BEAT MY…… Paul Fraser Story

I wasn’t supposed to write an entry today, but sa sobrang ganda at weird ng nangyare ngayon sa araw na ito hindi ko kayang pigilin pa ang nararamdaman ko. I am writing this as my heart raises, at habang nangiginig ang mga kamay ko. Sa dami kong nainum na kape, at halos 48 hours nakong hindi natutulog, at lalo na sa mga pangyayare na alam kong dyos lang ang kayang gumawa. Please kung kilala nyo ko (as I will also post this on my Facebook account) please take a few minutes to read this. Lumampas kayo kahit sa pangalawang part, or at  least watch one of the videos. Dahil hindi tungkol sa akin itomg kwento kong ito…

1. March 01, 2014…. Just a regular day off..

PAUL: You know what Chris? God made this day for us to meet…

I couldn’t agree more.

I never pray for those who are capable of finding god but for those people who would never even have the chance to know the meaning of the word FAITH

Hindi lahat ng FB friends ko or followers ko dito sa wordpress alam na Christian ako since last year pa. And ever since nakarating ako dito sa Canada, I would go out on the streets of Vancouver and I will pray with the homeless. Minsan nanghihingi ng limos, minsan hindi. Pero this entry is not about “my walks.”  Dahil kahit kelan hindi ko sinasabi ito sa ibang tao pwera nalang kung tanungin nila ako. Dahil din sa isa pang dahilan na Pero nangyare ito habang naghahanap ako ng disable sa daan. Ilang oras na rin ang nakakalipas at hindi parin ako nakaka ipon ng lakas ng loob lumapit.

Signs are everywhere… but words are only words until you turn them into action

Handa na ang mga barya ko sa bulsa sakaling may manghingi pagkatapos ko silang ipagdasal. Naglakad lang ako ng naglakad. Ng makakita ako ng isang matandang napakatagal tumawid. Hawak ang fedora. Nilalabanan ang lakas at lamig ng hangin. Based on his facial attributes I know that he is not homegrown. After a few minutes na pagsunod ko sa kanya. I approached him and say… “Sir are you injured?” He smiled at me and say.. No.. Im not.. but I’m old..

Kagaya ng iba kong nilalapitan kinakausap ko muna sila. I will ask them kung saan sila pupunta. Kung injured sila I will ask them kung anong nangyare. So I asked paul the first question. Sabi nya lang sa akin naghahanap lang sya ng McDonalds na pwedeng kainan at uminom ng maiinit na kape. Then I said. “Ok..”Can I pray for you for a few seconds? Sabi nya. “Sure!” Im a Christian too… Then inexplain nya ung church nya. Sa kaba ko hindi ko na masyadong narinig kung anong type sya ng christian o kung anong pangalan ng congregation nila.

2. Who is Paul…

Sabi ko sa kanya, “Hey you know what the fast food chain is that way.” He smiled habang naglalakad at sinabi sa akin. Yeah I know. But I have to take the stairs to get there. Then nakakita kami ng Starbucks.

I’m not sure kung bakit ko sinabing… “Hey there is a coffee shop across the street.” “I’m buying…” Sabi nya,  “Really?” “You know what I like you already” I smiled and didn’t make anything out of it. At the back of my mind any homeless person can make that remark to anyone who is buying them food.

According to Paul he never played any kind of instrument but the Piano.

So here we are drinking coffee and exchanging stories about ourselves then sabi nya. “You know what Chris? God made this day for us to meet…” But I would love for you to come and watch me tonight. Ako si duwag at wala pang tulog sinabi ko nalang na “I’m sorry I have something to do tonight.” But he insist, at sabi pa nya. I will be in a play tonight. But I am not acting, “I will just be playing the piano for an hour…. And supper is free.” I would love for you to come. My face lit up, and told him na nagaaral din ako mag piano kaso baguhan palang. Tinanong ko sya kung kelan pa sya tumutugtog. Sabi nya more than 60 years na. Dahil he will turn 80 on March 11, 2014.

