FRIDAY: KTV NIGHT


KTV 1: Somewhere in Malate

As I entered the establishment, the waiters started greeting me. It's a bit awkward for me since almost always, all the GRO would glance over my side. Thinking I'm a big spender or something. Actually I'm just big but I wouldn't mind the transition.

Something is wrong though. No GRO! The whole area where around 60 plus beautiful nubile ladies weren't there. I look back to the waiter and motioned my head to the empty lounge. He smiled and pointed further down the area, where all the GRO where standing around what seems to be three people. Now I know why a lot of our Muslim friends are brave enough to sacrifice themselves in a jihad.

Oh well, I'd look forward to being awkward next week then. After talking to some of the guys. Declined a shot of whisky. Had a glass of water. I left.

KTV 2: Still in Malate

Guard smiles at me and opens the door. Reminds me that they still need one more umbrella to use for the guests. I nod, made a mental note, and totally forgot about it. Until now, I guess.

Manager isn't in yet. He usually comes in around ten pm. So I talked to the assistant. In front of me is a widescreen television playing "Nais Kong Makapiling Ka". I have this urge to stand up, grab the mike and shove it in my ear hope that the sound of my brain palpitating would drown out the tune.

Too late. As I leave the place, I start humming it. All the way to:

KTV 3: Somewhere in Roxas Blvd.

Another guard again recognizes me and opens the door. He motions me to wait while he calls the manager. I sit down in the sofa. In my head, I try and fight off the urge to hum that stupid song.

It got worse.

As the guard opens the door to the bar proper, I am drowned by the song "Otso Otso". Six or seven scantily clad women are on stage dancing to the tune. Before I knew it, my brain registered it. I should have stuck to the old song.

I almost went berserk when I found out I left the very thing I was supposed to bring there. I apologize to the manager (who just got recently promoted). Shot the bull with him and left.

It would not be proper to state the obvious here but... I started humming that "Otso Otso" tune.

KTV 4: Still around Roxas Blvd.

"Tayo'y mag-otso otso. Otso-otso..."

Oh, I'm inside now. Again, the doorman recognizes me. Smiles and opens the door. His smile is somewhat disarming until I remember he was asking for a T-shirt. I sheepishly apologize and promise to actually bring one next week.

Still smiling, he motions me to one of the sofa's in the customer area. Where two women sans wardrobe were dancing on the stage. My senses just halted except for the sense of smel.. I mean sight. All traces of previous tunes, thoughts, plans, coherency in my head were immediately erased.

I sit down and had a hard time discussing business while women were going up and down the stairs, up and down the pole, and (can I be blunt?) up and down my head.

Stayed there for awhile. Declined to drink but asked for coffee. Like I need my heart to palpitate more. Manager whispers to me that the current girl dancing is half german. I have some german too, but let's not get into that.

Ten or so dancing girls later, I said my goodbyes.

This time no tunes in my head. All that was in my head are thos... never mind. You get the idea.

CONVENIENCE STORE: Gas station along Roxas Blvd.

I totally skipped the gay bar. The last thought in my brain was sort of pleasant and I don't want to mar that with an image that would torment me the whole weekend. I remind myself to bring a cap when I visit THAT bar.

So, I traipse into the convenience store and order a pack of cigarettes and a bag of M&Ms. Clerk who just woke up misunderstood what I said and gave me a pack of L&Ms. Seeing the mistake she gave me the right order. She recognizes me as one of the regular late night customers. After curt his, hellos and thank yous. I left.

HOME

As I get near the door, I notice Tess on the couch asleep. Television is on; Fashion TV. She opens her eyes and smiles. My mind just went blank and reformatted itself. Self Defense Mechanism, I suppose.

Then I start singing that "Otso Otso" song again.


Want to know what happened a couple of hours afterwards? Go over to the sequel to this post.