ahhh,” very thirst quenching. Although there’s no refrigerator or electricity there, the water is cold and very invigorating.
“You like ha? Asks the ermitanyo.
O yes very much. It soothes my body, I said.
It’s mineral water. It’s natural, came from the mountains itself.
Okay, that’s why it’s so taste lie a bottled mineral water. But the difference is it’s fresh and not refrigerated. Nature so cool and fine.
O, yes, that’s why I am here. I don’t want to go back to the society.
That remarks made me stop and think a moment. And that tinny Winnie bit silence were broken off by him going to the kitchen and getting wood plates and wood spoons and forks, and everything I mean everything was made of wood. He went at the back of the hut and went at the back and walla, behold, a whole roasted chicken in a stick. My companion and me swallowed our salivas for so many a year; we did not ate any homemade whole roasted chicken in a stick. We have rice and as he place the chicken in front of us, my buddy as I will call him for this delicious moment, acted to get a piece but was ask to hold first.
“Ooops, please wait for a moment. We say grace first.”
He led us into prayer: “Father God, we thank you for this bounty that you have given us. I also thank you that I’ll share this to my visitors. Amen.”
After the prayer, he motioned my “buddy” to now eat and he willingly obliged with great enthusiasm. “Come on now, eat. There’s plenty of it. I know you’re very tired and hungry so eat.” And we did until we’re very full that now we’re very sleepy. My “buddy” didn’t mind any of us. He just closed his eyes and lied down on the bamboo floor. Well, the ermitanyo cleaned the table and he told me just to sit down and rest. As I watched him do the chores, my eyes slowly shut until I don’t know what happened. O what a sweet, sweet short sleep. I have taken a nap. It’s dark and I know it’s night. I stand and looked around and my buddy seems like a log because he did not move from the time he lied down. I went to the window and gaze to the dark sky and it’s not that dark because it’s full of stars. What a wonderful sight to behold. Looking down I see the (with continuation)

 

[gentle]

NEVER GIVE UP(8)- A Story

ermitanyo beside the bonfire he had made earlier. He motioned me to come and join him and I did.
“How’s your sleep?” Ask by him.
“It’s so so exhilarating!” I replied.
Why are you here? I immediately ask the ermitanyo.
The ermitanyo pause for a while as if thinking very deeply what he will say to me, “I’m here because I want to.” “Okay.” I said and silence befalls us. As I watch the fire, he broke his peace and began to pour out his heart and he recant:

“I’ve been here a very long time now. I live alone. All these you see I made it by myself. I was a successful priest. I’m good at what I do but one day I fell into a temptation a priest must not do. And everybody found out and the church expelled me. From that day on, I pity myself. Whenever someone sees me, I’m like a leper that no one must touch or looked at. I’m so shameful that I went up here and live. I can’t believe myself. Why did I have done that? I just can’t!” Telling his story with eyes about to get teary beating his chest with conviction as if making a gesture that he can’t believe in himself why did he do it. He sees himself above and perfect than others. He continued, “That’s why I’m here, because I can’t face it.” I cannot bear the shame and the people.” Out of the blue I said, “You’re here because you can’t accept that you made a mistake. You sinned and you’re not capable of it!” Quickly putting my hand on my mouth I apologize to him. “I’m sorry sir, I didn’t mean it.” A little anger can be trace to his face but he said, “It’s alright. I think you’re right. Besides, it’s the first time that someone honest like you said it to me. I thank you.” His tone sounded with pride and dignity.
“Let’s now rest and I’ll show you what you want to see and know.”
Morning came and what a beautiful morning it is! The mist is slowly moving upward and it’s so cold and you can see the dark beginning to disappear and the light starting to appear and overtake the dimness of the sky. The ermitanyo’s awake and has already prepared our breakfast. He has an old black kettle on the fire and starting to boil. It’s black because of the burning wood. My buddy was awaken by the smell of the coffee and by the sweet odor of the bread being baked in a make shift oven made from clay. He motioned us to prepare and wash our faces and we went down where drums of water were placed under the house. We wash our faces and got cleaned up and went upstairs to eat. He greeted us first with a very welcomed smile.
“Good morning guys. How’s your sleep?”
“It is very refreshing. My strength has come back and I’m ready to travel again.” I said to him.
My buddy didn’t say anything but just pointed to his belly.
“O when you tasted this bread and drank my coffee you’ll not remember your name anymore!” He boastingly said.
He’s right! The bread baked fresh and so the coffee is so tasteful that we ate our heart’s out! It’s so delicious. I don’t know if we’re just hungry but we can’t get enough of it. After eating, buddy stood up and cleans the table and washes the dishes and makes the chores. While the old man and me went down to stroll and look at the Mountain View tops. He told me, “You know you can stay here with me and mind not anything but to savor the nature and sleep and leisurely walk everyday and make the house chores and get our food. You and buddy are most welcome. “ I thank you for the offer but I have to get back to my family” I then said. Then he again lamented everything that has happened to him all the negative things that drove him to be in this kind of situation and you’ll know that he enjoyed his situation for the moment but the fact is he is