Looking below at such breathtaking height of the 37th floor viewing deck, the world bows below my feet. Strange, but I feel that this is a surreal manifestation of my recurring dreams; a fleeting moment that I have to work hard for many years if I wish to reclaim and see again.
Facing a sleeping sun, the freezing winds from the Sierra Madre blow behind my back, passing lonely whispers along my nape. At a western distance, the silhouette of Bataan - its towering shadow mountain and glimmering emerald sea reveal themselves between the veil of greyish clouds. The pumpkin sky changes its color to mauve blue as the city lights begin to shimmer around me. From east to west; to north and south, everything freezes in an instant. The world suddenly becomes nostalgic, as the hands of time moves its finger down to another direction.
This will be the last time I might set foot on Paragon Plaza, the home of the Outsiders and the sanctuary of James' soul. I admit that I, too had many memories to share there. It was at his pad where I decided to formalize a relationship with a public display of affection - as the drunken Papu dared us to do. It was also at James' pad where we forged a brotherhood that still stands strong today.
The pad also witnessed countless self-destruction nights and numberless stories of repression being passed around the four cornered walls of James' home. It was here where we discovered ourselves and learned how to be free - despite of what others would think about us. It was here where our friendship had been challenged many times, only to end up stronger in the end.
While helping PJ and Marvin, I felt this strange feeling that I will always be afraid of changes. It is a fact that we cannot continue our contingents on James' new home elsewhere. We need to find a new place to continue our happy nights, or return to our old nook somewhere along Timog Avenue for comfort.
As James' countless novels were put in the basket and as the puzzle-portraits were being dismantled from the wall as its old paint flakes off, it is like one by one, the evidence of our memory of the place we have cherished for such a brief time was being torn down right in front of my eyes.
It's all goodbyes now - the pad, the memory of the contingents, the senti conversations at the balcony... the breathtaking view at the Orion deck. At least, I will end the paragon episode, in happy note and in friendship with all the people in my barkada. No matter where the winds of change will bring us, at least I know my heart belongs to Odders. I will never be afraid to be one with them wherever they decide to go.
This afternoon was the first time I saw the sun sets from Paragon Plaza. The heavy traffic along Edsa slithers like a vicious snake down below. New bamboo-like skyscrapers, competing to reach the sky continues to rise in Makati and Ortigas. I wonder if in their arrogance, they would end up like the Tower of Babylon someday. The pristine Manila Bay, remains calm and sober as ever, while the Laguna De Bay, which I used to pinpoint every contingent night to someone i am having a conversation with is shrouded by rain-bearing clouds.
Forbes Park is covered by endless trees, like the Lothlorien surrounded by a concrete jungle known as Makati. Fort Bonifacio, has been stripped of its emerald jewels. The only visible scars are the disturbed soil and vast open spaces with warehouse-like buildings bannering the sign of progress. Espana Tower along with the PLDT Transmitter is visible behind a think curtain of smog rising behind the residential districts of Sampaloc and Sta Mesa. Finally, the last rays of sunlight penetrates the gaps between the towering condominiums along the Ermita bay area casting a shadow stretching some kilometers away from from these homely structures.
If only I had a camera... I would like to preserve such passing moment for posterity...
Three minutes, five seconds and a little chat with James later, everything was eaten by the darkness. I guess that's how fleeting life is;
That's how things change in a blink of an eye.
Facing a sleeping sun, the freezing winds from the Sierra Madre blow behind my back, passing lonely whispers along my nape. At a western distance, the silhouette of Bataan - its towering shadow mountain and glimmering emerald sea reveal themselves between the veil of greyish clouds. The pumpkin sky changes its color to mauve blue as the city lights begin to shimmer around me. From east to west; to north and south, everything freezes in an instant. The world suddenly becomes nostalgic, as the hands of time moves its finger down to another direction.
This will be the last time I might set foot on Paragon Plaza, the home of the Outsiders and the sanctuary of James' soul. I admit that I, too had many memories to share there. It was at his pad where I decided to formalize a relationship with a public display of affection - as the drunken Papu dared us to do. It was also at James' pad where we forged a brotherhood that still stands strong today.
The pad also witnessed countless self-destruction nights and numberless stories of repression being passed around the four cornered walls of James' home. It was here where we discovered ourselves and learned how to be free - despite of what others would think about us. It was here where our friendship had been challenged many times, only to end up stronger in the end.
While helping PJ and Marvin, I felt this strange feeling that I will always be afraid of changes. It is a fact that we cannot continue our contingents on James' new home elsewhere. We need to find a new place to continue our happy nights, or return to our old nook somewhere along Timog Avenue for comfort.
As James' countless novels were put in the basket and as the puzzle-portraits were being dismantled from the wall as its old paint flakes off, it is like one by one, the evidence of our memory of the place we have cherished for such a brief time was being torn down right in front of my eyes.
It's all goodbyes now - the pad, the memory of the contingents, the senti conversations at the balcony... the breathtaking view at the Orion deck. At least, I will end the paragon episode, in happy note and in friendship with all the people in my barkada. No matter where the winds of change will bring us, at least I know my heart belongs to Odders. I will never be afraid to be one with them wherever they decide to go.
This afternoon was the first time I saw the sun sets from Paragon Plaza. The heavy traffic along Edsa slithers like a vicious snake down below. New bamboo-like skyscrapers, competing to reach the sky continues to rise in Makati and Ortigas. I wonder if in their arrogance, they would end up like the Tower of Babylon someday. The pristine Manila Bay, remains calm and sober as ever, while the Laguna De Bay, which I used to pinpoint every contingent night to someone i am having a conversation with is shrouded by rain-bearing clouds.
Forbes Park is covered by endless trees, like the Lothlorien surrounded by a concrete jungle known as Makati. Fort Bonifacio, has been stripped of its emerald jewels. The only visible scars are the disturbed soil and vast open spaces with warehouse-like buildings bannering the sign of progress. Espana Tower along with the PLDT Transmitter is visible behind a think curtain of smog rising behind the residential districts of Sampaloc and Sta Mesa. Finally, the last rays of sunlight penetrates the gaps between the towering condominiums along the Ermita bay area casting a shadow stretching some kilometers away from from these homely structures.
If only I had a camera... I would like to preserve such passing moment for posterity...
Three minutes, five seconds and a little chat with James later, everything was eaten by the darkness. I guess that's how fleeting life is;
That's how things change in a blink of an eye.
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