Another year draws to a close. Good riddance to this one! I’ll be spending the final day of the year hiking in San Antonio. Looking forward to some new scenery.
Life can be a beach sometimes. Yesterday turned out to be that way.
I did my morning walk out on Baloy beach.
Nothing all that special. Although as I made my way back home walking past the 7/11 I saw Pearl and Dick sitting side-by-side. I just kept on going without looking back. Don’t know if they saw me or not.
I didn’t let that image linger too long in my mind. Got home and set about my normal routines. Then I received a message from Jessa inviting me to join her and the old Treasure Island crew for an end-of-the-year party. Hell, I didn’t have anything better to do so I said “sure!”
Now, Jessa and I had a thing going for a while but it didn’t work out for us. She’s engaged to a Yank who seems like a good guy and it looks like she will have all of her dreams fulfilled in the near future (house being built, daddy for her daughter, stable married life). I’m truly happy for her. I first met the Treasure Island gals when I was briefly living in Baloy. In fact, I took Jessa and the girls out to dinner for Jessa’s 30th birthday back in 2018.
That’s how we all looked back then.
Last night’s get-together was on the beach in Barretto. One of those Filipino-style “cottages”, basically a table with a canvas cover, Right next door to Palm Tree. I recalled many times watching the parties taking place there and thinking “that looks like fun”. I’m glad I finally got to experience it first hand.
How we looked last night.
I’m an in bed by nine o’clock kind of guy these days, but Jessa challenged me to make it until 11:00. It was a struggle and took me nine beers to get there, but I made it!
Barely.
Anyway, it meant a lot to me to get the invite and be included. I admit that I wish I hadn’t blown it with Jessa way back when. Oh well, she’s probably better off without me.
Okay, I’m off for San Antonio. Wanted to get some kind of post up now because I’m not sure when I’ll be back tonight. Who knows what this New Year’s Eve holds in store for me? Only way to find out is to live it. Let’s go!
A challenging but beautiful hike with the Wednesday Walkers. A bar review at The Green Room. A visit to the Hideaway bar to deliver some financial assistance to Joy (has a sick kid). An impromptu drop in to It Doesn’t Matter to clear the air with Roan about Tuesday’s broken “date”. Dinner to go from The Pub (it was Wingsday). Then home for the peace that comes with sleep. Just another day in the life.
Turns out the thing with Roan wasn’t an intentional snub, although it was certainly inconsiderate on her part. I guess it is all about priorities and I wasn’t hers. She says she wants to make it up to me next week. I’m not so sure that I want to bother again. The real point of the date was to help her out with an eye examination and new glasses. I’m not going to beg someone to accept a gift from me.
I volunteered to help Joy because her daughter has had stomach issues for several days and needs to see a doctor, something Joy couldn’t afford. An example of how a little money ($30) can make a big difference. I was the only customer at the bar so I bought the girls some food (roast chicken) while I was there. A couple of lady drinks for Joy and her friend Jen. Then I was back out on the highway.
After a brief stop at It Doesn’t Matter to see Roan, I was on to The Pub to get my fix of Korean-style wings satisfied. A fellow Hasher, Sean, was there watching his girl play pool so we had a nice chat. I showed him my bar review rankings and his opinion of the bars varied from mine significantly. Just goes to show that tastes and wants in a bar venue are individualized preferences. I did note that a lot of his reasons for not liking a particular bar were as much about not liking the bar manager as it was about the bar. I could relate.
Alright then, to the Wednesday Walkers adventure. We took a Jeepney out to Kale beach (about 4K from Barretto) to begin our hike. It wasn’t a beach walk though, we hoofed it up Coral street, then headed for the hills. A long, hard slog to the top of Kalaklan ridge. As tough as it was, it was still enjoyable. A beautiful day to be on a trek with other like-minded folks.
As usual, we’ll tell the story with photographs. The pics are also a group effort–this collection comes from several different hikers.
Our route.Riding the Jeep to the starting point.The gathering spot.Heading up Coral Street.The end of the road.Let the climbing begin!Scott the mountain man.Shyrel is between a rock and a hard place.Up, up and away.Group shot.Rest stop. Well, not for that poor guy having to carry big ass bottles of water up the mountain.Almost to the top.That girl in the white Red Cross hat is one of our newest Wednesday Walkers…name is Julie. I’m crushing on her.That’s her on the left…Thus far, she has given absolutely no indication that she has any interest in me whatsoever. Well, I do love a challenge! Actually, she did accept my Facebook friend request, so there’s that. And no, I’m not stalking her with these photos…I didn’t take them.Heading for the ridgeline road…A nice view from the top…And another.I’ve grown rather fond of my little town.Time to start heading down.And for you Easter mountain lovers…A decent descent.I’m coming!A long way up means a long way down.Watch your step!My cookie kids…I only pass this way every couple of months, but they are always waiting when I pass by.I’m such a poser.Safely down the mountain and ensconced at Dynamite Dick’s. Thanks for having us, Dick!
Let me leave you this sad story of a tragedy in the wild.
And here it is, the last bar in town. Well, the last bar to be reviewed. Rumor has it a couple of new bars are slated to open early next year. We shall see.
UPDATE: I have been visiting the Green Room much more frequently of late, in large part because I’ve been winning discount coupons at the SOB events. Having now experienced the ambiance of this bar with some regularity, I have gotten better in tune with the friendly vibe that exists here. There are a lot of familiar faces, so it seems to be a favorite of the local expats. There are still as many Guest Relations Officers (GROs) as I’ve seen anywhere in town, and the ones I’ve met recently are attractive and friendly. My usual practice is to drink with the waitresses (had three at my table last night), and I always enjoy their company. I’m sure I’ll be coming back more often, with or without those discounts. I still prefer the outdoor venues, but the Green Room atmosphere makes it worth the visit.
The Green Room transitioned from the former girly bar named Rum Jungle last year. Same ownership, though, just a new concept: the sports bar. And just to clarify my definitions–a girly bar has a dance stage and scantily clad gals dancing for the entertainment of the customers. At least back when dancing was allowed in the bars, and presumably, it will be again at some point in the future. A sports bar, as the name implies, has large screen televisions where you can watch the big game, along with a pool table and sometimes a dartboard. The Green Room ticks all those boxes.
That is not to say that there aren’t any girls in a sports bar. The Green Room had what appeared to be twenty or thirty present during my visit. Shortly after I’d taken my seat, two of them came over to greet me.
Don’t recall her name, but said she was 24 years old. She had a nice personality.No name for this one, either. She told me she was 18. Braces on her teeth and a tattoo on her chest. A little scary in a way–if I saw her on the street I’d assume she was underage and keep on walking. But I have always thought you have to be at least 18 to get a tattoo. Apparently not, she told me she got hers at 17. This is another reason that it is much safer to take a girl out of the bar rather than pick up a freelancer on the street or online. In addition to health checks, bars require proof of age when they make a hire.
Naturally, I bought them both a lady drink, a bottled beer for 185 pesos (mixed drinks are 170). My beer was 110 pesos.
