Sorry for yesterday’s cryptic post, but sometimes things just don’t go the way you’d like them to. My Thursday was weird in many ways, starting with sleeping in until almost 6 a.m. (I’m normally up between four and five). That threw all my routines off schedule. By the time I headed out for my weekly solo “long” walk, it was a little after nine. It was hot again, and I got about a block away and said, “fuck this,” and came back home.
The big bad event was a relationship issue that managed to trigger us both for different reasons. While from my perspective, her actions were inappropriate, I’ll concede my response wasn’t ideal either. I walked away to my room, closed the door, and stewed in my thoughts for a while. Then I took off for a walk. When I reached the end of Baloy Beach, I decided drinking some beer would meet my needs better than walking. It was only one o’clock, three hours ahead of my normal consumption schedule, but desperate times call for desperate measures.
I popped into DaKudo’s and quaffed a few Zeros. That is where I was when I posted here yesterday. I was proud of myself for figuring out how to blog from my phone, but I wasn’t up for attempting to finger-peck a lengthy tirade. Then I moved down the road and pulled up a bayside stool at Harley’s.
I didn’t keep count of the beers I downed at Harley’s, but when I ordered the last one, I checked my watch and noticed, ironically, it was now 4 p.m., my normal beer o’clock. So, I caught a trike for home, but I wasn’t done yet. Swan wasn’t there, but I filled my ice chest, grabbed a bag of Tostitos and a jar of salsa, then I headed up to The Rite Spot On The Roof to continue my journey to pain-free drunkenness.
I fired up the speaker and played a Spotify country music playlist that seemed to suit my mood. Soon enough, I was singing along between sips (gulps?) of brew. One of them was a well-timed George Strait song:
When she dealt the cards, I bet my heart.
Now I just found a game that I can’t play,
And this is where the cowboy rides away.
And my heart is sinking like the setting sun,
Setting on the things I wish I’d done.
It’s time to say goodbye to yesterday.
This is where the cowboy rides away.
And now we play the final showdown scene.
As the credits roll a sad song starts to play,
And this is where the cowboy rides away.
And my heart is sinking like a setting sun,
Setting on the things I wish I’d done.
Oh the last goodbye’s the hardest one to say,
And this is where the cowboy rides away.
I didn’t have a microphone, so I’m sure the neighbors didn’t suffer any auditory harm.
The sun was gone, but I continued drinking (and singing) alone in the dark. I lost track of the time, but it must have been around eight or so when Swan appeared on the roof and escorted me down the stairs. Of course, inebriation is inconsistent with diplomacy, but we did engage in detente, putting our issues aside for the time being and getting some much-needed peace in sleep.
Today is a new day and a new start. Hopefully, lessons have been learned, and we will be stronger together as a result. We are taking an overnight trip to Pundaquit this afternoon, and I think the getaway will be good for us. As an added bonus, I’ll have something new to blog about!
Facebook memories took me back thirteen years to my previous life as a loving grandfather:
Six years ago, I shopped at the base commissary for the last time.
Ready to Quora Q&A?
Q: When did you start to feel like the “old person” at bars?
A: When I moved from Seoul to Pyeongtaek, Korea. Seoul is, of course, a huge city filled with expats from all walks of life. We tended to hang out in the same bars in Itaewon, and I fit right in. When I moved with my job down south, my fellow bar patrons were all young soldiers from the American Army base nearby. I felt like the old person in the bars because I WAS the oldest person there.
Now that I’ve retired and moved to the Philippines, most of my fellow expats are also old retirees. I fit right in! The girls assure me that I am gwapo (handsome) and that age is just a number. Life is grand!
When these young guys from the Navy supply ships are in town, they really stand out in our old folks community. The girls seem to love having them around though, especially because they usually big spenders.
And now for some humor:
Alright, I’m looking forward to my getaway to the Hidaway. Yep, that’s the name of the resort I’m trying for the first time. Not HIDEaway, this one is Hidaway. Looking forward to a new experience staying in a Nipa hut. Here’s the picture of my room they sent me:
I’ll update you on how it goes here tomorrow.
re: “a relationship issue that managed to trigger us both for different reasons”
Still cryptic! But I won’t pry.
Good luck with the relationship-repair work. Bumps in the road are inevitable and normally surmountable… unless the trigger was some sort of deal-breaker, which it obviously wasn’t in this case. I’m hoping for lots of photos of your nipa hut.
Good Afternoon, Sir John,
As a Filippino man, I can tell you with all safely that our women can be craziest at times.
But please to remembering you are a guest in our beautiful country, and with God’s graces there can be best ways to heal the problems of love without extending to violence and assault.
We must remember Paul’s words in Ephesians 5:25, “Husbands love your wives as Christ loved the Church, and in return, she will submit to you as she will unto God.
Please heed my words, Sir John and understand strongly the power of prayer can cancel the weakness of spousal violence!
Bless you!
I hope whatever happened that there are no permanent scars, mental and otherwise. Enjoy your trip!
Mike, no worries, everything is fine. I’m trying to figure out what I said that made people think there was a physical altercation. I am NOT prone to violence, especially involving a female.
Koko, I appreciate your words of support, but I do not understand what makes you think I have or would engage in violence. I firmly believe that any man who would strike a woman is a worthless coward. I’ve been married four times and NEVER engaged in spousal abuse, at least of the physical kind. I know you don’t know me, but there was nothing in my post that would warrant an assertion that I engaged in any inappropriate contact. We had a misunderstanding, and instead of dealing with it, I walked away. That was my only sin.
Kev, yes, what doesn’t kill a relationship makes it stronger. I think we will learn and grow from this.
I’ll be posting pictures of my Nipa experience tomorrow. So far, it is everything I thought it would be and less!
Well Sir Sean Connory (RIP!) was knighted by The Queen and SIR Sean always said that if a woman gets out of line she deserves a good smack, so I think you’re in good company no matter what happened. God I miss the real Bond.
Mike, I don’t agree with Sir Connery regarding using violence to keep women in line. Just not my style.
Pagbati Sir John and thanks you for you reply.
I think I can speak for all Pinoys when we say we appreciates your confession about wonton hands and your desires to never do again. We are all God’s children, and while is created in his image, must accept we are flawed and can always make better.
If your (beauty) wife still does not accept your apology/repentance, maybe you can have a try at some classic Tagalog phrases….
“Ikaw ang sagot sa aking mga dalangin” meanings “You are d answer to my prayers”
“Blooming ka ngayon” is “You look so fresh today!”
“Ang bango mo” mean “You smells good!” but you must not say this after she return from d comfort room, Sir John, or maybe big slap again. Ha! Ha!
Blessed Saturday, my friend, and a wonderful Lord’s Day tomorrow!
Ah, it’s common in Asia to put a woman in her place a bit if she gets lippy. Just don’t be whacking female government officials or police officers and it should be fine? As they say, When in Rome….