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Join Date: Jul 24, 2013
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ABQ-Episode 3- Crossing the Border?
If you missed Episode one and two please go ahead and read It before starting Episode three. Drama...aint no drama like what ABQ has gone thru. Feel me?
Disclaimer…. This is for entertainment purposes only anything else that happens between the author and the reader is purely fictional in nature. This is purely fictional dramatic tale or is it?. End of Disclaimer.
This aint no PG rated post- Reader discretion is advised. Seriously I mean it!
This episode is really the calm before the storm as shit hits the fan again and again!
In most religions the life inside monasteries is governed by community rules that stipulate the gender of the inhabitants (fucking all male) and require them to remain celibate (which beyond sucks and not in a good way!) and own little or no personal property. The degree to which life inside a particular monastery is socially separate from the surrounding populace and can also vary widely; some religious traditions mandate isolation for purposes of contemplation removed from the everyday world, in which case members of the monastic community may spend most of their time isolated even from each other. Others focus on interacting with the local communities to provide services, such as teaching, medical care, or evangelism. Some monastic communities are only occupied seasonally, depending both on the traditions involved and the local weather, and people may be part of a monastic community for periods ranging from a few days at a time to almost an entire lifetime.
The life within the walls of a monastery may be supported in several ways: by manufacturing and selling goods, often agricultural products, by donations or alms, by rental or investment incomes, and by funds from other organizations within the religion, which in the past formed the traditional support of monasteries. There has been a long tradition of Christian monasteries providing hospitable, charitable and hospital services. Monasteries have always been associated with the provision of education and the encouragement of scholarship and research, which has led to the establishment of schools and colleges and the association with universities. Christian monastic life has adapted to modern society by offering computer services, accounting services and management as well as modern hospital and educational administration.
I have learned all of this from Tomas who the first few days brought me and continued to school me on this history of Monastaries. However, I have not seen him in two days. Him and some older monk kept on saying to stick to prayer and meditation. This is day six of the ole ABQ being in this specific Monastary and I have to tell you it is getting harder by the day. No woman, No tequila, and worse of all no Cheetos.
Enriched Corn Meal (Corn Meal, Ferrous Sulfate, Niacin, Thiamin Monoitrate, Riboflavin, and Frolic Acid), Vegetable Oil (Contains one or more of the following: corn, soybean, or sunflower oil), Whey, Salt, Cheddar Cheese, (Cultured Milk, Salt, Enzymes). Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Maltodextrin, Disodium Phosphate, Sour Cream (Cultured Cream, Nonfat Milk), Artificial Flavor, Monosodium Glutmate, Lactic Acid, Artificial Colors (Including Yellow 6), and Citric Acid.
Is it sad to know everything that is put into Cheetos? Reminds me of that scene in “Die Hard” where that black cop starts to sprout out what is in a twinkie. That is me but my addiction is 100 times worse. I had eaten Cheetos since who knows when. But a long long time and reminds ABQ of what some parents once said about Cheetos.
The FDA out ruled a link between food colorings and behavior or health problems years ago. However, anecdotal reports continue to circulate among parents and in the vast unregulated encyclopedia that the Internet has become. Gotta love the net!
A few studies, such as one published in the British medical journal The Lancet in 2007, have found that artificial food colorings “might lead” to behavioral changes in some children. A consumer advocacy group, the Center for Science in the Public Interest, would like the FDA to ban the dyes or at least to make it necessary for the government to provide warnings that “artificial colorings in this food cause hyperactivity and behavioral problems in some children.
”Two quotes in the New York Times, one from a parent and one from a doctor, illustrate the differing views about the effects of food dyes on children:
A mother of two from Jamestown, N.Y., said in a telephone interview that two years ago, her son then 5, was having serious behavioral problems at school until she eliminated artificial food colorings from his diet. “I know for sure I found the root cause of this one because you can turn it on and off like a switch,” she said. But Dr. Lawrence Siller, a behavioral pediatrician in Calif., said evidence that diet plays a significant role in most childhood behavioral disorders was minimal to nonexistent. “These are urban legends that won’t die,” He said.
Parents, who of course observe and interact with their children constantly, see notable changes in behavior and energy levels after consumption of foods like Cheetos, Kraft macaroni and cheese and the like. Doctors and other medical professionals refer to scientific studies which find either no, or limited, evidence of a link. Parents then feel frustrated that doctors are not listening to them and a frustrating cycle results.
Tomas has always asked me in the past why I always was moving, why I was always a problem child, why I was always in trouble with the law, Why all I cared about was about being a rebel and doing my own thing. Even though I told him I had success in music. He just referred to me as a loser. Someone that had ADHD as a kid and never found his way. Junk food and McDonald’s was my outlet. But by going into the archives and seeing the effects of artificial colorings on food and hyperactivity makes a lot of sense to ABQ. It is too late for me though Cheetos and ABQ go hand in hand. And my thoughts lately have not been good in regards to that.
Something is about to come to a head and I need to get my mind right. Maybe meditation and prayer is something I need. To go back and come out of the other side a better man because of it.
Day seven here brought some new revelations to me as Tomas told me if I were here for an extended period of time I would need to know about the problems going in in this monastery. Finally things were making sense because eating raman noodles every night is almost as bad as eating nothing at all to ABQ.
To most, the definition of “Monastic Poverty” is, a monk taking a vow to give up ownership of personal property. Yet some monks, regardless of this vow, live in a monastery with a way of life that can be compared to the “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous”. Monasteries have always had a certain amount of operating capital to keep it going, but what of possessions owned by the monastery & used by the monks that are worldly, bought with money that could have been used for more important things, such as helping to feed the children of families who have little or nothing?
