My Gilded Cage in the Philippines
Before I tell you what I'm referring to when I say "my gilded cage in the Philippines", I need to tell you exactly what "gild" and the phrases "gilded cage" and "gild the lily" mean. You can click on the picture to get a larger view. The frame still needs to be repainted.
According to what I read in a couple of dictionaries, "gild" means to decorate the outside of something, usually unnecessarily. The phrase "gild the lily" (referring to the flower, of course) means adding ornamentation to something that already looks nice. Finally, "gilded cage" means a cage that's decorated and the cage is not necessarily to keep something in, but to keep something out.
My Gilded Cage
As you can see when you look at the picture closely, or when you enlarge it, it's a sliding door with a heavy duty lock to keep it in place. It's the only windowed door on the first floor and the only one in which the iron bars can be moved out of place. The rest of the windows on the first floor have bars, but they can't be removed without tools and a lot of time. They all sort of look like this one (click to enlarge):
Why the Cage?
Ever since I foiled a burglary last year, I've had to remain awake during the hours of the night when burglars are most likely to strike. I waited until my wife came home on her Philippines vacation (you'll have to read why it was like a vacation and not a homecoming in other posts) to have the bars installed.
Filipinos with little or no income live in shoddy houses of all kinds and most aren't even painted on the outside. A house that looks nice, painted and especially with more than one floor is usually what's targeted by burglars. They think foreigners have more than anyone else. How could I possibly let them know that my in-laws have more than I do, other than the house itself (and our car, of course)?
Recently, a nice house a few blocks from here was burglarized and it happened while my wife was here for the month. I'm sure, that if I didn't have bars on my lower windows, my house would be their next target.
Until the bars went in, I hadn't had a decent night's sleep. My sleep cycle was completely opposite from what it should be. Now, I sleep every night for at least six hours. I only sleep longer if I've actually done something physically tiring during the day. Because my wife is still suffering from jet lag, I'm calling her as soon as I wake up to make sure she's up early enough to head to her second-shift job.
Other Gild References
According to an entry at Bartleby.com, to be like "a bird in a gilded cage" is to live in luxury but without freedom.
The world "gild" is what the word "guild" is based on, which is usually an association formed for the protection or support of its members. Some historical guilds later became government entities in some countries, like England.
So, in my final thoughts on the matter, I truly do live in a gilded cage.
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indeed. it appears to be quite common over here to have this form of reinforcement for windows and sliding doors. people are just extra cautious i guess. unfortunately, these bars do make entry and exit a little bit more difficult.
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hi RT,
I remember reading this post when it first came out (really liked it). I'm surprised there aren't more comments. Anyway, I'm glad I don't have to live in a gilded cage or in any gilded show displays. I had a hubcap stolen off of my car a few years ago at night while it was parked in my driveway. A hubcap may not sound like a big deal(cost a lot more to replace than I thought it would, but that's probably why the scumbag took it) – but the sick sense of vulnerability afterwards was something I still remember. I'd probably electrify those bars if I was you and fry the @*#%$&@!!!! ~ Steve
Hi RT,
Please allow me to circumvent your new keywordluv policy this one time. If the phrase "gilded show displays" seems a bit nonsensical, it is. This is just another one of my "crazy" gild-the-lily-type experiments, trying to figure out if and how certain things work.
~ Steve (aka "gilded show displays")
In my town even people from appartment blocks who live on the first floor install cages on their windows to avoid burglary. It's a wise decision, since even there is not much to steal from, all the property is valuable for its owner.
Its better to be in those gilded cage rather than have your life put into risk. I'm just wonderin', if in case of fire, especially at night, isn't it dangerous to be inside those locks?
I know how you feel. I lived in a "gilded cage" for a while. It is kinda intimidating when you think about a possible fire.
i've seen such thing in Japan; the good thing about it is feeling secure and own your privacy.
Ouch, it sucks to have to live in fear of being burgled for sure. I feel for you man but am happy that the bars on your windows seem to help with your sleep patterns.
It is also sad to see that people are so poor they have to resort to stealing and making other people's lives hell.
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I cannot imagine how you must feel having to put bars up, I can remeber when I was a kid nobody used to locl there doors.. Now everybody does
Thats modern life I suppose
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