CHANCE MEETING WITH AN AMERICAN FRATERNAL BROTHER
Tante, the lion’s email friend who just arrived from the States a week ago was excited over the phone. He asked if this writer was not busy and not fully grasping what he meant answered that other than attending the stated meeting at Tagbilaran on the second Saturday of the coming month, the latter was entirely free for the rest of his time.
It turned out Tante was expecting an American friend that noon and since he knew that his visitor is a Freemason, then perhaps the lion might want to rub elbows with a fraternal brother. The lion’s reply was understandably in the affirmative. Lunch, after all, will also be served..
And so the lion and his tamer went to Bro. Eduardo Palac’s residence where Tante was residing being one of the owner’s six son-in-laws, and at the dining table was introduced to an American who was already having lunch together with about six other people. Tante immediately motioned this writer to take his seat which the former promptly vacated saying: “there surely will be much that you can talk about.”
Bro. Peter Lovell, (hope his surname is spelled right) is an American Mason under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Philadelphia who is married to a lady surnamed Suganob from Tagbilaran City. In between bites the lion learned that the couple are on a two-week vacation that also served as homecoming for the wife in this rustic and bucolic island called Bohol.
Having arrived last September 16, the couple, together with their one year old son, are already scheduled to return to the States in two days’ time and will make a side trip to Hongkong as part of their vacation but not after enjoying the island’s beautiful scenery, which also included having dinner with some of the brethren of Dagohoy Lodge No. 84, where he fraternized with some of the members of the lodge that included his namesake WM Peter Emman Mende, his father VW Maning, WB Momoy Millanar and several others who just appeared at the dinner table at one of the city’s famed eateries while food and drinks were being served. During that dinner, WM Peter invited his American namesake to return to the country next year and attend the forthcoming installation ceremony where Bro. Jack Galbreath, the incumbent Senior Warden who like the guest is an American citizen, is expected to be installed in solemn ceremonies when the opportune time comes.
Getting back to Tante, Bro. Peter and his wife (who already planned to visit the Philippines) were Tante’s guests at a social gathering at their residence in the States some three months back, a regular occurrence of townmates and relatives who plan to make a visit to the country. .At that meeting, Tante saw that Bro. Peter was wearing a ring that his late father once wore during his heyday, and thought that perhaps, the lion might want to meet a fraternal brother on the latter’s visit to their place sometime.
The conversation which was understandably common to Masons also delighted Tante. It turned out another fraternal brother in the States was egging Tante to petition for membership in the Fraternity by attending a one-day conferral on October 4 back at the States. Tante said that Jack, yeah, that’s the other guy’s name of that brother at the other side of the hemisphere, is already facilitating the papers for his petition, only, he could not postpone his trip to the Philippines To the mild reluctance of Peter who thought that Tante’s joining the Craft via the traditional 1-2-3 conferral punches is still the prudent course to follow. During the exchanges of words, Bro. Peter also intimated that in their jurisdiction, one can become a 32º Scottish Mason and later join the Shriners after the customary 3º conferral without any hitch at all. To the mild amusement of this writer recalling the “express” 4th to 32nd degree Scottish Rite conferral that he helped conduct at Tacloban City sometime in 1999 over a period of only two days!!
After lunch, Tante suggested that they at least say “hello” to Bro. Eduardo Palac, the nonagenarian host who was resting in his room. Bro. Peter was however at a loss for words especially because the host was already senile and could no longer talk coherently. Whereupon the lion suggested to Bro. Peter that making his presence felt would be enough, and he could do it by simply extending his hand and giving the s g o t l’s p but instead of uttering the s f t a m’s w he should replace these saying his name, his lodge and lodge number. Whereupon the American guest asked: “You mean, these things that we do on the five points of fellowship??
The lion nodded and added: “What I mentioned will suffice.” The old man, after all, is snugly seated in his wheelchair and therefore could no longer execute the other points. And besides, the lion added, Tante and his wife are around and will therefore surely keep a watchful eye!
And so after the lion made his secret mode of identification, the American brother followed suit, doing what he was instructed to do. To pleasant the surprise of Tante and his wife Sol because the serious mien of the old man’s face suddenly disappeared and was immediately replaced by a facial cast that was in high spirits prompting Tante to ask: “Just what did Peter do to erase that serious mien with a widened old man’s smile and create sparkle in his eyes?”
To which the lion could only smile. But had he done so, his epic reply would have been:
“It will be hard to explain for now, but it is possible you may still understand later, but only if you become a member of the Craft.”:
Tante, the lion’s email friend who just arrived from the States a week ago was excited over the phone. He asked if this writer was not busy and not fully grasping what he meant answered that other than attending the stated meeting at Tagbilaran on the second Saturday of the coming month, the latter was entirely free for the rest of his time.