I don’t play pool myself, but the table looked good to me.The rest of the bar as seen from my vantage point.A ceiling decorated with flags was a nice touch.
This bar is also located in The Maze complex. Back in the day, you could walk through a rear door to visit two other bars–Rapscallion and Man Cave. Sadly, both of those bars were killed by COVID. Through another door, you could get to Wet Spot and Lollipop bars. Wet Spot is still going strong and Lollipop is now home to one of the best food places in Barretto, Sit-n-Bull. The SnB menu is available for order in The Green Room as well.
The doorway to Wet Spot.
So, how does The Green Room stack up? The sports bar genre is very competitive and there is just not much that makes this particular venue stand out in my opinion. I think yesterday’s visit was only my third since last year’s grand opening. This is not to say there is anything wrong with the place, I just don’t watch televised sports or play pool. It is simply a matter of other places suiting my likes better.
And I think this final review is a good time to remind just how subjective my opinions and rankings truly are. I showed the list to a friend last night and he disagreed with my assessments in about half the cases. Just a matter of different strokes for different folks. I have also noticed that over the course of this series of reviews as I’ve made subsequent visits to some of these bars my assessment has changed, in most cases for the better. So the rankings are not necessarily a valid reflection of my current preferences. Perhaps I’ll need to periodically do an update. With new bars on the horizon, I’ll need to incorporate them into the rankings anyway. So be on the lookout for that.
Twenty-six currently active bars in Barretto (again, excluding most of the hotel lounges and Filipino-style videoke bars). Here is how I personally prefer them:
Every time when I look in the mirror All these lines on my face getting clearer The past is gone It went by, like dusk to dawn Isn’t that the way Everybody’s got the dues in life to pay
Let me tell you about how my Tuesday went down. It’s shopping day, but this one was going to be special. Roan was coming with me. After the groceries were bought and paid for the driver and my helper would take them home. Meanwhile, Roan and I would head over to the Harbor Point mall and get our heads examined. Well, our eyes anyway. I figured we’d do a little shopping after that, then go for some lunch at my favorite Korean restaurant, Seoul. Alas, she stood me up. She didn’t respond to any of my messages, and when I went by her place at the appointed hour, she wasn’t outside waiting. She messaged me last night with an apology saying her failure to show wasn’t about me but offering no real explanation as to what happened. Lesson learned, don’t try and take a bar “relationship” out of the bar. Still, it was quite disappointing.
I brooded at home the rest of the morning and into the afternoon, then it was time to head out for darts. My goal was to just keep it fun, and it turns out that I threw better than I have in quite some time. Maybe there is some correlation between those things.
Undefeated on the night.It was the best of times…
After the tournament, I visited The Pub for a little nourishment. Kept it simple with a Philly cheesesteak sandwich.
It really hit the spot. Loved those fried taters too.
Did a nightcap at Outback then headed on home to my boys.
Buddy looks drunker than I was.I get a kick out of watching Lucky and Buddy roughhousing around.Buddy’s bigger, but Lucky doesn’t back down.Even on the mornings when I’m feeling down, a walk through the ‘hood lifts my spirits.Especially when I’m out with my good Buddy.
So, if yesterday qualifies as a bad day, I’m pretty damn lucky, don’t you think?
Let’s go, Brandon!
Sing with me, sing for the year Sing for the laughter, sing for the tear Sing with me, if it’s just for today Maybe tomorrow, the good Lord will take you away
Dream on Dream on Dream on Dream until your dreams come true
A long and flat trail, just the way I like it. The only downside was there was nothing new about it for me, been there and done that hike before; several times actually. Still nice countryside though, and we had some overcast skies and breeze to keep things almost comfortable. My group came in a tad under 9K, and that includes our shortcut negating a climb up Black Rock mountain near the end of the trail. We did some steps instead, so we weren’t totally flatliners. To the photos then:
The tale of our trail.A smaller than usual group of “sane” Hashers this week. That carabao didn’t hike with us, but the little girl did. Impressively, she didn’t complain until we were 2/3 done with the hike. And even then, it was because her feet hurt from not having proper footwear. Well done, child!We basically did a circumnavigation of Easter mountain.Let’s get this done!Bypassing the little Grand Canyon.Time out for a cookie delivery.18 Kilo Ass successfully traversed another rickety bridge without destroying it (or himself).Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow Easter, I will fear no Filipina…They’ve subdivided some lots at the far end of the valley, but there may be a flaw in their planning…This bridge is the only access across the river. You can barely fit a trike on here. Perhaps they intend to build another bridge for automobiles.The river in question. It is much more substantial during rainy season.Deep in the jungle.A banana plantation.A bridgeless creek crossing…just a hop, skip, and a heck of a jump to get over…Made it!On the road again.Up ahead you can see that burning season is in full flower.Hello, children. Don’t look at me like that, Christmas is over!Steppin’ it up near the end of our journey.Almost to the top, Bum Burglar!Jesus Christo! And during the Hash circle, we did sing the irreverent song about why Jesus can’t go Hashing, which includes a verse that “Jesus can’t go Hashing ’cause He’s hanging on a cross…Steppin’ on down to the highway and our On-Home venue……at Smoke and Bottles. I really like the picnic ground atmosphere here for some reason.Cooling those hot Filipina asses on the ice.
And that was the way Run #1477 of the Subic Bay Hash House Harriers went down. Thanks for joining me!
“Human beings are remarkable – at what we can learn to live with. If we couldn’t get strong from what we lose, and what we miss, and what we want and can’t have, then we couldn’t ever get strong enough, could we? What else makes us strong?”
–John Irving
Welp, it’s been one week since xxxxx walked out of my life. And while I still think of her frequently, I’ve come to accept the fact that she ultimately did me a favor by revealing the true nature of her character. The fact that I fell in love with her is on me, though, and I still hope she finds peace and contentment in her life.
You take a risk giving your heart to anybody. But every time your heart gets stomped on, you pick it up, brush it off, and start looking for somebody else to give it to. You know the risk and you accept it, gladly, because the payoff is worth it. And any love that qualifies itself, any ‘I love her but I don’t trust her’ love, isn’t really love. If you’re not risking everything you have, it’s not love. Ya pays yer money and ya takes yer chances.
–Steve Rosse
My first tentative steps into the land of moving on are safely within my comfort zone–the sweet ladies I meet in the bars I frequent. Here’s the report from last night’s quest.
I went back to BarCelona hoping to meet this cutie pie.
And as fate would have it, Jo served me my first beer. But before I could ask her to sit down and join me, she was off again. I saw then that she was already enjoying a drink with another customer. And not five minutes after that customer left, she was drinking with someone else. Well, that’s the biz, and she’s good at it. Being the hottest gal in the bar helps too. Oh well, I’m not the type who waits in line.
And wouldn’t you know it, right about the time I lost interest in Jo, I happened to notice another waitress sitting a couple of stools down from me. Not nearly as sexy as Jo, but she had a sweet “girl next door” vibe about her. So, I decided to chat her up some.
