Not saying it was a bad day necessarily; just a little bit off. I supposedly had a doctor’s appointment with an ENT specialist in Olongapo at 8:30 a.m., but when I arrived, I was told the doctor wouldn’t be in until 11:00. Apparently, there was a miscommunication with my helper, who confused office hours with the doctor’s hours. The way it works with most physicians is you show up and are seen on a “first come, first served” basis. Bullshit. I’m not sitting around for a couple of hours to see a doctor–give me an appointment, and I’ll be there. I know, I know, take a deep breath, relax, and accept the Filipino way. Hmm, nope, still not gonna do it.

Things didn’t get much better come evening time. The last time I visited Mugshots, the bartender said she was craving some of my brownies. I honestly didn’t recall ever bringing brownies there, but I promised her would bring some on a future visit. With nothing specific in mind for my night out, I set about keeping my word and baked up a batch. Now, I seem to recall that Mugshots opened late afternoon, so I was planning to share the brownies and try their food, which I’d seen receive positive reviews. I arrived around 5:00, and they were closed. Now what? I started to walk another block to Blue Butterfly but changed my mind. It’s not on my regular circuit, and I just wasn’t feeling it. Cheap Charlies seemed like a good fit, but I wanted to avoid the drama with Nerissa I experienced on my previous visit. Well, I decided that it was within my power to do so, and off I went. I honestly figured Nerissa wouldn’t bother to bother with me anyway.

As soon as I sat down, Nerissa came and sat next to me. I gave her a polite greeting and proceeded to ignore her. Once again, she didn’t express any regrets about ending our budding friendship so abruptly, and I really had nothing else to say to her (nor any poems to recite). After a bit, she took the hint and moved away to another stool. I had a couple of drinks alone (my other regulars weren’t working), then paid my tab and left. I still don’t understand the situation with her, and I’m a little pissed at myself for even caring. But whatever, I’m moving on.

I walk back to Mugshots, and they still aren’t open. Oh well, I guess it was just not meant to be brownie night there. I turn around and head up the highway, and figure The Green Room will be a place I can drink and order some grub from Sit-n-Bull. I’m far from a regular there, but it is still a friendly place. I order my drink and see that someone is having a birthday party, and the girls are all partaking in the cake. My poor brownies just can’t catch a break! The Sitn-n-Bull waitress arrives, and I decide to dine on a pork steak. I also get the waitresses in my section a pizza to share (cheaper than lady drinks!). I finish my food and drink(s), then me and my brownies depart.

Where to next? I had just been to Whiskey Girl the night before, but I figured Jenn would be a suitable recipient of my brownies gift. She was nowhere to be seen when I arrived, but another waitress fetched her for me. She said she had been eating, and I told her to go back and finish her meal. She refused and plopped down next to me. I told you she was sweet!

I got a message from my pal Ron that he was going to Snackbar at 8:00. I responded that I’d had just about enough to drink, but I’d join him there for one on my way home. When I arrived, he wasn’t there. But my former love was, though. Cuddled up with her new husband. At least she took it outside, so it wasn’t in my face. I had a drink to drown my sorrows, bought one for my three favorites, then grabbed a trike for home.

What a day. Well, they all can’t be good ones, and I suppose it could have been worse. Hopefully, it will be a more pleasant experience feeding the girls at Hideaway tonight.

Oh, Facebook memories shared these photos I took of the National Highway in Barretto in March 2020:

Looking on the bright side of the scamdemic, at least it was easy to cross the road without the need to dodge trikes, jeepneys, and crazy drivers. Of course, there was no need to cross the street because every fucking thing had been shut down for the lockdown.

Those were the days, eh?

It was Sunday, and it went like this:

Mary joined me in the bedroom for dessert and a nap, then she left to make more deliveries, and I headed out for the Sunday feeding at Hideaway.

I’ve made Jewel Cafe the headquarters for Sunday dinner. It’s reasonably priced, the girls seem to enjoy it, and best of all, they deliver. I just drop by on the way to Hideaway, place my order, and hit the street. Last night it was four orders of pork sisig, two orders of chicken quesadilla, two orders of chicken wings, and a pork chop for Joy. Since I’d been otherwise occupied all afternoon, I got a dozen Dunkin’ Donuts for the girl’s dessert.

I sprang for a few lady drinks, got comped on a couple of mine, and had fifty dollar bar tab when I left (dinner was another thirty). That’s livin’ large, even by my standards, but like they say, you can’t take it with you when you go.

I was feeling no pain when I left Hideaway, but I didn’t let that stop me from dodging traffic on the highway as I made my way across town. I was thinking about Alaska but liked the idea of sitting outside at Sloppy Joe’s better.

