I opted not to attend the SOB dance competition as originally planned. I arrived at Cheap Charlies a little after 4 p.m. to await the arrival of “doors open at 5 p.m.” at Hot Zone, which is right across the highway from CC. I was somewhat surprised to see folks begin entering early, and by 4:30, that trickle had become a stream. Hot Zone is one of the smaller venues in the contest, so that didn’t bode well for me securing a preferred seat.

When it did come time for me to leave, I told Narissa I wanted to bill out. She got up and whispered something to one of the other girls, and they were laughing when she walked away. I asked what was up, and they said, “she couldn’t remember your name.” Ouch! But it was certainly a good indication of her interest level in me.

Narissa brought my change; I gave the girls all a 50 peso tip and headed to Hot Zone, arriving right at the scheduled 5:00 opening. Before I paid the entry fee, I took a look inside. As I feared, the place was already packed. There were still seats available, but I didn’t like the sardine can vibe. I’d also heard that a large group was coming in from Angeles for the show, and I reasoned that if I stayed, I might prevent an out-of-town guest from enjoying the contest. I’ll be around next week, so no big deal.

So, I was free on a Friday night, now what? I decided to treat myself to a meal at John’s place. He had posters up advertising a New Zealand ribeye promo for 695 pesos. Since I had just saved 700 pesos by bailing on the SOB, I took it as a sign of my dinner destiny.

And I was pleasantly surprised when Dr. Jo and her husband, Chris, arrived for dinner shortly after I did. We had a nice chat and some laughs while waiting on our food to be served. The Hideaway bar is practically right across the road from John’s, and while I was dining, Joy messaged that they had no customers. I told her to be patient as it was still early. She responded that she needed to earn some lady drink commissions so she could pay her electric bill. I suggested that she pray and ask God to send some business her way.

Naturally, when I finished my meal, I paid a visit to Hideaway, announcing as I entered, “God sent me.” And because I was on a mission from God, it was only fitting to treat all the girls to a drink. And so the party was on.

It wasn’t a feeding night, but the girls said they were hungry, so I sent one out for some roast chicken.

So, since I was the only customer and the girls were still talking about that country swing dancing we did during my last visit, I played all my old country favorites, singing right out loud and eventually giving a couple of them a twirl on our improvised dance floor. Good times! When it was time for me to go, I paid my hefty tab and tipped Joy enough to cover the month’s electric bill. I’m either a generous mother fucker or a sucker. Maybe a little of both.

The Friday walk was an 8k street trek. My lungs weren’t feeling up to a climb, so we took a Jeepney out to Waltermart in Subic town, then hiked the backroads home to Barretto.

Anyway, I decided to check in with my new best friend, ChatGPT, and get its opinion on whether or not I might have a drinking problem:

It depends on the quantity and frequency of your drinking, as well as the impact it has on your daily life. Consuming alcohol in moderation is generally considered safe for adults, but excessive or binge drinking can lead to a wide range of negative health consequences and can be a sign of an alcohol use disorder. If you are concerned about your drinking habits, it is important to speak with a healthcare professional or a licensed therapist.

Well, okay then. I’ll take that as a no. I consider it excessive when I wake up fully dressed, and that is very rare. Binge drinking? Hell, I take one shot of gin in a tall glass with a whole can of soda water and sip it. That’s pretty much the opposite of binging. Now, I know guys who start drinking a nine in the morning, and I never want to be like that. One of the reasons I quit the dart league was that I thought drinking at two in the afternoon was too early to imbibe. I do drink during my small window (usually five until eight or so) every day, but I don’t NEED to; I just want to until or unless something comes along that I enjoy more. I think the fact that I’m monitoring my consumption shows I’m in control. And I did give up beer in the interest of my health. As of now, I feel I’ve got it covered.

Time to prepare again for my nightly retirement party. Thanks for stopping by!