A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, W, X, Y, Z
Or you can call her Novi for short. Sorry the photo quality is so poor, I was trying to be discrete. I hadn’t asked her permission and a sign in the CR says photography is not allowed in the bar.
That’s Novi’s cover photo from Facebook.
Anyway, first impressions were all very positive. We had a nice chat, punctuated with some laughs, and I left hoping to get to know her better. Yep, looks like BarCelona will be in my regular rotation for the foreseeable future.
After leaving BarCelona, I walked the block to It Doesn’t Matter so I could visit Roan, who hadn’t been working when I stopped in yesterday. More beers and pleasant chat. Bought her the IDM daily special for dinner–bacon-wrapped chicken breast with steamed veggies.
Always good company.
I’m taking Roan to the optometrist tomorrow for an examination and new glasses. A belated Christmas gift. After that, I’m going to treat her to a Korean meal at the Seoul restaurant. I don’t know if that qualifies as a “date” or not. We’ll see how it goes.
I popped into Wet Spot to check on Aine before heading home. She was pleased to see me again and snuggled up right next to me.
Naturally, I bought her a drink.
I wasn’t hungry, but I asked Aine if she wanted to eat. She did, and preferred to eat at the bar instead of next door at Sit-n-Bull. No problem, they deliver. She had chicken fingers and I ordered a pizza for the other girls.
Filipinas love pizza with pineapple. Not my favorite, but it doesn’t bother me. It wasn’t for me anyway.
I stayed until 9:30, which is past my bedtime. Aine hinted a bit like she wanted to go with me, but I wasn’t ready to take that step just yet.
I also have Alma at Cheap Charlies in the queue of women I hope to get to know better. One thing all of them have in common is that they are older–mid-30s. I’m not sure how much that impacts the generation gap issues, but I do find that I’m more comfortable with them than the 20-somethings.
Alright, it’s Hash Monday so I’ll be giving the ladies a break today. Stay tuned.
My Christmas was unusual in the sense that it was basically like every other day in my life here. I had considered taking part in one of the fancy meals or buffets several of the resorts were offering, but in the end, I just couldn’t be bothered. Yeah, I’m still not quite right in my head, but I’m making progress at regaining perspective.
Here’s what Christmas day looked like in my neighborhood.
So, I did the bar review at BarCelona to kick off my holiday evening. I rather enjoyed myself, even though I was drinking alone. The one girl who caught my eye was already occupied. I’ll be back to try again. Maybe even tonight.
That’s BarCelona as seen from my vantage point at Cheap Charlies.
I popped into It Doesn’t Matter hoping to visit with Roan. She wasn’t working though, but Troy from the Hash was there soloing through Christmas as well. Next, I was off to see my pal Alma at Cheap Charlies. I was the only customer and so naturally I found myself surrounded by the five bargirls who were working. I actually normally find that behavior irritating. Well, it was Christmas, so I bought them all a drink. Enjoyed some snuggling and rubbing (all above the waist of course) with Alma. She told me she saw me walking back from Subic earlier when she was on her way to work. I jokingly harangued her for not offering me a ride in her trike. I’ve never actually seen her outside of work. Might be time to rectify that with a lunch date. Stay tuned.
I hadn’t eaten yet so I figured on crossing the street and dining at Sit-n-Bull. But as I passed by Wet Spot I figured no harm in having one more beer first. The backslapper’s table was full again, so I took a nearby seat. I was immediately joined by Aine, looking every bit as lovely as she did on Thursday. Naturally, I bought her a drink. I asked if she were allowed to join me at Sit-n-Bull for dinner (it’s in the same complex (The Maze) and with the same ownership. Turns out she is indeed allowed to eat with a customer so I said let’s finish our drinks and go. Alas, we were informed that Sit-n-Bull had closed early for the holiday. Oh well, next time.
Then I was surprised to see Max, a member of our hiking groups and a Hasher, come in. He was surprised to see me as well. Turns out that Wet Spot is his regular hangout and he hadn’t seen me there before. Yeah, but I’ll be back more often. Max is a very interesting guy, a journalist by trade, and he’s from the Netherlands. So, I got to recount stories from my visit to his beautiful country back in 2002. I had a high old time there for sure. I also reminded Max that he had likely given me the COVID back in April when we traveled to and from Angeles City in the same vehicle. Max (and another passenger) actually got diagnosed, I never bothered, just suffered through my comparatively mild symptoms.
That’s Max holding court at Wet Spot.
Oh, and it turns out that Max has been a reader here at LTG. I asked him how he came about finding my humble blog and he said it was simple–after we had met he just Googled my name and LTG was the first result. Glad to have you along for the ride, Max. And that’s one less person I can talk about negatively! I’m joking, of course. Max is one of the good guys in our little town.
I did, however, come across this image of the Philippines libel law. It was rather sobering, actually. I’m going to need to be more careful henceforth.
Even the truth is no defense.
I stayed longer at Wet Spot than I intended, as I was enjoying the company of both Max and Aine. In different ways, of course. I told Aine I owe her a dinner soon.
Sometime during the course of the evening for some bizarre reason, I remembered one of the first posts I had ever read on Kevin Kim’s Big Hominid blog. I did a search, found it, and gave it a read again. It’s called Arbor Day meditation and it really resonated with my current state of mind. Give it a look, it is well worth your time.
And that was my Christmas…a worthless walk to Subic, some quality beer drinking time, and no supper. I could have done worse I suppose.
I really don’t know why I don’t visit BarCelona more often. It’s the type of place I gravitate to; open-air, nice views and a neighborhood bar feel about it. The infrequency of my visits was made clear when all of the waitresses who served me had to ask my name. Ah well, you can’t be a regular in EVERY bar in town, although lord knows I’m trying! Truth be told, I used to come here more often but had a couple of service-related issues that were off-putting. They were long ago now and I doubt the staff involved are still working now. Time to forgive and forget because I really enjoy the ambiance of this place.
You climb three flights of stairs to reach the bar.An example of the nifty decorations throughout the bar.The view from my stool. That yellow building across the highway is one of my regular haunts, Cheap Charlies.What really makes BarCelona unique amongst the bars of Barretto is this giant outdoor seating area. It is especially nice if you come with a large group of friends.A view from the roof. Those are two of the nicer hotels in Barretto, By the Sea, and Central Park Reef.Another view of the wide-open spaces on the roof.Back inside the bar. Those big TVs were playing music videos, which I find entertaining. The music itself was varied and not too loud. I understand they also show televised sporting events.BarCelona also features this pool table and sponsors a couple of popular tournaments each week.But this waitress was the finest thing I saw at the bar yesterday!A look up Del Pilar street…Hey, wait a minute! There’s mama! Actually, I saw here earlier when I was walking back from Subic. That old gal gets around!
I enjoyed my brief visit to BarCelona and I’m going to make it a point to be a more frequent visitor in the futre. It’s high time everyone knows my name here. Cheers!