Alaska is right next door, so I made that my final destination for the night.

Here’s some other stuff I came across:

I recently made a photographic appearance on an expat forum called PI@Night. “Exploring the PI with a focus on it’s colorful nightlife, from the expat and visitor perspective.”

Then a friend back in Seoul sent me a link to an old Flickr page of photos from the Seoul International Dart League. It was quite a stroll down memory lane with faces of people I hadn’t seen for many years. Here are a couple of my favorites:

And finally, there is this:

Alright, it’s Hash Monday, and I need to grab a nap and then get ready to hike. I will be back with more excitement tomorrow. Assuming I have one.

“The most important things are the hardest to say. They are the things you get ashamed of, because words diminish them — words shrink things that seemed limitless when they were in your head to no more than living size when they’re brought out. But it’s more than that, isn’t it? The most important things lie too close to wherever your secret heart is buried, like landmarks to a treasure your enemies would love to steal away. And you may make revelations that cost you dearly only to have people look at you in a funny way, not understanding what you’ve said at all, or why you thought it was so important that you almost cried while you were saying it. That’s the worst, I think. When the secret stays locked within not for want of a teller but for want of an understanding ear.”

Stephen king

So, about last night. I hadn’t visited It Doesn’t Matter in quite some time, so I decided I’d start out there. I’m not sure why, but the vibe just felt different somehow, and not in a good way. Maybe it was just me. I decided to change things up with a visit to Cheap Charlies.

My longtime favorite, Alma, was back after taking time off to be with her visiting American boyfriend. She gave me a warm greeting and took my drink order. I was a little surprised when Nerissa pulled up a chair beside me. Well, she may not like me, but I guess earning a drink commission is still a priority. At first, I gave her a bit of a cold shoulder treatment, but after a couple of drinks, I lightened up some. I showed her a message I’d sent her after our last meeting that she hadn’t responded to, and she told me that’s not an active account. I reminded her I was blocked on the other one, and she just shrugged. For whatever reason, I felt compelled to recite some poetry from memory. This was the first one:

I ask but one thing of you, only one,
That always you will be my dream of you;
That never shall I wake to find untrue
All this I have believed and rested on,
Forever vanished, like a vision gone
Out into the night. Alas, how few
There are who strike in us a chord we knew
Existed, but so seldom heard its tone
We tremble at the half-forgotten sound.
The world is full of rude awakenings
And heaven-born castles shattered to the ground,
Yet still our human longing vainly clings
To a belief in beauty through all wrongs.
O stay your hand, and leave my heart its songs!

–Amy Lowell

The other girls seemed impressed. Nerissa just sat there with a blank expression. I don’t know why I can remember all the lines in a poem, but I am lucky to remember my name sometimes. Since I was on a roll, this poem came to mind:

Let it be forgotten, as a flower is forgotten,
Forgotten as a fire that once was singing gold,
Let it be forgotten for ever and ever,
Time is a kind friend, he will make us old.

If anyone asks, say it was forgotten
Long and long ago,
As a flower, as a fire, as a hushed footfall
In a long forgotten snow.
–Sara Teasdale

Reciting poems in a bar with loud music in the background is a pretty foolish thing to do, and I was not quite drunk enough to continue the effort. But when Nerissa came back from the CR and sat down on the other side of me, I leaned over towards her so I could speak privately. Then I began reciting the Stephen King quote from above. Nerissa stopped me about halfway through and said, “why do you quote poems instead of just saying what’s on your mind?” I guess I realized then that I was wasting my breath on her, so I ceased the effort to determine if there was any friendship left to salvage.

I had ordered some food from the restaurant downstairs, and when it arrived, I shared it with my bargirl crew.

I departed Cheap Charlies, crossed the highway, and pulled up a chair in Wet Spot. I spent some time with owner Dave and met a couple of new folks. I must have overdosed on gin and sodas because I’d forgotten all about seeing Mary’s school friend, a dancer at Wet Spot until I uploaded the photos from my phone camera this morning.

Whatever. Even though I’m embracing the mantle of “player,” I wouldn’t mess around with the friend of someone I’m seeing. I don’t recall doing anything to piss her off, and I assume I bought her a lady drink, but who knows? The look on her face doesn’t convey a “nice to see you” vibe.

I made it home safe and sound, and we’ll see what happens next. Mary has a little sideline business selling snack foods, and I ordered some cookies to hand out on my hikes. She is supposed to be delivering them to me this afternoon. Then, later on, I’ll do the Sunday feeding at Hideaway.

And the wheel in the sky keeps on turning.

That’s how my day was. See for yourself.

