"Stewart", Part 1

Since my split up with “Air” last October, I’ve been going to “Kingdom Come” with my trusty skemperkada. After sixteen or so boys I’ve met this past year, I noticed that I’ve been very picky with selecting boys.

I tabled “Carlos Magdangal” on my first visit in late November. I thought he was a catch – young, resembled a popular young actor, smooth-talker – until he asked me that same night to bagsak 25 drinks as points for the big event “Mr. Kingdom Come 2010” where he participated as contender. Too fast. Masyadong presko. Then came “Cole”, who was all sweet and charming, but whom I couldn’t really connect with. After those two, I thought I would never meet anyone good enough from that bar. Then jackpot, I was introduced to “Stewart”.

23, boyish, lean, tall, lanky, clean-cut hair parted sideways. He can carry a good conversation. Varied topics. Not the typical MD-guest conversations. Only a few dead air moments. Witty. Never awkward. Never pushy. Only slightly bolero. Nice innocent smile. Shares his personal photos in his phone. No regular guest (good, no competition!) Good head on his shoulders. No turn off traits so far.

Inside the bar, to loosely quote Rihanna, he could make me feel like I’m his only guest in the world. I was so in-like.

But I have a feeling though he just treats me as a guest, nothing more. I don’t know, but he doesn’t seem to put much effort in reaching out to me outside the context of the bar. He rarely initiates text messages, which is so different from Hobbes, who manages to contact me often. We can go on for days without any contact. He’s the first macho dancer who didn’t send a text message during my travels abroad. Even if I am in town, I never got the invitation to meet up outside. I was resigned to the fact that, yes, I might just be a customer and nothing else.

To be continued...

(Names here are not their actual bar names, which are also pseudonyms to protect their real identities. All names here have been tweaked a bit – with an added little hint on their bar names).