I’ve been busier than usual playing Santa Claus, but what the hell, it’s only money and it makes me feel good. I did some donations so some local kids could have a Christmas dinner, and also sponsored meals for some families in Bohol. One of my former FWB messaged me yesterday that she needed to buy food for Nochebuena, which is apparently a traditional Christmas Eve dinner. She pleaded that I let her come massage me. What the hell, I had an hour before darts and she sounded desperate, so why not? I also prepared a bag with the canned ham, cheese, and cookies my landlord had given me for Christmas. There was a knock on the door and there she stood. With her young child beside her. What the hell? Obviously, she had no intention of “working” for the money. I was not pleased, but in the spirit of the season, I gave her the gift bag and 1000 pesos. She told me she was sorry and gave me a hug goodbye. Oh well.
I took third in darts last night. Well, I settled for third place rather than play the match to determine who would play in the finals. My Filipina opponent needed the money more than I did, so let her compete for the championship. I just didn’t care either way. Bought all the Alley Cats girls a drink and said goodnight.
I wasn’t done with my Saint Nicolas impersonation just yet though. I wandered up the street to Alaska Club to spread some more joy. As usual, I was given a warm welcome in the nearly deserted bar. There was one other customer, but he was back in the pool table area. I asked how many girls were working, “ten, sir”, and how much are lady drinks, “150 pesos only”. Okay, a drink for everyone then!
Ho, Ho, Ho, Ho, Ho, Ho, Ho, Ho, and Ho!
And right about the time the drinks were served, a delivery of several pizzas arrived. The other customer had ordered them earlier. So, a little impromptu party broke out. That was nice. When I departed I gave each of the girls a 100 peso tip, thereby nearly doubling their salary for the night. Yep, I was full of beer Christmas spirit by this point.
This morning, Facebook memories reminded me of the life I was living ten years ago.
Ah, well. Dreams die and life goes on. I sent Jee Yeun, who is working as a waitress in a Korean restaurant, $300. for Christmas. All these years later it still makes me sad.
Speaking of Facebook, I also had to block the ex from my newsfeed. I couldn’t stand seeing the photos of her loving it up with Dick. Jesus, what a fool I was believing in her.
I did an 11K hike to Subic town and back this morning.
I zipped along at 5K an hour.
The purpose of the hike was not just exercise, I needed to hit the ATM again. All my Christmas generosity has depleted the funds I extracted on Thursday. Alas, the trip was in vain because the ATM was devoid of money to dispense. And so it goes. I’ve got enough left to get me through tonight. If necessary, I’ll wire myself some cash via Western Union.
So, that leaves my gift for all my faithful readers–photos from yesterday’s hike! You are welcome.
Our group of Christmas Eve participants. It wasn’t a hard hike, especially for my break-off group that bypassed the second climb. Short and sweet!We’re off!Follow the smoke signal!It wouldn’t be a hiking post without a shot of Easter mountain, now would it?A thatch grass escapade!A woodsy pathLooking down on Rizal Extension…Another nice view!Country living.Swinging!
Here’s how I spent a loveless first day of the rest of my life yesterday.
To begin, I had this idea that I ought to shift my focus outward instead of inward. It being the Christmas season and all, the were lots of opportunities to do so. For example, I needed to go to Subic to get some cash from an ATM. Yeah, the only BPI machine in Barretto works less the half the time. It seems it is always out of money. People need cash for shopping, I suppose. Anyway, since I was making the trip to Subic anyway, I invited Joy to join me at Waltermart so she could do a little Christmas shopping for her kids. It was kind of nice watching her pick out some clothes. I suggested she get them a toy too. Joy asked if she could also get something for Jen (her co-worker, friend, and neighbor) and I told her go ahead. Ho! Ho! Ho! It’s fun to be Santa Claus.
The checkout line was massive but I somehow managed to keep my cool through that ordeal. After paying, when I went to the BPI ATM in the mall it was also out of money. So disappointing! I needed to restock my cash supply, so we caught a trike to the BPI branch office in Subic town I use. After we arrived I was disappointed to note that one of the two ATMs was not working and there were several people in line to use the remaining machine that was functioning.
Watching Filipinos use an ATM is as fascinating as it is frustrating. With one exception, everyone in front of me went through this process. Insert card, check balance, print receipt showing balance, end transaction. Re-insert the card, make a cash withdrawal, take the money and put it in a billfold, take out ANOTHER bank card, and repeat the above process. After watching this insanity several times I thought my head was going to explode. I also figured that at this rate by the time my turn came this machine too would run out of cash.
Joy waiting patiently by my side in the ATM line.
When my turn finally arrived, I gave the now even longer line behind me a demonstration in proper ATM etiquette. Had my card in hand as I approached the machine. Inserted the card. Entered my PIN. Selected withdrawal from checking. Requested P20,000. The machine whirred, spit out my card, and released forty P500 notes into my waiting hand. Took less than a minute. I didn’t get the expected round of applause, but maybe the crowd was dumbfounded by my expertise. Anyway, mission accomplished.
We took a Jeepney back to Barretto and I asked Joy if she were hungry. She was, so I called out “para po” as we approached Mango’s. We sat down at a table in the back and waited. And waited. Save for one customer, the place was deserted. That customer told us the waitress was making a room service delivery. So we waited some more. Then my already strained patience ran out, and I lold Joy, “let’s go.”
As we were leaving, we ran into the waitress doing something at the front desk. “John, why you leave?” she called out. I told her tired of waiting and she apologized, explaining she was the only one on duty. I told her it is not her fault, I’ll talk to Gie (the manager) about inadequate staffing the next time I see her. Merry Christmas!
We walked the block to Sit-n-Bull and as usual, I was greeted warmly by the waitresses. Later, the owner Ron came by the table for a brief chat. Ah, the joys of being a regular! We ordered our food and while I was eating, I got a message that both hurt my feelings and distressed me. Didn’t even finish my burger. I told Joy I needed to go and gave her some transportation money and a 500 peso gift.
When I got home, I set about changing the status of all my posts involving the woman who claimed to love me, to “private”. That made them invisible to you, my readers. I got an email later from Kevin Kim asking what happened, and when I explained he suggested making them password protected and providing the password to trusted readers. So, that’s what I wound up doing. I’m using the same password for all my protected posts. Email me if you would like that password. I don’t intend to make a habit of making my posts difficult to access, but the unique circumstance of small-town gossip and veiled threats made it prudent to do so for those few posts. Sorry for the inconvenience.
While all this was going on, I got a message from Martha, begging me to let her give me a massage so she could buy shoes for her child. Damn. I wasn’t even sure who she was, but we were Facebook friends and had chatted a few times previously. She said she lived nearby, so I told her fine, come on over. In my mind, I thought she was a girl I had met at Thumbstar during my bar review. But when Martha arrived I didn’t remember ever seeing her before.
Sorry, I’m trying to be more discrete and respectful of privacy these days. She was cute enough, just not who I was expecting.
So, I stripped to my underwear, handed her a bottle of baby oil, and laid down on the bed. She proceeded to give me a decent enough massage. When I rolled over onto my back, she looked at me expectantly, and then gestured if I wanted her to undress. Sure, why not. And so that’s how the massage ended. Honestly, I didn’t enjoy it much. No emotional connection to her whatsoever, and she wasn’t nearly as talented as my ex. I gave her the expected amount for her services, walked her to a shortcut exit from the neighborhood, and said goodbye. I have no intention of seeing her again in the future.