I mentioned in yesterday’s post that Mary wanted to join me when she finished an after-school event. She sent me these photos:

I had planned to start my night out at Cheap Charlies. And on a whim, I’d even baked up a batch of brownies to share with the girls there. But as I walked into town, I decided I didn’t want to have any drama around Nerissa, so I set a course for Hideaway instead. I know they like my brownies there. Everyone was surprised to see me come in on a Friday night, especially Joy. So, the brownies were dispensed, some lady drinks were purchased, and I, of course, downed some gin and sodas. And then Mary messaged that she was on her way, so I said farewell to the Hideaway crew and headed out.

I was ready for some food, and since John’s place was in close proximity, I told Mary to meet me there. We headed upstairs together, ordered some drinks (we both do the gin and soda combo now), and perused the menu. Mary professed not to be that hungry, so I ordered the beef bulgogi for us to share and an order of Korean-style chicken wings. The bulgogi comes with rice, and to my surprise, Mary said she doesn’t like rice. She’s the first Asian I’ve met who feels that way. So, I substituted the rice with cole slaw.

After our meal, I took Mary to Bar Barretto to hear some live music. Alas, the band was not due to start for another hour, so we went next door to Mugshots instead. It’s a cozy little bar I haven’t been to for quite a while. We were the only customers, and Mary and the bartender chatted away in Tagalog. Mary told me later that the bartender mentioned she was only the second woman she had seen me with (the other being my long-ago ex, Marissa). I guess that makes me a part-time player. But it also goes to show that gossip amongst the gals is a really big thing in these parts.

I’d had my fill of alcohol by now, so we took a trike back to my place. I made us a smoothie, and the next thing I remember is waking up next to Mary in the wee hours of the morning. She woke up too, and was feeling frisky. A nice way to start the day!

I baked some banana-walnut muffins to go with our morning coffee; then, it was time to walk the dogs.

After the walk, I made us a breakfast burrito (well, it was my regular burrito, I just served it for breakfast). That went down well, too. Mary took the TV remote and started playing some tunes on the YouTube channel. I commented on the fact that the music she was enjoying was older than she was. She agreed, saying that music from her generation was too crude for her taste, and she preferred hearing the songs her grandparents had played.

When it was time to go, I told Mary she could join me at the Savers Appliance store and pick out a refrigerator for her house. She was, of course, pleasantly surprised. One thing that I appreciate about Mary is that she doesn’t ask for or seem to expect cash from me. I don’t give her money after our dates because I don’t like the feeling of our time together being on a quid pro quo basis. I was happy to gift her a fridge I knew she needed, knowing it would make her life a little easier.

While we were shopping at Savers, Mary’s grandmother, who lives nearby, came to the store to see Mary and meet me.

If I recall the story correctly, the grandmother’s father is an African-American Navy vet who was stationed here in the 1960s. It’s a funny world.

The shopping experience at Savers was not very pleasant because everything took forever to process, and none of it made any sense to me. Mary reminded me to remain calm and remember that I was in the Philippines. Of course, yes, I needed to accept the Filipino way. In addition to the refrigerator, I bought Mary a microwave oven. That should make her kitchen time more convenient too.

Oh, Mary told me that her grandmother had asked her three times now if I was her boyfriend. Mary told her, “not yet,” which was something of a relief. I told Mary I’m not into labels like “BF/GF and all the baggage and expectations that come with those terms. I said I have enjoyed her company and spending time with her, and that was enough for me. She put a heart emoji on that comment, so hopefully, we are on the same page. Hey, I’m a “player,” after all; I can’t go around calling someone my girlfriend!

Here’s a quick post about My Date With Mary.

As I’ve mentioned, one of the things I find most attractive about Mary is she is a smart girl. Of course, smart girls tend to think for themselves and can sometimes be very willful. So, once Mary has her mind made up, there’s no changing it. She had it in her mind that she was going to spend the night with me. What could I do?

I suggested we start with some drinks, then have dinner, and I’d bring her home after. Those terms were acceptable to her, so we agreed to meet on the rooftop at BarCelona at 5:00 p.m. I chose BarCelona because it has some nice views and also because it is a bar I don’t frequent regularly…i.e., I wouldn’t have to deal with the prying eyes of one of my regular bargirls and any jealousy that may ensue.

Mary arrived about fifteen minutes late, which is what is known as “Filipina time.” In her defense, she was coming from Kalaklan, and catching a Jeepney on the highway at that time of day can be a pain as many are filled with passengers coming home from work in Olongapo City. I was on my second drink when she entered the bar.

I was a little surprised when Mary told me this was only the second time she had been inside a bar–the first being when I took her to Alaska Club for the SOB a couple of weeks ago. She ordered water and a coke, which is her choice, and I’m quite capable of drinking enough for the two of us.

