EMAIL EXCHANGES BETWEEN THE AGING LION & BRO. ERNIE RIVERA

Bro. Ernie’s mail

Brethren,

This is my second draft, on my first draft, had deleted Dad Jun and Dad Tante's e-mail exchange.. thinking that its not our business to know.... on second thought.. I felt I have known my two dads (Jun and Tante) Loooong time ago.. though have not meet them both personally...and para ngang leaving the delicious taste of that monstrous lobster in my tongue that Dad Tante had talked about...he-he-he... quite an imagination...

The first two books we read by Knight & Lomas, which were gift I received mailed to me by Brother Ollie Olano, were shared amongst brother of Diego Garcia Square and Compass Club.. Brother Oscar Salazar, Brother Ernie Castro and Brother Fidel Reyes were overwhelmed, fascinated by their books.. since I am not familiar with the issue, is "The Book of Hiram" their 3rd one? am probably kinna lost...
SO TAKING THE PLEASURE, SHARING THIS TO YOU...ENJOY READING.. (article no longer included but may be accessed in Masonically Inspired Essays)

Fraternally yours,

D Lion Fananatic
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Bro. Ernie:

Glad you liked the exchange between Tante and the aging lion..

“The Book of Hiram “ says it is their fourth; the third is “Uriel’s Machine” although I haven’t seen a copy of that book yet.

Robert Lomas has a separate book
titled: “Freemasonry and the Birth of Modern Science” that is definitely worth reading. My copy was among the four books that was gifted to me by Tante last month. He, by the way, is not a member of the Craft but has more Masonic blood than many fraternal brothers I know. No doubt, both his biological Dad and Dad by affinity are (were) members of the Craft. He told me he almost joined before he left for the States in the mid-sixties but migration nipped it right at the bud.

It’s been quite a long time I’ve seen your name on the Net. I’m sure glad to know your still kicking up and about although I have that sneaky feeling you are no longer at Diego Garcia. Are you still there? And where is Diego Garcia in the part of the globe anyway? The last time I was looking at a globe map and could not figure out where it is.

Regards!

Bro. Jun

Bro. Ernie’s reply

Thanks Dad,

Your right, left Diego Garcia last May and migrated here in Brisbane, Australia last June 2005.
Starting a new life..at the age of 47..should have planning retirement by this age...

Had lost 10 years while being an OFW spent it in Diego Garcia.. my two kids are fast growing.. eldest son is now 17 and youngest son is 15.... a very delicate age where a father figure is I believe a must.. our neighbor in Olongapo an almost replica of our family is also an OFW working in Dubai..our kids are in the same age and in the same school.. his eldest son started to take drugs, alcohol and have 7 earings, piercing in the nose and lips and skipped classes..his younger brod..following suit....

for ten years..I can only go home once a year for a month leave..I told my wife, I don't want that when the time comes I can no longer sleep in bed na may katabi or the time that I am more excited to go back to diego garcia (I've learned this from our nakakantadang kadiego worker, some of them had stayed there for 25 years..mang Val delas verges and manoy rey rios were both pass 60 years old...duon na daw nila balak lubugan ng araw.. at di daw nila kikitain sa PI ang 150,000 pesos kada buwan ng naka tunganga lang..)

I have two choices... go to US for "special immigrant" which while serving the US Government as civilian employee entitled me to such privillage, meeting their minimum requirement of 15 years of service or pursue our Australian Independent migrant application which was lodged sometime in 2001.

In U.S., 2 of my brothers and 4 of my sisters were all citizen..but they were all scaterred, one in Chicago, one in new mexico, one in delaware, one in houston, one in minesota, and one in san diego.. they all wanted us to stay there..it took me several long distance telephone conversation explaining why we opted to migrate in Australia...

my sister in-law is here in Brisbane.. my two kids were closed to their aunt and they prepared Australia..in Filipino family, kids were closer to relatives on their mother side..and I don't have regrets over their prepared choice.. my two sons are studying in a private school which defintely I can not afford in U.S.

Bonding between father and sons are growing everyday..and thankful for this blessing....

Diego Garcia is a dot in the map. its 7 degrees northside of the equator in the indian ocean..
its atoll or a very small island and airial view its a footprint shaped.. its a fuel depo, communication site, ammunition site.there are 27 prepositioned ship anchored in the lagoon..each ship carries equipment for US Army, capable of staging portable housing for one army battalion, various vehicle (tanks, armoured personnel tank, jeeps, trucks) for one batallion, arms and ammunition, supplies and fuel..the airfield is capable of launching B1 and B2 bombers.. these war planes were instrumental in levelling the mountains of Afghanistan after the 911 incident..each plane can carry about 1,000 smart bombs.. Diego Garcia airfield is an alternate route landing for NASA Shuttle..there are about 5 to 7 statelite dedicated or stationed in diego garcia...BUT..diego garcia has no defense capability..

and for Dad Tante...an honor to meet you in the internet

Fraternally yours,
Bro Ernie

Bro. Ernie:

That was a very poignant personal story that you just said it will easily become a juicy soap opera material of Tia Dely at DZRH!

The lion tamer also has a male cousin who in the mid-seventies stayed with us for a while where the lion had him employed at Romago, an electrical firm. He subsequently transferred to Meralco and later was hired in the Middle East. Between this time, he got married to a female lawyer and while shuffling to and from work, sired three children, two boys and a girl. His pay as an OFW was real good while his wife managed to join the bench and became a Regional Judge in Iloilo.

The family arrangement in the perception of the public was superb. He was earning much, the wife was professionally successful and the children were being educated in exclusive schools.

But being close to us, he would privately complain that he was no more than a financial provider to his family; the children although polite and respectful, lack the warmth that he expected from children.

Fortunately, he made the very bold move to quit his overseas job and although jobless for about a year, his services was sorely needed by his employer it decided to establish an office in the country and hired him again as manager. He is now in the country and has stayed in his job for about five years with his two children who are already in college. The third, apparently a mama’s boy returned to the South, and there is continuing his studies in the care of his mother. And like you, he has already started to progressively cement the bonding that he feels should be the role of a father.

So much for the sob story, he had a chance to successfully recover anyway. Let the lion now digress.

A philosopher once said that to achieve immortality, one must sire a son, write a book or plant a tree. But that philosopher omitted the important adjectives; the tree must be strong and durable as an oak, the book be readable and the son better than his father who brought him to this world.

At age 17 and 15 of your two young boys, there is still a pretty good time you can catch up on the things and the dreams that you feel you should do.

Kindest fraternal regards. And thanks for that info on Diego Garcia.

Dad Jun