Vol. 2 Issue no. 6 / May 20, 2005
written & created by Lexan B. Orantes for StoryTellersManila
28 Golden Grove St. Cor Park St. Bartville Subd. Dela Paz, Pasig City 1600 Phil.
p: +63(2)4574973 e: thirddayofjune@hotmail.com
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Vol. 2 Issue no. 6 / May 20, 2005 written & created by Lexan B. Orantes for StoryTellersManila 28 Golden Grove St. Cor Park St. Bartville Subd. Dela Paz, Pasig City 1600 Phil. p: +63(2)4574973 e: thirddayofjune@hotmail.com |
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1ne. tw2. thr3e. 5ive. 6ix. 7even.
4our.
Slutty and hussy are two terms you can’t use to describe a gay
guy… It’s unheard off… They would even tell you that it’s expected
of you… The term bitch, on the other hand, had become the title every
gay guy seemed to covet for… Certainly on the running for the crown were
Jericho, Adam, and Alex… who excitedly met Francis, a.k.a. my date, in
front of the defunct Fidel… leaving their dates enjoying their fish
ball… or was it squid balls…? I just stood behind them, getting ready
to be introduced by my date who seemed for a moment forgotten all about
me… Well, they were already gleefully asking each other what have they
been up to… and the boyfriends being introduced… I really don’t
mind, I actually half wish my date have forgotten all about me already…
just that I would have gone all through the trouble of getting dress up
all for nothing and top that with me commuting from Malate to Pasig…
“I see you are still flying solo,” one of the guys said…
“Oh, God!” Francis exclaimed then turned to me, “I’m so
sorry…”
I just smiled as he took my hand to stand beside him. “Guys,
this is Lexan,” he introduced me. “Oh,”
Jericho said, surprised, and along with Adam and Alex looked at me from
head to foot. “Hi…”
I said awkwardly. “Hi,
I’m Paul,” one of the guys step up, and started introducing the
guys… So,
there’s Jericho with his date, let’s call him guy1… cause I can’t
remember his name… Adam with his date guy2, also because I can’t
remember his name… Then there’s Alex… whose date was Paul, the nice
one… who after introducing me, had asked me if I wanted a beer as my
date, Francis was already busy picking up squid balls… I hadn’t had a
chance to decline as Alex have pulled him already to join in picking up
squid balls… so did Jericho and Adam… I
just stood there at a distance… lit a cigarette… then roamed my
eyes… Malate was still as I remembered… “When was the last time I
was here?” I thought… November… Erchel…I looked at where Red
Banana was… Men
still standing around as if waiting for something… still looking great
with their gravity defying hair dos… bling-blings… designer clothes,
shoes and accessories… I really don’t belong… “Hey,
want some?” Paul noticed me. I
just smiled, shaking my head. He
tapped Francis back to remind him of me. He
obliged, walking toward me offering a bite of squid balls… I declined
smiling. I’m
really not fond of gastronomical delights from the street… No, I don’t
think they are dirty or something—like yuck kadiri—I just am not fond
of eating junk foods… You do know that fish balls and squid balls are
junk food, right? “I’m
sorry,” he apologized, “it’s just that it have been awhile since
we’ve seen each other…” “I
understand,” I just said, reasoning to myself that he bought me coffee. He
put his arms around me from behind… I just let him be…
Jericho
gave me a sharp look after Adam whispered something to him…So, was
Adam… I looked away… but I could feel their stare… I looked back…
Alex joined them… Charmed: the power of three, I thought… It’s wise
to just cower down… I looked down on the ground… They
decided to end waiting at the street… perhaps they realized that really
we were waiting for nothing… nothing as in nothing and not nothing as in
loosed hope of ever coming… the group straddling their dates made their
way to the, to what I heard, hip club Bed… I have been to Bed before…
I didn’t like it… I guess because dancing and little mindless
chit-chat were really not my thing… You are talking here to someone
whose definition of party is sex or good conversation over a cup of
coffee…
“Just
go, I’d be upstairs at the bar…” “Come
on, Lex…” he urged. “Just
go…” I said and started to climb the stairs. A
vodka tonic… a smoke… I seat by the bar… my eyes on my drink… I
could just be sleeping at home… or be in front of my laptop typing away
some story… or laying wide awake in bed, imagining some scenario with
two lead character: Nick and myself “Alone…?” I
lift my head and turned to see… it was a boy… about in his late teens
or early twenties… I shook my head and went to nurse my drink again…
“Waiting for someone?” the boy pressed.
“They are right down stairs dancing their hearts away,” I said
flatly.
“They left you…”
“I don’t dance…”
“Too bad, you would look good bumping and grinding…”
“I don’t know about looking good but I am at my best bumping
and grinding somewhere else,” I decided to play along.
“Really…” he said liking what he heard.
“Too bad, you won’t get a sample…” I said.
“Why not…?”
“Nothing personal… I just don’t feel like it…”
I turned to leave with my double vodka tonic… and into one of
those round wall couched… There, Paul found me…
“Hey, been wondering where you’ve been…” Paul said, his
neck wet with sweat, “what are you doing here all alone?”
I raised my drink for him to see.
“Well, Francis is getting lonely down stairs…”
“Then he should come up…”
“Why don’t you come down instead…”
“I prefer being here…”
“Okay… move about…” he said then squeezed himself in…
“So how long are you and Francis been seeing each other?”
“Not long…” I said…
“How did you two meet?”
“What’s this, meet the parents?” I asked back.
“Just making conversation…”
“And you can’t think of a better subject…?”I asked again,
smiling.
“Would you rather discuss oil prices?”
“Francis and I met yesterday, through chatting…” I said
immediately.
He gave a chuckle…
“I don’t think he wants you guys to know… but he bought me
here so he won’t be left out dateless…”
“No, I don’t think that was it… Francis has no problem being
dateless specially here in Malate… you don’t need a date to do Malate…
it’s actually advisable to do Malate alone…”
“Well, I know he is your friend and that you know him much, much
better than I do, but he told me so and that I have reason to believe it
is so…”
Paul just nodded, “he was clearly lying…”
“What’s with Jericho and his sisters?” I asked.
“Don’t mind them, they are pretty protective…” Paul
answered. He knew, therefore I am not just being paranoid.
“That and maybe because Jericho still have a thing for
Francis,” he said, “they were a couple once upon a time…”
“I see…” suddenly enlighten, “ well, tell them they have
nothing to worry about…”
“So, you feel nothing for Francis?”
“I just met him…” I said, “and I’m currently into someone
else…”
“You have a boyfriend…”
“No… but I love him…”
“He must be one lucky guy…”
I just smiled…
“So, here you are!” When
I looked up, it’s Alex with his sisters… Alex pulled Paul to his
side… and Jericho went to face me. “You
son of a bitch,” he said and blow his smoke into my face, “Francis not
enough for you?” “Jericho!”
Paul scolded. Alex
pulled him away. “What’s
your problem?” I asked. “What’s
my problem?” Jericho answered, “You are my problem, we don’t want
you here!” “Guess
what, I don’t want to be here either,” I answered. “Then
leave, social climbing bitches are not allowed here.” “What!?”
I can’t believe he called me a social climbing bitch, what have I done
to be called such. “Don’t
wait for us to throw you out of here,” he said, “just leave.” I have no doubt they could… I left… thinking, perhaps convincing myself, it’s not worth fighting… |
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