At 430 AM this early morning, I was awakened suddenly. Too early for the crowing rooster. I heard the ringing of my cellphone. I looked at who was calling me up at that time. Booty call perhaps?
It was Phoenix*. Three missed calls from him. I looked at my other cellphone. There were two missed calls from him in that phone.
What was so urgent that he needed to call at that hour? I answered.
GBG, in a groggy tone, but still hoping for a booty call: O, tumawag ka? Ang aga-aga. (You called? It's too early).
PHOENIX, in a worried, panicky tone: Nagkagulo kanina sa bar. Si Luigi* mo, nakipag-suntukan kay Bimby*. Napa-away nga rin ako, pero kay Derek* naman. (There was a commotion in the bar earlier. Your Luigi had a fist fight with Bimby. I was also involved, but with Derek).
GBG, in a surprised, but nonchalant tone: Ah talaga? Anong nangyari? (Really? What happened?)
PHOENIX, in a calmer tone, as he tried to explain after minutes of trying to reach me: Ganito yan... (It's like this...)
According to him, it started out with Phoenix and Bimby, both drunk and seated with a big time customer, teasing Derek* while he was dancing on-stage. Phoenix had a little issue with Derek, because on the previous night, Phoenix's regular matrona customer tabled Derek. When Derek went off the stage, the tipsy Phoenix grabbed Derek and put his arm around Derek's shoulder.
Little did he know that in the other area of the dancers' dressing room, his companion dancer, Bimby, went up to Luigi and did the same thing.
It was Phoenix*. Three missed calls from him. I looked at my other cellphone. There were two missed calls from him in that phone.
What was so urgent that he needed to call at that hour? I answered.
GBG, in a groggy tone, but still hoping for a booty call: O, tumawag ka? Ang aga-aga. (You called? It's too early).
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| Who's the bigger cock now? |
PHOENIX, in a worried, panicky tone: Nagkagulo kanina sa bar. Si Luigi* mo, nakipag-suntukan kay Bimby*. Napa-away nga rin ako, pero kay Derek* naman. (There was a commotion in the bar earlier. Your Luigi had a fist fight with Bimby. I was also involved, but with Derek).
GBG, in a surprised, but nonchalant tone: Ah talaga? Anong nangyari? (Really? What happened?)
PHOENIX, in a calmer tone, as he tried to explain after minutes of trying to reach me: Ganito yan... (It's like this...)
According to him, it started out with Phoenix and Bimby, both drunk and seated with a big time customer, teasing Derek* while he was dancing on-stage. Phoenix had a little issue with Derek, because on the previous night, Phoenix's regular matrona customer tabled Derek. When Derek went off the stage, the tipsy Phoenix grabbed Derek and put his arm around Derek's shoulder.
PHOENIX, in an explanatory tone: Sinabi ko lang naman na okay lang sa akin na ma-table siya ng customer ko, pero ayaw ko na makakarinig na sinisiraan ako sa kanya. (I told him that it was okay to be tabled by his customer, but I don't want to hear you maligning me to her).Of course, Derek denied the act at first. Raising his voice until the argument became heated, Phoenix pushed the issue until Derek went soft and pleaded not to hurt him. Phoenix let go, because it seemed he made his point.
Little did he know that in the other area of the dancers' dressing room, his companion dancer, Bimby, went up to Luigi and did the same thing.
PHOENIX: Tapos, maya-maya nakita ko na lang na nagsuntukan na yung dalawa pero sandali lang. (Then, a few moments later, I just saw them punching each other only for a short time).
Phoenix was a little sketchy about the details. So I asked the source himself. After a few seconds of ringing at 5 in the morning...
GBG, in a veiled concerned tone: Luigi, balita ko napa-away ka. Anong nangyari? (Luigi, I heard you got into a fight. What happened?)
LUIGI, in an obviously shaken-up tone: Oo nga e. Si Bimby kasi lasing, nagpaparinig. Tinulak-tulak ako. Kung ano tinatawag sakin. Di ko napigilan, lumaban ako. (Yes. Bimby was drunk and throwing some innuendos at me. He was pushing me. I couldn't control myself so I fought back).
GBG, in a "not-this-again" tone: Tungkol na naman ba sa mga foreigner na babae yan? (Was this about the foreigner girl customers again?)
Oh yes. I knew about that story a few weeks ago. Those LatAm girls were Luigi's walk-in customers initially. But on their succeeding visits, those girls failed to get Luigi again even if they wanted to (maybe because he was with me at that time). Luigi didn't wish to sit with them as well, due to their malicious intent, so he suggested to them that they get other "willing" dancers. To their disappointment of not getting Luigi, they just got their second-choice dancers, which included Bimby. From then on, Luigi has been hearing negative side remarks from Bimby. The patient Luigi has been shrugging these off for weeks.
That was the same reason that caused the street brawl I was involved in last year. Ringo* and I were visiting Neighborhood* hosto bar, bringing along two macho dancer friends from another bar. Those two saw a group of young pretty Koreana guests in the bar, and approached them to get their numbers. The Neighborhood hosto boys who were seated with those Koreanas got offended and wanted an immediate action.
As our group was exiting the bar, the intoxicated hosto boys were waiting for our intoxicated macho dancer friends outside. Exchange of mean stares. Cuss words shouted. A brawl erupted. Punches thrown. Shirts torn. Bottle smashed on the head. Blood dripping. Gay bar goer in the middle trying to stop the fight. Gun shot in the air that made everything stop. At 530 in that crazy drunken morning.
And that is the same reason of many macho dancer suntukans, bugbugans, and sapakans in other gay bars. Some even lead to stabbing, more gun shots, and even death, as feasted by local news and tabloids (Macho dancer, sinaksak ng kapwa macho dancer).