Alright, and for the record, I didn’t have bad intentions. It wasn’t like my now-defunct “FWB” program. This gal contacted me and offered massage services. She also indicated that she was willing and wanting to provide the happy ending. I didn’t ask her for anything and paid her a more than fair amount for her service. And now her kid will have shoes for Christmas.
I make that disclaimer above because I don’t want to get back into a completely transactional mode with whatever women I encounter on my journey to the future. Yes, there will be women, hopefully sex, and probably no love, but I’m going to be more in a dating mode than a buying one. We’ll see how that works out for me. Call it a New Year’s resolution.
So, I was overdue for another bar review and Wet Spot was next up in the queue. If you read that post you’ll recall I spent time with this lovely lady there:
Nice to see you again, Aine.
Thirty-five and no kids. Long-time bar worker. Good conversationalist. Nice sense of humor (as measured by her capacity to laugh at my jokes). At one point I broached going on a date and she seemed excited about the idea. I asked her what was her day off and she said Monday. Oh, I Hash on Mondays, do you like to hike? “No.” Okay then, looks like it will be a lunch date before work one day. Or maybe nothing at all. I gifted her 500 pesos and headed over to Cheap Charlies.
Alma hadn’t been there during my visit on Sunday, so she’d missed out on the Christmas bounty. That may or may not be why she had messaged me for the first time in forever. Still, it was good to hear from her and she is a sweet woman, so I wanted to see her before Christmas (even if she is a Muslim). She actually popped up in my Facebook memories the other day. I’ve been knowing her for over three years now.
That’s her back then. Looks pretty much the same to me now.
Anyway, she was happy to see me. Got the usual shoulder rub and for the first time got to give her something in return.
She put her feet up on my lap and I gave her a foot massage…
We shared some drinks and chat and I gave her 1000 pesos for the holiday cheer. I’d consider dating her as well.
While I was at Cheap Charlies I got a message from Bhel, the bartender at Outback. She’s the one I helped with surgery expenses. Anyway, she asked me if I would please come by the bar. Why not? So, I finished my beer and headed up the highway.
When I arrived, Bhel handed me this bag:
What a surprise!A brand new ballcap, just what I needed. Thanks, Bhel!
Of course, I gifted her with 500 pesos. A nice way to end the night.
Maybe my bar relationships aren’t as meaningless as I make out. Just another set of friends to make this life’s journey of mine a little more pleasant. That’s enough for now!
A little background for you out-of-towners: The Maze is a large building at the intersection of the National Highway and Del Pilar street. Pre-pandemic it was home to five bars with dancers on stage, a large open-air bar upstairs, a restaurant, and a boutique hotel. Lollipop is the new location of Sit-n-Bull restaurant, Rum Jungle was replaced by a sports bar called The Green Room, Rapscallion and Man Cave, have both been permanently closed. BarCelona still operates on the rooftop.
I’m friends with the owner of Wet Spot (he operates The Green Room and Voodoo bars as well). He’s also a reader and commenter here on the blog. I’ll try not to let that impact my review. Much.
Actually, when it comes to Wet Spot, what’s not to like? The girly bar format may not be my personal favorite, but it is a well-run bar in all aspects–staff, women, decor, and tidiness are all top-notch. Back in the good old days, I was here at least weekly and I always enjoyed myself. I’m here less frequently now but still have a good time and am welcomed warmly.
Dancing on stage is still not allowed by the powers that be for some inexplicable reason. The former dancing girls sit or mill about on stage and customers who are so inclined can pick one (or more) to join them for drinks. If things click, “take out” can be arranged.You can also choose from probably the largest cadre of waitresses and GROs (Guest Relations Officers) in town for female companionship.This is one of those bars where you don’t actually sit at the bar, it’s more of a waitress station.The manager’s table. When I first arrived it was full of VIP customers, so I sat elsewhere. The manager did send me over a complimentary beer. When I thanked him I noted that his timing was exquisite–with another beer to consume I felt obligated to purchase another lady drink for my companion. Good job!
Speaking of my companion, meet Aine:
Those must be some of the nicest breasts in town.
When I first arrived and was preparing to sit down, Aine greeted me by name and asked if I remembered her. Well, I’m more Biden-like every day, plus the bar was dark, but I had to confess that I did not. She told me that until recently she had worked at Blue Butterfly and we had shared drinks and conversation on my infrequent visits there. Oh yeah! Actually, it was nice to get reacquainted with Aine. Smart and witty and a pleasure to spend the evening with. I promised I’d be back for more.
My beers were 110 pesos, lady drinks 170 each. That’s at the higher end of the pricing spectrum, but having all those women employed does create some overhead.
So what you see is what you get at Wet Spot. A fine bar holding on for the return of sanity and tourists. Good music played at a reasonable volume (even had a set of country songs which I enjoyed). I almost always have a good time here, I need to get back more often!
Still trying to rest my weary mind, but a good hard walk tends to dull the senses. The Wednesday Walkers did a trail up to Kalaklan ridge that was new to most of us. It was hard and steep, but we made it safely to the top. Once there, the more hardy hikers split off to do another down and up. The rest of us took the steps down to Olongapo and caught a Jeep back to Barretto. Hey, I had to get ready for darts.
Speaking of darts, we won our season finale 11-2. I was responsible for one of those failures in my singles cricket match. Had the game in hand until I lost the ability to throw a bullseye. Oh well, that’s the way it goes. At the end of the match, my teammates made a pitch to retain me on the team next season. I decided to accept the offer. Hey, at least somebody wants me!
Had dinner on Baloy after the match, then took a trike back into town and camped out at It Doesn’t Matter. Dinner and drinks for a couple of the gals, including Roan. After several more beers I was sufficiently numb so I triked back home and went to bed.
Yeah, I need to do better.at dealing with disappointment. I’ll get there.
The gathering.The beginning of the climb.Even the steps were a challenge.Now without the steps.In the jungle, the peaceful jungle…A wing a whack, a wing a whack…A rest about halfway up.Looking back from whence we came.March on!At the Great Wall of BarrettoWhat a nice view!Into the great wide open.Deciding to go on different paths.Our path led down to Olongapo.Dwellers near the hilltop.Steppin’ on down.And down some more.
Just a quick update from my current “life goes on” adventure. I miss Pamela but I expect she is much further down the moving on road than I am. Walked by her place yesterday on my way to darts. I was on the opposite side of the highway, but I refrained from looking as I passed. Not ready to witness her new life just yet.
As to insights I might have gained, nothing significant to report at this time. I think we were just in different places, a “right love at the wrong time” kind of situation perhaps. Maybe the generational gap played a part in that as well. I don’t think we truly understood each other. And she was just as likely to get pissed by my humorous takes on things as she was to laugh. This breakup has not triggered a bout of depression, but I do carry the burden of sadness. That will pass in time. My takeaway is that our unhappy ending was for the best, perhaps inevitable, especially given her unwillingness to try and talk through and resolve our issues.