It turned out Tante was expecting an American friend that noon and since he knew that his visitor is a Freemason, then perhaps the lion might want to rub elbows with a fraternal brother. The lion’s reply was understandably in the affirmative. Lunch, after all, will also be served..
And so the lion and his tamer went to Bro. Eduardo Palac’s residence where Tante was residing being one of the owner’s six son-in-laws, and at the dining table was introduced to an American who was already having lunch together with about six other people. Tante immediately motioned this writer to take his seat which the former promptly vacated saying: “there surely will be much that you can talk about.”
Bro. Peter Lovell, (hope his surname is spelled right) is an American Mason under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Philadelphia who is married to a lady surnamed Suganob from Tagbilaran City. In between bites the lion learned that the couple are on a two-week vacation that also served as homecoming for the wife in this rustic and bucolic island called Bohol.
Having arrived last September 16, the couple, together with their one year old son, are already scheduled to return to the States in two days’ time and will make a side trip to Hongkong as part of their vacation but not after enjoying the island’s beautiful scenery, which also included having dinner with some of the brethren of Dagohoy Lodge No. 84, where he fraternized with some of the members of the lodge that included his namesake WM Peter Emman Mende, his father VW Maning, WB Momoy Millanar and several others who just appeared at the dinner table at one of the city’s famed eateries while food and drinks were being served. During that dinner, WM Peter invited his American namesake to return to the country next year and attend the forthcoming installation ceremony where Bro. Jack Galbreath, the incumbent Senior Warden who like the guest is an American citizen, is expected to be installed in solemn ceremonies when the opportune time comes.
Getting back to Tante, Bro. Peter and his wife (who already planned to visit the Philippines) were Tante’s guests at a social gathering at their residence in the States some three months back, a regular occurrence of townmates and relatives who plan to make a visit to the country. .At that meeting, Tante saw that Bro. Peter was wearing a ring that his late father once wore during his heyday, and thought that perhaps, the lion might want to meet a fraternal brother on the latter’s visit to their place sometime.
The conversation which was understandably common to Masons also delighted Tante. It turned out another fraternal brother in the States was egging Tante to petition for membership in the Fraternity by attending a one-day conferral on October 4 back at the States. Tante said that Jack, yeah, that’s the other guy’s name of that brother at the other side of the hemisphere, is already facilitating the papers for his petition, only, he could not postpone his trip to the Philippines To the mild reluctance of Peter who thought that Tante’s joining the Craft via the traditional 1-2-3 conferral punches is still the prudent course to follow. During the exchanges of words, Bro. Peter also intimated that in their jurisdiction, one can become a 32º Scottish Mason and later join the Shriners after the customary 3º conferral without any hitch at all. To the mild amusement of this writer recalling the “express” 4th to 32nd degree Scottish Rite conferral that he helped conduct at Tacloban City sometime in 1999 over a period of only two days!!
After lunch, Tante suggested that they at least say “hello” to Bro. Eduardo Palac, the nonagenarian host who was resting in his room. Bro. Peter was however at a loss for words especially because the host was already senile and could no longer talk coherently. Whereupon the lion suggested to Bro. Peter that making his presence felt would be enough, and he could do it by simply extending his hand and giving the s g o t l’s p but instead of uttering the s f t a m’s w he should replace these saying his name, his lodge and lodge number. Whereupon the American guest asked: “You mean, these things that we do on the five points of fellowship??
The lion nodded and added: “What I mentioned will suffice.” The old man, after all, is snugly seated in his wheelchair and therefore could no longer execute the other points. And besides, the lion added, Tante and his wife are around and will therefore surely keep a watchful eye!
And so after the lion made his secret mode of identification, the American brother followed suit, doing what he was instructed to do. To pleasant the surprise of Tante and his wife Sol because the serious mien of the old man’s face suddenly disappeared and was immediately replaced by a facial cast that was in high spirits prompting Tante to ask: “Just what did Peter do to erase that serious mien with a widened old man’s smile and create sparkle in his eyes?”
To which the lion could only smile. But had he done so, his epic reply would have been:
“It will be hard to explain for now, but it is possible you may still understand later, but only if you become a member of the Craft.”:
Comments
sir
di ko alam kung maiiyak o matutuwa ako sa nabasa ko. sana umabot din ako sa ganyan at maramdaman ko ang effect ng lion's paw on my "feeble mind" when the inevitable does happen...
regards
jojo
Dad Jojo:
Ako, gusto ko lipat na ng katawan pag hindi na ako makalakad; siguro, matagal na ang sampung taon. Yon bang turo ng Hindu na reincarnation!!
At pansamantala, sulat lang, di ba?! Hamo nang umatungal ang matandang leon!!
Tatay Jun