We had some chit-chat and ordered a second round of drinks. I asked Mary where she would like to eat dinner, and she said, “I want the chicken fingers at Sit-n-Bull. Alrighty, then. We’ll save those ribeyes at John’s place for another time. Mary has a schoolmate who works at Wet Spot, and Sit-n-Bull delivers to Wet Spot, so I suggested we go there and visit her friend. Mary was up for that idea, and Wet Spot was right downstairs from us, so off we went. That makes three bars for Mary now if you are keeping score.

We grabbed an open table and settled in, only to discover that Mary’s friend wasn’t working, which is very unusual for a Saturday night. Oh, well. My regular waitress came and greeted us and took our drink orders. Mary had another soft drink, I had more gin and soda, and I also bought mywaitress a drink. The Sit-n-Bull waitress came by with a menu, and we ordered some grub. I did a roast beef dip, Mary got her chicken fingers (plus an order to go), and I bought a pizza for the waitresses to share.

And then things get a little fuzzy. I kept drinking; the manager, Bret, sent me over a drink on the house. A bit later, owner Dave came in and bought me a drink too. Mevelyn, the cute little dancer I barfined a while back for “cuddling only,” was onstage, and Mary thought she looked like a girl from her school, so I called her down to join us. It wasn’t the same girl Mary knew, but I got her a drink anyway. It turns out she is moving back home to the province next week. Good luck to you, sweetie.

Mary and my waitress asked if they could do tequila shots, and who was I to say no? Even if they do cost 200 pesos a pop. I think they both had two, but by now, I was over my gin capacity and in no condition to count. But it wasn’t long afterward that Mary and I were in a trike heading home.

I made us a smoothie (banana, strawberry, mango, and pineapple), and we hit the hay shortly after. Well, rolled in it. I know I woke up with a sweet young thing next to me, and it was very nice for a change to have a warm body sharing my bed.

Mary joined me on the dog walk then I made us some breakfast–cheese quesadilla, tuna salad (as requested by my guest), tortilla chips, and salsa. By all appearances (disappearances?), she enjoyed her morning meal.

Mary is crazy about the salsa I use, so I gave her a jar to bring home.

And then it was time to end our time together. I offered to walk her home to Kalaklan (about 4K up the highway), but she declined, saying she preferred the Jeepney. I walked with her out of the neighborhood, spotted a trike, and sent her home in style.

Mary wanted to come over and have lunch with me yesterday. I didn’t really have anything on hand to prepare a proper lunch and suggested we meet up at a restaurant instead. But Mary insisted that anything would be fine, and so I relented. She arrived shortly after noon, and I served cheese nachos with salsa and tuna salad for our meal. She seemed to enjoy it.

After lunch, we had dessert in the bedroom and then a nap in each other’s arms. It felt nice holding her. Given what Mary has been through, I don’t think I’ll suggest being her “Sugar Daddy.” Still, I’ve told her I’m willing to support her continued education and encouraged her to prioritize her studies over work (she’s been looking for a job as a housekeeper). I gave her some cash to pay expenses for the semester that starts today.

Around 4:00, I walked Mary down to the highway, where she caught a Jeepney for her home in Olongapo City. Then I headed to Jewel Cafe to order some grub for the Sunday feeding at Hideaway Bar. I like Jewel for its reasonable prices and that they offer free delivery–I appreciate not having to sit around waiting on my order. I did go a little overboard, though, as my food bill was around 2000 pesos.

I had a few drinks, bought a few, played some pool (Joy kicked my ass again!), then I said good night and headed on up the highway.

My Fitbit says I was asleep at 8:30. I’m such a lightweight these days. Well, maybe lightweight is the wrong word. At yesterday’s weigh-in, I was dishearted to see I had GAINED a half pound last week. Hopefully, that was an aberration.

Facebook memories provided a glimpse of how I was looking in years gone by:

My internet time also revealed this article listing eleven Hollywood movies that were filmed here in the Philippines. I’d heard of some of them, most famously Apocolypse Now, which was filmed nearby. Others I had no clue about. It might be fun to give some of them a watch and see if there is anything I recognize.

And here it is, Hash Monday once again. Scott is making his return from a broken ankle today on a modified and shortened version of the Hare’s trail. I’m going to join him so he won’t be out there alone. Truthfully, I was debating whether I wanted to do a long trail that is starting all the way out in Subic town. When I saw what Scott had in mind as an alternative, I liked it. I will walk the 3K to the start of Scott’s trail to add some distance to today’s effort.

Full report on how it goes tomorrow.