But, there are some good things to embrace as well. I’ve already mentioned how much I appreciate the comments and insights my readers here have provided. And I was touched to see that my failures in love inspired a poem called ode to a man who keeps losingwomen:
you can stick a penis in it
but that doesn't mean you win it
you can get in bed and rock it
but her love ain't in your pocket
you can make her sing a high note
but her foot is still in your scrote
what's the use?
what's the use?
what's the use?
Speaking of Kevin, I came across a post I wrote after the 2017 heartbreak rendered unto me by Loraine. In the comments, Kevin offered up this gem of wisdom:
The Hindu concept of life is that it’s a painful wheel of existence called samsara. We’re chained to this repetitive, revolving wheel through our actions (karma). The object of the game is to gain enough wisdom about the nature of things so as to escape an eternity of repeating the wheel of life-events, again and again, all thanks to our accidental or deliberate unwisdom. Good luck as you examine deep causes and do your best to find liberation from the wheel (moksha) and bliss in your life (ananda). Every day is a new chance to walk a different path!
Yes, indeed! I will definitely seek out a different path. But it won’t be a quest for love. If love is my destiny, it is going to have to find me. I can, and will, be happy without it.
I made a drunken post on Facebook Monday saying “I wasn’t expecting a broken heart for Christmas this year.” Well, that got some reactions and hug emojis, but my favorite comment was from Carol, aka, ex-wife #3:
Carol: get a doll
Me: haha. A living doll?
Carol: if it’s living it will leave too.
Me: yeah. Sad but true.
Carol: it’s ok. I think the part you like is the falling “in love”. As long as they keep leaving you get to keep falling over and over. Win-win.
Me: wow. That’s a good way to look at it. Thanks!
Me: I think I love you!
Carol: You’ll get over it.
Funny shit. On a more serious note, Carol also said the root of my failures is: “because he keeps dating out of his age group and has nothing in common with them socially, economically, religiously, etc.” Yeah, some of my commenters have said the same.
Anyway, my Day 2 Without Her was pretty much like my days were before her.
I got a haircut. Went to a new barber and told him/her (a ladyboy) “just a trim”. Came out looking like I had joined the Army. Oh well, it will grow back. Oddly enough, the bargirls seemed to all like it, saying I look younger. Hmm.
After the barber, I visited Hideaway bar to see Joy (the cute 23-year-old from Finger Monkey). Bought her a couple of drinks and slipped her some Christmas money so she can buy presents for her kids. She was looking pretty cute, perhaps a sign that my recovery is in progress.
Next stop was Alley Cats for the darts tournament.
A first-place finish gave me something to smile about.
While I was at Alley Cats I got a message from someone named Ricardo saying he was coming to my house at 5:00 and would I be home. I said no, I have darts. And who are you? Duh, it was my landlord. Wasn’t expecting a visit from him because he lives in Singapore. Home for the holidays and he wanted to do a meet and greet with me. Sorry!
But he left this bounty of a Christmas gift with my helper. Yeah, I’m impressed. Much nicer than my former landlord, that’s for sure!
After darts, my pal Kevin joined me for dinner and more beer at the Outback. Had some good Fish and Chips and chatted with the bartender, Bhel. She is the one I helped out with with surgery expenses. It was good to see her recovered and back at work.
And oh yeah, shopping at Royal. I’ve been hearing about the inflation spiral in the USA and got to witness it first hand in the cheese section:
Those prices are 50% higher than they were a year ago. Now, you do pay a premium for imported products, but this is ridiculous. Let’s go, Brandon!
Alright, this is my Wacky Wednesday. Need to head out for my hike with the Walkers, then rush home, shower up, and head to Baloy for dart league. It’s our last match of the season, thankfully. I hate having to rush around.
That’s where I’m at at the moment. Forward! No more looking back!
Yesterday’s Hash was our annual Candy Run. Santa Claus was the Hare and he led us through the backstreets of San Isidro and Barretto as we handed out candy and treats for the neighborhood children. It’s a special day and both fun and heartwarming.
Ready to roll. Rather than ride in the Hashmobile, I walked 40 minutes out to the starting point.What has it got in those bageses? Chocolates, lots of chocolates!Cum In My Basement (who lives in my basement) walked and waited with me for the others to arrive.We had over 50 in attendance at this year’s event.Here comes Santa Claus!Looks a lot like 18 Kilo Ass, doesn’t he? Hey, if the suit fits, wear it!The Hash horde descends on the sleepy village.Kinda scary in a way.Under the watchful eye of Easter mountain.Over the river……and through the mud.Back down to Barretto.On-Home was at the VFW.Santa on the ice.Me on the ice.Who you callin’ naughty? Put ’em up, motherfucker!
Anyway, it was a good Hash even if I was in a shitty mood. Drank until they loaded the ice chests into the Hashmobile, then I walked across the street and drank some more at Cheap Charlies. Hey, whatever it takes to kill the pain, right? There was a full moon to keep me company. And some thirsty bargirls.
I was just talkin’ to the moon Hopin’ someday soon that I’d be over The memory of you Too hard to hold
Went home drunk, but the sun came up this morning.
XXXX came out of the bedroom this morning carrying a bag full of the clothes she had left here. I knew at the moment she was leaving for good. I had to press her to get her to admit that fact though. As to the why, the best she could come up with was that I wasn’t happy with her. She wasn’t entirely wrong about that, but I wasn’t the one who was so willing to give up. Then again, I guess she has another option waiting in the wings.
Yesterday afternoon I went to XXXX’s place to see her. Of course, she was seated with Dick and his pals. That morning we had planned to spend some time together doing something unspecified–maybe some time at the beach or watching movies on TV. XXXX did come outside to join me but seemed distracted somehow. I asked her what she wanted to do and she didn’t have any suggestions. I asked about dinner, and she said where? I suggested Mango’s or somewhere on Baloy. She said let’s just get takeout and eat at your place.
And then it got kind of weird. She’s sitting right next to me but starts sending text messages. “You go first, I’ll meet you at your place”. I answered verbally, no, let’s go and order our food together and go home together. Another message that she wanted to leave separately. Well, I wasn’t going to fight about it then and there, but I knew this was a subject that required some serious discussion. I went to Mango’s and ordered pork chops and roast chicken for takeout. When the food was ready I texted her to meet me outside Mango’s (it’s only a block from her place). She told me to wait. So I waited. After several minutes, I texted back in frustration “where are you?”. No response. Fuck this, I walked back to her place. She was sitting outside alone. She said I ordered kebabs. Why? I’ve already got the food. About this time the kebabs came, she put them with the rest of the food and told me to go first and she would meet me at home. Whatever. I left.
I admit I was in a sour mood after she arrived. We ate in silence, then watched a movie on Netflix, and then went to bed. This morning she packed up and left me.
So, she says it’s because of my behavior as described above. Since I got angry with her it means I’m not happy in the relationship. Maybe she’s right and maybe I’m the one who should have left her. But I was willing to at least try and find a way to make it work. She wasn’t.
