Milieu Euphony (In Act Series #2)

Phase 11

PHASE ELEVEN

TO JUSTIFY THE PATRONAGE

The bronze sculpture was busy when I arrived.

He stood at the middle of the College's grounds on top of a makeshift plastform. He was busy sculpting the torso of a man without any reference—a skill of an expert, I could hear him say.

Around him were his disciples who were enthusiastic to learn from a god like him. Some jotted down notes, while others were purely watching—amazed by the skills their god had.

I stopped walking and distanced myself from their crowd, afraid that I'd be seen as one of his patrons.

I wasn't a patron of a god, nor do I have any god. I was merely an individual—one that wandered around and believed in myself whether I'd reach my destination or not.

I was a free-spirited person—one that was bound to herself, not to anyone or anything.

I was solely by myself.

And they weren't.

That's why I knew better but to involve myself in ludicrous followings.

Michelangelo de Angelis was speaking as he sculpted the water-based clay on his hands. Like how he demonstrated how to work on it—he carefully added and removed parts of the clay, because, from what he had said—you just can't remove big parts from their life.

He was seeing an art form—one that had a physical form, different from other disciplines—as its own entity, living and breathing on its own. But no matter how the sculptor could see the warmth and life, the viewers would always be the final verdict.

The sculptor would direct them into thinking that the sculpture was breathing, but who would see it like that before the words were said? It was purely credited from the imaginations of the viewers who wanted to be involved in the life of an inanimate entity.

"The technique is in your hands—it's the best tool that we can have. Kalimitan, ang pagkapa ng kamay sa hinuhulma ang nagsasabi kung may kulang pang parte."

Pinaningkitan ko ng mata ang mukha niya. Bahagyang napaismid nang mapansing gano'n na talaga siya kahit na sa iba.

Supladong tingnan kahit na gusto ang ginagawa.

Hindi ko maintindihan itong si Michelangelo de Angelis.

Did he dislike what he was doing—teaching?

He was giving the chance to others to be good at the sculpting discipline. They were different from me because most of them liked what they were doing, so why would he be hostile towards his future followers? Ayaw niya na talagang magpapasok?

"Uuuy, Lael!" Hinanap ko ng tingin ang pinanggalingan ng boses at nakitang si Giuseppe 'yon.

He waved his hand as he approached me. He was also smiling.

"Nanonood ka rin kay Mika?"

Inilipat ko ang tingin kay Michelangelo bago nagkibit-balikat. "Ang suplado niya magturo."

"Gan'yan talaga 'yan."

Natatawa siyang humalukipkip at may sinilip sa gilid. Sina Tres at ang isa pa niyang kaibigan ang tinitingnan niya. Natigilan sila sa paglalakad dahil kinakausap ng isang faculty.

"Kauusapin yata tungkol sa painting kaya umalis ako. Sculptor ako eh, painter sila."

Tumango ako. "Nagtuturo si Tres, 'di ba? Naririnig ko kasi sa iba."