Started the day like a rich man spending big at the grocery store. Came home and took a pleasant stroll through the neighborhood. And the good news is I’ve got my appetite back, and the expulsion chamber is working again.
A typical boring Thursday, and then, at about three p.m., this happens:
I don’t recall the last time I’ve seen it come down so hard. And the lightning was right outside my window. Big bolts and immediate thunder booms were driving the dogs crazy. And it lasted long enough to flood the streets in town. It was five-thirty before it lightened up enough for us to brave an umbrella walk to Barretto.
Some light rain was still falling after we finished our meal and headed out. We agreed a visit to Cloud 69 was in order. Man, we were in for a surprise as it was nothing like our previous visits. It had apparently flooded much worse than Mango’s, and the staff was still mopping up the floors when we arrived. Our regular waitress wasn’t there, and we were served by the bakla (transgender female). Let’s just say I prefer my regular server. Anyway, Swan got a good laugh when she overheard the bakla say to one of his/her coworkers that “My balls keep falling out of my underwear.” (S)he was wearing a miniskirt, and I didn’t look to see for myself.
We were the only customers as usual, but this time the music sucked (rap) and we asked that they play some classic rock instead. To the bar’s credit, they did so. None of the dancers bothered to get up on stage, and all of the staff just sat around playing on their phones. Then another customer came in, sat down, and ordered a beer. The bakla brought it to him, and then it was all as if he wasn’t there again. In a girly bar, the point is to pretend you are glad the customer is there and hope your faux kindness will be rewarded with a lady drink. These girls couldn’t be bothered to put their phones down. The guy took about three sips of his beer, got up, paid, and then walked out with a disgusted look on his face. Can’t say that I blame him. We left shortly thereafter.
I gave Swan two nightcap options, Wet Spot or Nipsey’s, which are about equally distant but in different directions. She opted for Nipsey’s and off we went. Another surprise here, a pleasant one this time. A friendly welcome, and as soon as we were seated (again, the only customers), two dancers hopped on stage and began “performing.” The music was just how I like it, and included the videos on a big screen TV. Jam, the person I knew on our last visit, wasn’t working, but one of the dancers greeted me by name. We called them both down to join us for a lady drink. It turns out that the one who knew my name used to work on the Kokomo’s floating bar, and last night was her first at Nipsey’s. Welcome aboard. Swan had a nice chat with the gals in Tagalog, and I just chilled, enjoying my beers and the vibe. The mood warranted buying a second round of lady drinks, and that’s just what I did.
When it was time to depart, I asked for my tab, and the waitress brought a bill for 1980 pesos. That seemed high to me, but I was buzzed enough not to care. Swan asked the girls how much the lady drinks cost (the standard 180 pesos each). I apparently had five beers, and Swan had one wine. Swan used the calculator on her phone and totaled our bill, which came to 1560 pesos. We called the waitress back over and told her our bill (which I had already paid) was wrong. The waitress consulted the cashier and then brought us the refund for the difference. So, was it an attempted scam or an honest mistake? I have no way of knowing, but it is a good reminder always to double-check what you are being charged.
Oh, and our waitress was wearing this t-shirt:
Anyway, it was a more interesting than usual night on the town and we enjoyed ourselves. That’s what it’s all about.
Today’s entry from the July 2009 LTG archives is the after-action report from my Bali adventure. Looking back now, I’m surprised I never returned for a follow-up visit. It’s an amazing place. I also found myself wondering why I didn’t seriously consider it as a potential retirement destination. I think I rejected it primarily because I was uncomfortable with Indonesia’s Muslim domination and rules. The other thing that struck me from those old Bali posts was how people who are important to you ultimately disappear from your life. Tom and Yuli were two of my best friends when we lived in Korea, and we stayed in touch via Facebook for years after they went back to the USA. At some point, Tom decided he didn’t like my political viewpoints and unfriended me. I guess there is no better way to show how little my friendship mattered. The other thing that made me sad, of course, was remembering how happy I was sharing my life with Jee Yeun. I’ll never get over losing her.
Twelve years ago, I was living another life and enjoying time in my backyard with the grandkids.
Let’s lighten things up with a Mikey Bustos YouTube video today. In this parody song, he tells the story of the Filipino rejection of Spanish culture, starting with the slaying of Magellan. Good stuff!
And now for some more:
Good medicine!
Life goes on, so I’d better get to it.
I may have posted this song before, but I like it. Of all the big-name bands I saw live growing up in Southern Cal, ELO put on the best show.
Anyway, Swan got a good laugh when she overheard the bakla say to one of his/her coworkers that “My balls keep falling out of my underwear.” (S)he was wearing a miniskirt, and I didn’t look to see for myself.
Do they eat a lot of baklava in the PI?
My son can’t be bothered to send a Father’s Day greeting these days.
How many years has that been going on? Your comments about your son’s uncommunicativeness strike me as fairly recent.
I hope you left her a pearl necklace!
Both of those speech balloons are pointing at the woman! Is she talking to herself?
One of my major complaints about memes that use speech balloons is that people seem to have no idea how to draw or use them correctly.
1. The bubble part: Don’t make the text touch the edge of the bubble. Align the text so that it floats in the center of the bubble (shrink the text if you have to). No text should ever stray outside of the bubble. Don’t let the bubble dominate the image.
2. The tail part: (a) Don’t draw the tail so that the end of it sits right on the speaker’s mouth. In fact, keep the tail off the speaker’s face. (b) Point the tail at the speaker’s head. Don’t make the tail too narrow or too fat.
3. Remember that, in English, text is read naturally from left to right, and from top to bottom. Order & arrange your speech balloons that way, not backwards.
4. Proofread the English inside your speech balloons.
May the rest of your week, and your weekend, be diarrhea-free. And may Swan enjoy whatever lovely, perceptive gift(s) you gave her for her birthday.