For I shall always let thee do,
In generous love, just what I please.
Peace comes, and discord flies away,
Love’s bright day follows hatred’s night;
For I am ready to admit
That you are wrong and I am right.
So, here’s a quick update on what’s going on with me, at least to the extent that I have a clue. More of the same for the most part, with the occasional knife twist to the heart. Anyway, I am keeping things in perspective and just trying to enjoy the ride.
Yesterday began early, with ***** arriving on my doorstep at 1:00 in the morning. It was apparent that she had been drinking which is unusual given that she consumes low-alcohol beer very slowly. She said she’d been to the Whiskey Girl bar to see the live band. And then she told the story of how she’d been coerced into attending by her mother and a friend of Dick’s. And of course, he was there too. I guess after she arrived they kept plying her with drinks until she finally found the will to escape.
Alright, I appreciated her honesty. But I wasn’t a happy camper. To begin, when I’d left her that night I was under the impression she would be following me shortly thereafter. Going somewhere else was to my thinking choosing someone else’s company over mine. And yeah, I knew Dick was using her mother as a tool to drive a wedge between us and I was sorry to see it was working. ***** continued to insist Dick was just a friend and there is nothing physical between them. I believe her, but it is disconcerting that she continues to put him ahead of me in too many ways. I did not have a restful night and was reaching the conclusion that the time for me to bail had arrived.
***** slept in and we didn’t leave the house until almost 8:00 a.m. We walked the beach to the Arizona resort and had breakfast there, then walked back on the beach to her place. We talked along the way and she reiterated her stance that Dick was a good customer and that he brought a lot of other friends with him which helps her business. It’s always good to know your relative importance in the grand scheme of things I suppose, but somehow that didn’t make me feel much better. I didn’t end things though, but in my mind, the protective barriers were going up and I was backing off.
I didn’t hear from Pearl during the day, so I messaged her late in the afternoon asking if she were hungry. She responded that she had ordered something from Papagayo, her favorite restaurant. I asked if that meant she wouldn’t be joining me for dinner and she answered with a smiley face. WTF does that mean?
I decided to visit Hideaway bar to see how my friends Joy and Jen, formerly with Finger Monkey, were getting on. I sat down at the bar and they joined me, one on either side. I’d also baked a batch of brownies which everyone seemed to enjoy. I bought them both a lady drink and settled in to enjoy my first beer of the day. Then another girl there that I didn’t recognize asked me about *****. How do you know *****, I asked. I’m her cousin, don’t you remember meeting me at her place? Oh, vaguely. The cousin also remembered me from darts and where my ex-girlfriend used to live. Small town scary! Of course, I bought the cousin a drink too. I also decided to get ahead of the curve by messaging ***** that I was at Hideaway and drinking with her cousin. ***** deleted her first response before I read it, then followed up with “just stay there and have fun.” Hmm. I then sent several follow-up messages regarding dinner and getting together later that she ignored. Her reaction seemed both weird and hypocritical to me. I had another beer then departed Hideaway moving up the highway to It Doesn’t Matter.
When I arrived at IDM, fellow Hashers Jim and Troy were seated in the outdoor section and I joined them at the counter. Ordered up a beer and it was delivered by my favorite waitress, Roan. A bit later, Scott arrived and I learned he was celebrating his 72nd birthday. Way to go, old man!
Scott’s the one with the white hair...I hope I’m doing as well as he is six years from now.
Sitting there next to Roan got me thinking yet again about those carefree days before I started down the relationship road. Yeah, it may be an empty and meaningless life without love, but then again, the lack of drama and the variety that comes with being a free man are fair compensations. A good reminder that whatever the future may bring I’ll be okay.
A couple of more beers and still no responses from ***** led me to a “fuck it, if she wants to end things she can do it to my face” decision. So, off I went to her bistro. When I arrived, ***** was seated at the outside table with three other men, one of whom I’m acquainted with. Dick was inside with the mother. I ordered a beer and sat down at the counter and I was happy to see ***** pull up a stool and join me. The other guys included me when they bought their next round of beers and I reciprocated. And that’s how things continued for the next couple of hours.
Oh, I did get roped into being the group DJ. ***** asked that I do a Bluetooth connection with her sound system and play music from my Spotify account. At the table the discussion turned to classic rock and talented guitar players, and I was besieged with song requests to play. No problem. It was actually kind of fun. Dick came out after a while and joined the group at the table, He also had some song requests and things were amicable between us throughout the evening.
I’d reached my consumption limit (perhaps exceeded it some) at 10:00 and announced my departure. ***** said she’d join me later. She arrived around midnight. She told me after I left, Dick had vomited. She said she was worried for him because he has no one to take care of him when he is ill. Again, I think she is sincere in her concern, but I wasn’t interested in hearing it. I went back to sleep while she was showering.
I was up at my usual 4:30 a.m. to start my morning rituals. I also baked up a batch of blueberry muffins for breakfast. When I had finished my chores, I took one of those pills I bought and went back to bed to cuddle with *****. When she awoke she responded to my touch and we had an amazing session. Honestly, I think she is the best I’ve ever had, and I’ve experienced well over 100 women in this life of mine. She has a passion that is so satisfying to experience.
While she was cleaning up, I took Buddy for a walk.
Oh, what a beautiful morning in the neighborhood!
When I returned home, I fried up some bacon to go with the muffins and we enjoyed a fine breakfast together. Afterward, we sat on the couch and she reiterated that her feelings for Dick were platonic, but she does really care for him as a friend. I told her I thought getting involved with him, even as a friend, was a mistake. But I also said she was a grown woman and I was not going to tell her what to do.
We kind of left the topic there because I caught a glimpse of that sweet ass and we wound up back in the bedroom for Round 2.
After we had gotten dressed again, ***** surprised me by offering to join me on my morning walk. Cool, let’s go! We had a pleasant enough hike through the backstreets of San Isidro. At one point I said something about my being willing to step aside if she decided she wanted to pursue something with Dick. I was being sincere, but she took it wrong and was offended. I pointed out that to me, that’s what love is all about–making the happiness of your partner more important than your own. Recited something from that old “if you love someone, let them go…” saying and she seemed more accepting. She reassured me again that they were just friends.
We did have a little excitement towards the end of our hike. We were on a back street in Alta Vista and as we passed the only house on the block, a couple of dogs came out through the fence barking aggressively. Pearl was a little scared, but my mailman experience taught me to respond to aggression with more aggression and most dogs witl back off. What you don’t want to do is turn your back on them, and these dogs were inching closer as we tried to move up the road. I turned around to face them, pulled off my ball cap, and started yelling and waving it around. And then the Filipina owner came out and instead of controlling her dogs, started yelling and cussing at me to leave her dogs alone. Well, that pissed me off and I started yelling back at her to keep her dogs in the yard. It went on like that back and forth for a bit, and I guess I made some kind of face at her, then we walked on. As we passed the shack where the guards live one was outside and I told him what happened. He said he’d speak with the woman. Okay, good enough.
