THE GREASE MAN

THE GREASE MAN

What could this man be thinking at the moment? He is leaning on a plant in front of the bank building, staring at nothing in particular. His arms are crossed over his body while resting over his knees which are bended up to the level where he sits.

His eyes are deep, his teeth are white. He is wearing a dirty pair of shorts and an even dirtier sweater. His complexion is dark brown and covered with dirty grease, the reason he is called the grease man. He must be in his late 20s and with his slightly receding hairline he could be very handsome had he been dressed formally in coat and tie.

What could have turned him into a grease man at a very young age? I wish I could answer the question myself but I am as ignorant as he seems he is. He is not affected by people and vehicles passing-by; in fact, it seems he is not affected by anything. What must he be feeling in that situation where he is now? Did he have his breakfast already? Where does he rest to sleep? How many are roaming around like him in other towns and communities? I am sure there are many, many more in the cities and more advanced urban communities.

I feel bad and mad. Why is this happening in a very Christian world? My Dane visitor yesterday was even madder that is why he couldn’t believe in God who in His greatness allows things like this to happen. During our casual conversation yesterday I happen to asked Casper, my Dane guest, what his religion was and that was when he said he could not belong to any religion since he couldn’t even find it easy to believe in God.

A God to him, with all His power should not allow things that caused suffering. I, together with his companion, Kristian, tried to explain to Casper that God gave man free will and should not be blaming God for every bad thing that happen around.

Casper and Kristian are here in the Philippines as volunteers to the Shelters for abandoned children. They happen to know Anthony who came from ERMA Kanlungan at Ermita, Malate in Manila. Anthony is now my gardener because he is already released from the Kanlungan. The Danes visited him in my home.

In the course of our conversation we talked about many things and varied topics of interest, including Hypnotherapy which I happened to be doing. Both Dane know nothing about Hypnosis and so instead of explaining to them the many ramifications of the topic concerned I decided just to demonstrate to them how it is done and how it works when applied scientifically and sincerely. After the session, Casper felt so good and so convinced of its good effects.

Their former vague idea associating hypnosis to evil practices and other negative interpretations were changed. I hope his own idea about a carefree God will also be changed in time so he will understand better that what he is doing as volunteer to abandoned children is a result of the free will offered to him by God at the beginning of the creation.