These macho dancers become territorial when it comes to their regular customers, particularly the women. The jealousy is not entirely caused by whatever love or emotion they have for those customers. It's really about the steady flow of income that they might lose if that regular customer loses the attraction and changes men.
They know for a fact that these regular customers have the right to choose the dancer of their choice. But if he finds out that the reason for the change was a co-macho dancer stealing his customer from him, (also known as "sulot"), then hell will break loose. The gay bar becomes the cockpit ring. Talons sharpened. Beaks ready to pierce. Wings flapping to intimidate. Anything these cocks do to make themselves look bigger, fiercer.
Typical male machismo. Men reduced to their primitive state because of alcohol. There's nothing new about drunken men in a bar fighting over women. Rolls eyes. Another cock fight.
It was 6 AM already after a succession of phone calls and text messages. No booty call, nor bird waiting for me. Fine. I went back to sleep just before the next crowing of the rooster.
GB GoerLUIGI, in a still hot-headed tone: Pinagmumukha kasi ni Bimby na sinisiraan ko raw siya sa mga foreigner. Sinabi ko raw na pumunta lang sila sa bar kung kailan wala at hindi papasok si Bimby. Kesyo ganito-ganyan. Pero di ko naman sinabi yun. Ni hindi ko na nga kinakausap kasi hindi ko na sila customer. (According to Bimby, I was defaming him by telling the customers to only visit the bar when Bimby is not around. But I never told them that. I don't even speak to them anymore because they're not my customers anymore).It sounded familiar. That was the same reason that sparked Phoenix and Derek's heated discussion. That was the same reason that caused two macho dancers' shouting match two months ago.
That was the same reason that caused the street brawl I was involved in last year. Ringo* and I were visiting Neighborhood* hosto bar, bringing along two macho dancer friends from another bar. Those two saw a group of young pretty Koreana guests in the bar, and approached them to get their numbers. The Neighborhood hosto boys who were seated with those Koreanas got offended and wanted an immediate action.
As our group was exiting the bar, the intoxicated hosto boys were waiting for our intoxicated macho dancer friends outside. Exchange of mean stares. Cuss words shouted. A brawl erupted. Punches thrown. Shirts torn. Bottle smashed on the head. Blood dripping. Gay bar goer in the middle trying to stop the fight. Gun shot in the air that made everything stop. At 530 in that crazy drunken morning.
And that is the same reason of many macho dancer suntukans, bugbugans, and sapakans in other gay bars. Some even lead to stabbing, more gun shots, and even death, as feasted by local news and tabloids (Macho dancer, sinaksak ng kapwa macho dancer).
These macho dancers become territorial when it comes to their regular customers, particularly the women. The jealousy is not entirely caused by whatever love or emotion they have for those customers. It's really about the steady flow of income that they might lose if that regular customer loses the attraction and changes men.
They know for a fact that these regular customers have the right to choose the dancer of their choice. But if he finds out that the reason for the change was a co-macho dancer stealing his customer from him, (also known as "sulot"), then hell will break loose. The gay bar becomes the cockpit ring. Talons sharpened. Beaks ready to pierce. Wings flapping to intimidate. Anything these cocks do to make themselves look bigger, fiercer.
Typical male machismo. Men reduced to their primitive state because of alcohol. There's nothing new about drunken men in a bar fighting over women. Rolls eyes. Another cock fight.
It was 6 AM already after a succession of phone calls and text messages. No booty call, nor bird waiting for me. Fine. I went back to sleep just before the next crowing of the rooster.
Learn more: Lessons from Gay Bars in Manila
http://machosandhostos.blogspot.com/
email: char.affairs@gmail.com
twitter: @gbgoer
*Names here are not the macho dancers' real names nor their actual bar stage names. Though, the pseudonyms are somehow connected to their actual bar stage names.
Photo credits: http://www.theworldsbestever.com/2008/03/26/david-ellis-cockfight/
http://crabseleven.blogspot.com/2010/08/drawing-of-cock-fight-raging-balls_04.html
naku GBG, friendly unsolicited advice, try to put a line between you and the guys, ang taong lasing , don`t recognize friends from enemies, the last thing you need is ikaw ang mapahamak, always follow the golden rule, LOVE YOURSELF ( which in most cases do not translate to being selfish)
ReplyDeletemarvin
Hi marvin. Wow that was a quick comment. I just posted this a few hours ago. Yeah thanks for the advice. Bar brawls really are scary. But looking back, the scene was really funny. Imagine a gay guy in the middle of the street making awat between fighting men. Testosterone level up!
ReplyDeleteBimby = Baby J---s? hihi.
ReplyDeleteokay. the situation is not really new but is also not too common. the thing here is that -- you are right -- it is a thing about money. there is everything to die for money. too bad, the acquaintances fell on the ruddy traps.
@Green breaker Hehe. Mejo retarded din kasi itong si Bimby e. Won't confirm nor deny the name. Alam mo na, baka naman ako ang sugurin at abangan sa labas ng bar once na malaman niyang sinisiraan ko siya (na hindi naman). Hehe.
ReplyDeletenaku, remember ko lang last year. jan sa may malate, may bagong md (and his dancer-friend) na kinuyog ng ilang oldies na dancers. hitsurang supermen ang mga nagsuntukan, may saksakan pa ata! kindly old taxi driver broke up the fight. jelling ang cause, yung bagong md na-table ng regular bar customer, nagalit yung md na pinagsawaan na yata kasi pero di ma-accept. hay, sayang. type ko pa naman yung bagong md pero siempre, after that, di na siya bumalik dun noh
ReplyDelete