And just a few minutes ago, my helper said the guard had some questions for me and was waiting outside. I walked out to find two guards, the woman I had the confrontation with, and her partner (they are a lesbian couple, not that it matters). Anyway, we began by reiterating the events that led to our disagreement–she thought I was trying to hurt her dogs and I said I was just trying to keep them away. Then she said she was sorry for being so aggressively loud and I apologized for the misunderstanding of her intentions and my rude behavior. We shook hands and that was that.
After our hike, ***** went on her way to the business with the promise of joining me this afternoon for whatever activities we want to share. And as I sat down to write this post my phone rang and it was *****. She told me she was going to get Dick some medicine. I responded, “okay, then.” She ended the call with a see you later. Whatever that means.
An interesting evening yesterday. The things that were revealed were not of Biblical proportions, but they may have served a beneficial purpose nonetheless. Here’s how it went down.
Pamela had indicated she’d have some free time away from work and I had my sights set on taking her out for a proper dinner at The Pub. She sent me a message around 4:30 that she was heading home to shower and change. Good stuff. I went to Cheap Charlies to do my bar review (see previous post). When that task was complete, I crossed the highway and visited It Doesn’t Matter to score some drugs.
Maybe that last statement requires a bit more explanation. I’d previously encountered a street vendor there selling tadalafil and I needed wanted some. After all, I’m a 66-year-old man with a 28-year-old girlfriend. I’d actually been prescribed this drug back in Korea for my enlarged prostate. Hard to find here though. Anyway, it was the first time in 40-plus years that I’d acquired drugs from a street dealer. Of course, who knows what you are really getting when you make a purchase in this manner. I tried one last night and Pamela had no complaints.
My regular waitress, Roan, wasn’t working yesterday. She was taking the day off after getting the jab. Good luck with that! Another waitress I had met previously when she worked at Dive In, filled in for Roan at keeping me company. We were talking about her old bar and she happened to mention one of the regular customers there, some guy named “Dick”. Small world, eh? I asked her if she liked Dick (excuse the double entendre) and she shook her head no. Why not? I asked. She said he was too “hands-on” and told about the time he’d grabbed one of the girls by her pussy. That was certainly consistent with what I’d been told by others. You know, as friendly and flirty as I might get with the bargirls, I NEVER touch them in an inappropriate manner. Hey, I’m an HR professional (retired) after all.
After a couple of more beers at IDM, I decided to make my way over to Pamela’s place and wait for her there. When I arrived, Dick was inside with a couple of his buddies and Pamela’s mom. I sat outside. I didn’t want to be drunk when Pearl finally arrived, so I ordered a coffee. Pearl finally messaged me at 6:30 that she was on her way. She told me to just go to The Pub and order take out and we’d eat at her place. I didn’t like that idea much, so I just kept my seat and waited to discuss the matter further in person.
About this time, two young women who appeared to be bargirls came in to order some food to go. I don’t know if Dick knew them or not, but he stood up and grabbed the cute one by the arms and attempted to drag her over to his table. She strongly resisted that effort, yanked herself free, and took a seat as far away from Dick as possible. Good for her! Then Dick moves his chair over to her table so he can sit beside her. Now, I’m outside looking in, but she did not look too pleased about it. I didn’t see any interaction between them at all before she left with her friend. Watching Dick do the shit I’d been hearing about was pretty disturbing. He certainly revealed his true nature and character.
I also had an epiphany. Dick is no threat to me or my relationship with Pamela. Pamela is actually quite conservative and I don’t believe she would ever consider dating a loser like Dick. I think she tolerates him because he brings a lot of business to her place but that’s the extent of it. Now, I very well may fuck things up with her, but it won’t be because of him.
Pamela finally arrived and I told her what happened. She didn’t seem surprised. She did ask why I hadn’t gone for the food, and I said it would be nicer if we ate together in the restaurant. She insisted that we do that another time, so I gave up and went to The Pub alone. Pamela wanted barbeque or grilled meat. John Kim had posted on Facebook that he was serving grilled pork ribs. That sounded perfect! Alas, when I arrived John told me they had already sold out. He was very surprised by how popular that item proved to be. Oh well.
As I perused the menu for alternatives, I decided to get creative. I ordered some salmon maki from the sushi bar, a ribeye steak (with steamed veggies and roasted taters), bulgogi and rice, and some Korean-style chicken wings. Carried them back to Pamela and she was very happy with my selections (except the wings, but they were for me anyway). We sat about dining together at the outside table in full view of Dick who was still seated inside. Before we were done eating, Dick departed for a new venue with Pamela’s mother in tow.
Mission accomplished. There can be no doubt in Dick’s twisted mind now that Pamela is indeed my girl. We also headed to my house before Dick returned which clearly underscored the traditional nature of our date–dinner and boom-boom. Yeah, baby! If there is any remaining concern in my mind it is the obvious (to me) attempt to win the mother over and have her try and influence Pamela on his behalf. Pamela’s mom did call her after we were back at my place and told her Dick was crying again. Poor baby! Pamela also reassured me that her mother never attempts to influence her decisions and choices. Okay then, it’s all good.
Regular readers will recognize Cheap Charlies as one of my most frequented hangouts. I’ve been spending time at various other venues around town more often these days, but CC is still a once or twice a week occasion.
It’s an upstairs bar which means climbing these steps to visit. And coming down them after a few beers can also be challenging.More girls than customers these days, a dilemma many bars are facing. They need the tourists back in the country.A friendly and welcoming staff to serve you.
As the name implies, beer is a bargain at 60 pesos. Lady drinks are 120 pesos. The music is good, played at a reasonable volume, and song requests are welcome. You can even watch the music videos on the big screen TV if that’s your thing. I personally prefer watching the world go by outside.
So what if it’s the National Highway instead of something more scenic and serene. It’s always interesting just seeing what’s happening outside. Oh, that yellow building across the street is known as The Maze, a bar complex. Pre-pandemic it hosted six bars. Only three remain now. It does house Sit-n-Bull, one of the best restaurants in town as well. And don’t be like Sleepy Joe and call it Sit-n-Bowl. I also enjoy looking out at the moutnatins that surround Barretto and recalling my many adventures on various walkabouts. That’s the Kalaklan ridge I frequently mention here off in the distance.
I’ve been a customer at Cheap Charlies for going on four years now, so it’s one of those places where everyone knows my name. I even know some of their names.
Like Alma, one of my favorites. She’s more sweet than cute, but that’s fine by me. She’s a Muslim girl which is a pretty unusual thing to find in a bar.There’s two sides to every man, and Amy sits on my other side. Doesn’t talk much, but fetches my drinks faithfully and gives a nice shoulder rub.
Cheap Charlies is just a regular drinking bar–no pool, no darts, and the girls are not available for “take-out”. The other kind of hunger can be satiated with some tasty grub from Foodies, the downstairs restaurant. I frequently treat my faithful drinking companions with a meal from there.
Suffice to say, I’m very comfortable at Cheap Charlies and I almost always enjoy my time here.