He lives alone daw at wala na syang pamilya. Hindi daw talaga sya taga Canada. Actually sa mga oras na ito, hindi ako masyadong  nakikinig dahil pumasok na rin sa utak ko ang takot. Pero nevertheless alam ko na protected ako kung saan man ako pumunta. Kaya sumama narin ako sa kanya at hindi ko narin inisip ang seguridad ko. Sa dami ng bus na sinakyan namin. Literally hindi ko na alam kung nasaan kami sa Vancouver. He told me jokes and his life along the way. Pati na rin ang promise na tuturuan nya ako ng piano. Sinabi nya rin sa akin na ang Piano hindi para sa lahat. Kung may talent daw ako tuturuan nya ako. Kung wala, hindi nya daw aaksayahin ang oras namin.

3. God Gifted Paul – After halos 45 minutes na byahe, nakarating narin kami sa Apartment nya. Don’t worry di ako nag dala ng “FOODS” hehe. Pero medyo naawa ako sa matanda dahil literally amoy matanda yung bahay nya.

Madilim at halos walang laman. Sinabi nya sa akin na lilipat narin daw sya ng tirahan ngayong linggo dahil di na nya kaya ang bayad sa renta dahil umaasa lang sya sa pension na natatangap nya.

Paul listening to his Voice-mails

Pumunta kagad sya sa sala at pinakingan nya mga pending Voicemail nya. A 90 years old friend. And a friend na tumitingin sa kanya ang mga nag message.

Then he started to talk about music at kung anong mga paborito nyang kanta. Sabi nya meron din naman daw syang alam na mga bagong kanta.. NOONG 1940s! At sinabi nya rin sa akin na there are good teachers and there are bad teachers. Binuksan nya ang Piano, pero hindi muna sya kaagad tumugtog ng kanta, parang naglaro laro lang sya. Tapos hinayaan nya akong tumugtog. Umalis sya sa Piano at umupos sa Sofa nya. I played the exercise na tinuro sa akin ng prof ko. Then after kong matapos sabi nya. “That is 30 dollars?” “That is crap music!” Tumaas ng bahagya ang boses nya and you would see the disbelief sa mukha nya. Sabi nya sa akin wag na daw ako ulit pupunta doon. Wala daw silang alam sa Music. “That kind of music is not acceptable!”

4. And then he showed me… Kayo nalang bahala humusga…

These are all from 40s to 20s pa sabi nya.. I cant upload the video here on wordpress because I don’t have the paid account. Kaya sa youtube ko nalang inupload. Just click the link.

Video 1 – http://youtu.be/H_hhISAyjbk
yung fan girl na sumisigaw sa background ako un hehe…

Video 2 – http://youtu.be/r-BV_YBQ8mk

5. On to the next one

It is not the fanciest of auditoriums but it will be once Paul starts playing

After ng isang oras nyang pagtugtog tumingin sya sa relos nya at sinabi nya sa akin na its time for us to go to the play. Sinabi ko sa kanya na wala pa akong tulog at baka hindi ko na talaga mapanuod yung play. Pumayag naman sya, sabi nya lang sa akin gusto nya daw kasi makilala ko yung mga kasama nya dun.

Bago ako umalis tumugtog pa sya ng ilan kanta, at pinadinig nya sa akin yung isa sa mga tutugtugin nya.

Video 1. http://youtu.be/fJQYKxGZrIM

He told me that this song is his favorite of all time. He played beautifully and everyone in the room (kahit hindi kita sa video) stared quietly at him, habang nagppraktis sya. Then just right after he played the last note. Sinabi nya, “I’ve made a mess with that one” (1min 20 sec)  Napatawa nalang ung lalaking nasa likod nya at sinabi. “Really??..”

Sefie muna

WHAT A DAY!  Grabe… A found a man that walks with god and plays legit classic music. It goes to show that great things are bound to happen if you trust god and you live his words.

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(hey by the way mag comment lang kayo kung ayaw mag play ung links ah? Thanks!)