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February 8, 2005/ Tuesday

Degree 1

Seated at the steps of a Bank, just across a bakeshop somewhere in Quezon City… I wait… It’s nine in the evening…

 

Sometimes, you just have to take a deep breath and jump on it.

 

Earlier, I was gearing to watch the film adaptation of Adrew Lloyd Webber’s Musical, “Phantom of the Opera”… 6 pm, I was all dressed up—my usual: Hang Ten Shirt, a pair of draw string trousers, sneakers, and of course, my back pack and my cousin’s Puma cap, now tattered. Took an early dinner of sinigang na baboy and two cups of rice at the friendly neighborhood carenderia, bought myself a pack of cigarette, then took a jeep ride to Ligaya. I haven’t figured out where to watch: would it be the utterly convenient Sta. Lucia East Grand Mall and Robinsons Metro East Mall’s Theater being both are less than ten minutes away or the utterly new and state of the art theater in the new high ender Gateway in Cubao? Would it be to the east or west?

            I was in that contemplation when suddenly… out of nowhere… Degree came to my thoughts…

            It was a quick decision. I was to do Degree.

            It was quick but my thoughts were clouded with how…

            Well, Degree is an all-male exclusive—members only—club, only one of it’s kind in the metropolis—or so I heard. How do I become a member? What does it take to be a member? Of course, I saw Bath House (The Crisaldo Pablo digital pink film which hit me big time). A rather very strict and discriminating screening committee… I hoped not. I decided to hit the net first and find out more…

            Over the Internet chatroom, there was George24, from Marikina and a member of Degree. I asked him and I was enlighten. All I need, as it turned out, was to pay a hundred to a hundred fifty, depending on how long would I want my membership to last: quarterly, semi-annually, and, or, annually, plus entrance fee. Exclusive, yah right! Okay, maybe I should just be thankful.

            Now, I wouldn’t want to be member of a club that I really don’t know off, would I? I asked him if he wants to go? I heard, from C--- (Single Join Groupie) that I could go in if a member brings me with him. He said he was low in budget… but the club has this referral system whereas, if a member brings someone who would have himself a member, that member’s entrance fee would be waived.

            Hmmm…

            If he doesn’t come, I would have to be a member to get in anyway… not much of a choice, was there? Sayang naman…

 

So I was there, at the steps of RCBC… waiting…

 

Yes, I did say I was to wait for cutie-cutie Jay until Valentines, defining wait as I would not look for or shag with someone else but rather just content myself to masturbating if ever I feel the urge. I know this is no justification… But, this is Degree! I wanted to do Degree for the longest time. And, Neomatrix hadn’t replied after I identified myself when he asked. Yes, I have considered that maybe Neomatrix thought he wasn’t in any position to give me cutie-cutie Jay’s number and that he would just tell Jay first… I’m perfectly aware that that would rather the polite thing to do… but still no message, nor miss call from an unknown number…

            I would want to hope still… perhaps he run out of credits… but the pain was gripping… I needed to do something… and Degree came to picture…

            That was also the reason booting “Phantom of the Opera” was a quick decision… It would be utterly depressing…

 

Okay, I’ll give him a gift this valentine just to make up… I hate myself!!!

 

Then, he was there in some khaki shorts, brown shirt and yellow cap—just the way he said he would. Utterly cute too… Hunkable as I would call him, totally so way up my league.

            From the door, I was asked to deposit my bag and cap—taking only what they deem valuable. Well, they said I could take with me only my valuable, I said everything in that bag was valuable to me. And there, I had myself registered quarterly and paid my entrance fee. George24 was there all through out, even waiting on me. He was nice… I thought probably because he feels he owes me a favor and if it were of different circumstance, he would have not. I did sense his disappointment when he saw me.

            When I got back from the tour that was given by one of the staff, he waited on me at the gym. I think he was thinking he needed to baby sit me, or that he felt he have to pay the favor back by doing me… I did tell him he was hunkable when I saw his picturetrail…?

            Okay, I did want him to do me but then… that wasn’t my purpose waiting for him… I don’t even think he owes me any favor. I just thought he wanted to go and I needed to be a member to get in and the club has this referral system, why not take advantage of it and make someone happy? It was indeed a hassle waiting but then it was still early—we chatted 8:30, he arrived ten o’clock.

            I went to look for my locker and went to stripe already—you can’t get around much in the club fully clothe. It’s their policy. He went after, found me almost done with my clothes. I left him and lose him… hoping he get as much and best lay he wanted…

 

Degree Café and Fitness Club is somewhere in Quezon City. From the outside, it was as if nothing. It actually looks like a storage facility or something… But I know better being that I make it my business to know every gay spot and activity in the metropolis and an Internet savvy that I am.

            Upon entry, you’d find it as you find it outside… It seemed like a back door entry for employees of some hotel or mall. There’s the counter that resembles a regular pawnshop and a baggage counter that resembles one in the malls. There you deposit anything with you except the clothes you are wearing and your valuables like (as they define it): cell phones, wallet, cash, jewelries… you pay your entrance fee if you are already a member or your membership fee plus entrance fee if you are not a member yet. You needed an ID for both. Everything done, you are given a bond that contains two keys and a tug where a serial number is written.

            Second stop is immediately after the pawnshop like counter, just a turn. There you would be asked to log in and deposit all the things you deemed valuable to a safety deposit box, which could only be access through one of the keys in the bond you were given. Then you are let in, you go up stairs—there really is nowhere to go. At the top of the stairs you would find a glass stand in which are some naughty, naughty stuffs—the gift shop I suppose, then it was the bar. It’s a regular bar… a stage at one side, and video oke at another and an AVR in another room where an all male video was playing. George24 told me about a library while chatting, but I didn’t see it. There is a passageway that goes downstairs, the vanity corner. There is a large dresser perched on a wall, and several hair dryers, brushes, hair creams available for use.

A sliding door, you would find yourself in a gym—well, it’s a space with gym equipments. The gym seemed to be the center of everything. At one side were the lockers. Everyone is provided with one, the serial number in your bond corresponds to your locker and so were the other key. Inside the locker, you would find a flimsy towel and rubber slippers. You need both, as you would not be allowed to go to the more exciting rooms clothed and shoed—underwear optional. Opposite wall is the door to a room they call, if I heard it right, the labyrinth. It is called so as it was a labyrinth of mirrors. I had bumped into my reflection a few times that night. It was embarrassing—well it was a dark in there. There you could access a group shower room and individual shower rooms—actually cubicled with out doors. Still in that room, a glory hole (you don’t know what a glory hole is?), a steam bath, and some small rooms—standing room only. Adjacent to the lockers is a passage, which I would want to call the hall of delight, as this passage is really an open, Japanese-style shower room. The passage leads to a stair and beside the stairs is the entrance to a mini bar and further more, the Jacuzzi. Now, going upstairs, were small rooms that can only contain one-single foam bed and nothing more. There were more than ten rooms in that floor. I guess you know what those rooms are for…

            There I hang, my hair still wet from shower 

to be continued...

February 8/Tuesday

And Now I Wait

February 9/Wednesday

Degree 1

February 10/Thursday

Degree 2

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written and created by Lexan B. Orantes for Story Tellers Manila Concept & Design

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