To Someone Else's Eyes

I have been reading the book on and off these days. I am too preoccupied with this project that I am into. Something that I want so much to work. Updating my other blog is not hard since it's not as demanding as a book blog.

I took note of this back on my pad so that I can at least keep the idea. But right now, I am already somewhere a few chapters off this topic.

The Burnhams, together with eighteen more people (mostly Filipinos) were captured at the Dos Palmas Resort in Palawan in the first hours of the morning. It was twilight and almost everyone was still in bed or was just about getting ready to get off and rise.

Martin didn't have his shirt on, probably complaining about the heat in the country, when armed men banged on their door and forced them to get out of their cottage-by-the sea. Gracia, on the other hand, was wearing a sleeveless blouse or a thing of that sort.

The hostages and their takers rode a motor boat that took them somewhere. Afterwards, as Gracia observed that the boat was too small for them, they had to transfer to another boat that was highjacked by the rest of the group.

In the early part of the ride, realizing that the hostage-takers are not only men, but Muslim men, Gracia felt awkward. She knows that Muslims require women to be 'properly dressed.' with her sleeveless blouse, she felt uncomfortable of what she had on.

I couldn't help but think about Gracia's high respect for their religion even though these men are her captors. I know that Gracia was not even thinking malicious thoughts about these men. Being properly dressed is a major thing for Muslims. I know this because having lived in Dubai for two years, I saw how these people take this a serious matter. In the cooperative supermarket established by the locales of Dubai, you can see signs that require women to be properly dressed or face apprehensions.

I am not a Muslim but I know how they feel about the issue of being properly dressed. Whenever I see women wearing small pieces of clothes anywhere, I am the one who feels embarrassed. Because even the priests from the catholic church talk about being properly dressed even if it's just attending the Sunday mass service.

After all, this issue about proper dressing in women is not of religious nature.

Another True Story For Me

IN THE PRSENCE OF MY ENEMIES

Type of cover: Paperback

ISBN: 0-8423-8589-4

Purchase date: Borrowed from a friend

Date started: 4 Sept 2010

"By the next morning, I had it all ready and boxed up to fly.

The approach to this particular jungle runway was about as exciting as the best roller-coaster ride at Disney World. Martine followed the tree-lined river, edging lower and lower. We all gasped as he accidentally spun off into a sharp curve at the last minute to drop onto the grass. But as always, his technique was flawless.

The Rices were in a huddle with a group of villagers at the edge of the runway."

Switched

I don't know why I am finding it hard to sit down with "The Last of the Mohicans."  The truth is I already started a few pages but that's it.  It seems that after two or three pages, I lose the grasp and stop reading.

That was some times last week. 

This afternoon, a conversation with a friend led me to this book.  It was actually an article about a local writer that I read last week.  We touched the article she wrote about this incident and hence, the book.  Incidentally, my friend has the book and she had it at her shop and allowed me to borrow it. 

"In the Presence of My Enemies" by Gracia Burnham.  This is actually a true story of a hostage-taking that happened here in the Philippines a few years ago.  The writer, Gracia, was the one who was caught by the rebels together with his husband, a priest and a few more people.  I know it was long ago but I got curious about what she had to tell and it's good to know that my friend has a book.

So, I decided to just start with this book and continue or restart with "The Last of the Mohicans" after I'm done reading this.