There are some monasteries that do just that. The monks of this Monastery in El Paso Texas Name withheld for respect to Tomas), not only take a vow of poverty, they live it. What many of us have and take for granted, the Monks of this Monastery go without in order to help tend the sheep of Christ.
This El Paso monastery is a small home where the monks reside (five bedrooms, a single living room, kitchen and two bathrooms) which is dedicated to helping others. These Orthodox Christian Monks, who follow the traditional Rule of Saint Benedict, live a lifestyle that is no better than the people they help. So much for me thinking about a castle like structure with numerous buildings were I could try and jump from one building to another ala Assassin’s creed style. That is still a downer for me. I was so hoping that this would be a Monastery this size of those huge big ass ones in Europe in the past.
The monks here in el Paso do not solicit or beg donations. In order to help poor families of the community with food and clothing, all money, after paying essential bills goes to this endeavor, leaving virtually nothing left over. The monks eat only one meal a day. Six out of seven days of the week they eat Ramen Noodles with four slices of bread. For Sunday dinner they eat one single piece of chicken with a single side dish. They have converted their one living room into a Chapel; they feel a room devoted to God allows them to be able to pray solemnly, which they say, is more important than the comfort of a couch. They have no dining room, so they eat in the small kitchen. The cells (bedrooms) are used for private prayer, meditation and sleep. Which is where ABQ has spent the majority of his time. It feels more like a small jail cell than a place where it is meant to help others. Then again it is located on the border….fuck! Oh Sorry forgot I am still in a monastery.
The monks have no transportation and walk everywhere they go. They carry their weekly groceries back by hand. The refrigerator is failing; there is need a new computer (windows 3.1 is the operating system), wear hand-me-down habits – which are often in need of mending when they are donated. The shoes, even the undershirts they wear are in need of replacement, most of the day these monks walk around within the monastery in their bare feet. We are only allowed to wash our robes once every two weeks. The Chapel itself contains second hand religious items.
The little chapel which is used for daily devotion, as well as every icon and artifact is cared for with extraordinary adoration and reverence. It does make someone even like me take a step back and realize they are grateful for what they have. And the most important thing is for helping others in the community.
One of the monks has severe medical problems (High Blood Pressure, only one Kidney with minor damage, in dire need of a Dentist and Diabetes) and many times he cannot even afford to go to his doctor or pay for his medication, yet he never complains of his illness or pain.
The beauty of it all is that these monks live in tranquil peace as they tirelessly, with the love of Christ, help others in their community, and pray Divine Office seven times a day for the world and those in it.
The monks do dream of someday of enlarging their current monastery or acquiring a secondary building, so they would have additional room in order to do more for those they serve and an opportunity to accept the few candidates who have displayed an interest in joining them in their works of Christ. Until this happens, the monks will continue vigorously to tend the sheep of Christ, showing each person they encounter, that the true love of Jesus is within them.
But for me after dinner I needed to get some air so currently I am on the roof. Straight ahead is a small grocery store. I am looking at its roof. Yes, this is shallow of ABQ and I know it but I also am hungry, in need of tequila and have not has sex in a few weeks. All of this adds to the psyche of a man plus no Cheetos. This prayer and meditation is not helping me much. I have one thought on my mind and I am going to do this if it kills me. Either it will turn out like “The Matrix” during the jump program or it will turn out like a move in Assassin’s Creed. I am hoping it is the later. I back up and start to run, my stomach which has some flab shakes up and down with each stride. Luckily for me the market building is very close to this roof. ABQ is ready to do it as he comes closer to the edge. The thought in my head right now is damn I wish I had a sword. Just as I am about to jump I trip on the edge and fall straight down. As I begin my slow descent to the ground I cover my face before I splat on the ground.
Here I am back in bed the next day as I have been told I was lucky to seem to only have a sprained ankle. It kinda hurts but I feel lucky.
“What exactly is wrong with you brother?” Tomas once again asks more in a pleading vote.
“I thought I could make that jump.”
“But why?” Tomas says this as he stands up.
“Ever play Assassin’s Creed?” I ask
“O Brother are you serious? You talk to me everyday about that. What about prayer and meditation? Instead all you cares about is living out a fantasy of a video game. Why desecrate your robe? Just to show your tattoos that the elder monks do not want to see.” Tomas asks
I cut out areas of the robe so both of my arms can show the tattoos as well as most of the back of the robe.
“I hate to say this brother. I really do but you came to my to start aa new life and I know it was a façade for some reason to maybe get away from the police. I put my reputation on the line for you. But the two elders have spoken after your stuny last night. They feel as if you made a mockery of them and their decision is final. Brother you have to leave by tonight.”
“Damn! Fuck! US Marshalls are after me Tomas.”
“What? What have I told you about no profanity. What have you done now?” Tomas shakes his head and slowly walks out of my room. Ashamed of me once more.
ABQ did enjoy his almost week and a half time here. It took some heat off me from “The Man.” I got to see how some men give all of themselves in every sense of the word to help others. Other than starving and having serious Cheetos withdrawals I did get to spend a lot of time with my brother.
I open up my cell phone and place a call. “Yo skinny Pete I need your motherfuckin ass down here in el Paso. It is urgent. A few seconds later I press the end button and look forward. My hands on the gate salivating as I am about to do something I should not do but it is too late for that I have made up my mind. Looking at the big trucks coming in and out from the east side gate. This is right homies and mi baitches. It had come to this and I feel as if it something I have to do. I lust for it like a vampire lusts for blood.
ABQ is outside the main Frito Lay distribution center in El Paso plotting how I am going to do this. My only saving grace for possibly accomplishing this is going across the border and Juarez.
Episode 4: Now or Never
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