I was checking to see if I’d previously used “Showdown” as a post title, and the search results included something from August 2018 called “Every F’n Day!” Ha! That was my first rainy season. You’d think I’d be used to it by now, but your patience runs thin when there is no respite from the daily drenchings. Especially when you almost get drowned trying to drown your sorrows.

My timing sucked when I departed for the SOB yesterday. Just a few blocks from home, the wind and rain came down upon me like God’s wrath. An umbrella was worthless in these circumstances, and so I sought shelter from the storm.

When I finally arrived at Sloppy Joe’s, my feet were wet from wading through puddles, but I was otherwise unscathed. I had a few beers with the regular crowd while waiting for Alaska to open at five. When the time arrived, I moved next door and settled into a front-row seat for the show.

It was the typical SOB performance, although some of the dancers had changed since the last time I attended. It was also the first time I’d seen the new bar, La Oficina, perform and they did a nice job. Here are the results of the contest:

Good job to all the ladies for their entertaining efforts.

The entry fee for the SOB is 750 pesos. That price includes all you can drink from six until eight p.m. I take pride in the fact that I always drink my money’s worth! So, by the time I left after the performance, I was feeling no pain. Then I ran into fellow Hashers Jim, Troy, and Simon, who invited me to join them at Cheap Charlies, and I impulsively agreed. They later continued their bar crawl, but I ended my night after two more beers and headed home.

I’d say a new day dawned, except I’ve not seen the sun for over a week. Swan is still not feeling well, but she invited me over for coffee anyway.

After coffee, there was a break in the rain, and I decided to see how far I could get on my standard Saturday solo stroll. Surprisingly, the rain held off for the first 6K, and I actually ended up enjoying an otherwise dull street walk. It’s funny how being denied a simple pleasure can enhance its value.

Facebook memories carried me back to this date in 2016 to remind me of the time I brought my Korean girlfriend, Eun Oke, with me for a visit to the Philippines.

There’s a funny story behind that picture. When we entered the bar, it was very late (we had just flown in from Seoul), and we were the only customers. I guess the dancers had never seen a Korean FEMALE before, and they all came down from the stage for a closer look. She was like a rock star, and the girls were touching her arms and hair and talking about K-Pop and K-dramas and such. Then Eun Oke announced, “Buy them all a drink!” I leaned over and whispered, “Eun Oke, you are supposed to pick one girl to drink with.” She didn’t care and repeated her demand, so I bought them all a drink. The next morning, Eun Oke asked me, “So, how much did we spend last night?” I responded almost a hundred dollars. “And how much do we spend when just you and I go out in Seoul?” I laughed and said, usually a hundred dollars. So, she made the girls happy and recognized the bargain that is life in the Philippines.

Speaking of life in the PI, I saw this on someone’s Facebook post, and it was a good reminder of why I don’t drive here:

And now another Saturday night is on the horizon. I guess more of the same at the bars is in store for me, although I’d rather be with Swan. And once again, she is not available. It is weird to have finally met someone special and being lonelier than ever as a result. Is that what they mean by Karmic justice?

I had lunch alone today, but it was a good one:

Let’s see what happens next.

She came to me like a friend
She blew in on a southern wind
Now my heart is turned to stone again
There’s gonna be a Showdown

And it’s rainin’ all over the world
It’s raining all over the world
Tonight, the longest night