Two Free Tales, Part One
"10 minutes," I begged Nadine for my nth 10-minute sleep extension. It was already 12 noon and my skull seemed to crack into two after the last night's hardcore partying in Quezon City.
"It's 12 already and we need to be at CCP [Cultural Center of the Philippines] by 1230. Li and the others are expecting us. You were the first to confirm," Nadine shot back.
"10 minutes."
"HOY! Sige ra kag tulog. Kung mamatay tulog lang bitaw gihapun. Tapos samtang buhi pa, tulog ra japun?" Nadine, in her infinite wisdom, proceeded to lecture me about why I am still asleep when I can catch up with my sleeping when I die.
"Samok ba uy! It's Saturday, I wanna rest. I have a terrible hangover. And besides, I've got nothing to lose when I miss this one," I reasoned out, all the while clutching my trusty pillow. I was at the living room couch, and admittedly, I was no longer sleepy. I just wanted to piss off Nadine for being too...demanding.
"10 minutes then," Nadine said dismissively.
The previous night, we were at an old friend's birthday bash in some bar in Quezon City. I was not particularly close to this person, but we do remember each other for partying way too hard in the gritty Malate and Makate scenes since 2002. In 2005, he hosted a party sometime around February, and I remember meeting someone I went on to date on February 14. I very well remember that date, not so much because of the person I dated, but because of the spectacle I fondly associate it with.
We just met in Starbucks in Alfaro, near Salcedo Park. After an hour of chatting over coffee, we decided to walk around the park. It was magical --- the park that is. Holdover Christmas lights were still hanging from the centuries-old acacia trees that dot the park, and it was such a sight to behold. It was pure movie magic. And I loved every bit of it --- the park that is. By the way, it was my first-ever Valentine date, so you can figure how cheesy I am.
Anyway, the birthday celebrator (what ever happened to "celebrant"? The Grammar Purists have apparently succeeding in killing the "celebrant", paving the way to the "celebrator"), his name is Melan, invited Nadine to his birthday bash. Since I'm always her accomplice in crime, Nadine dragged me along and the night went on as expected.
Nadine and I are borderline alcoholics. Her psychiatrist (yes, she has one) even warned her about her love for alcohol. (She calls it her "spirituality". Get the pun? Pun is fun, right? Oh, figure what pun means.) And one of the main reasons we went to Melan's bash was the all-too-enticing "Open Bar" shit that was the main feature of it all. We did not mind the hour's cab ride to Quezon City because it was, afterall, Open Bar.
So Open Bar it was then. Nadine and I cornered ourselves in the best spot of the night: by the bar, of course. We chatted with social friends and one-time acquaintances: rising designer Carlo, who I learned was at the uber-posh Natori show; pretty boy Joma, who is getting married to his model-boyfriend in Spain this year before going to the US to have a test tube baby; Pepe, who I remember arriving as Pocahontas in one Halloween Party but I have never talked to ever; former crush ng bayan Marvin, who I remember some friends were swooning over some two years ago; Arlan, another former crush ng bayan who was and still is a permanent fixture in the party scene; lovely Georgie, everyone's favorite fag hag; and birthday boy Melan, who is now running a business process outsourcing (BPO) business.
But the story of the night was all about the drinking. Nadine and I were just huddled by the bar and we had access to bottomless drinks. Vodka, tequila, what have you --- we drank the night away. Because, uhm, it was free. Because we can drink. Because we love to drink. Because doing what we love --- drinking --- was for free.
Thus the hangover at 12 noon the following day.
Eventually, I was able to drag myself in the cab with Nadine and in no time at all, we were at CCP.
Li and the other friends from CouchSurfing, my favorite community these days, were already there as well. An old friend, Kim, was there too.
"Ah so you're also part of this?" Kim asked, surprised in seeing me after a very long time.
"Yeah, yeah," I said, smiling.
"Hey Marlon, you wanna hold up these signs?" I heard the voice of Li, CouchSurfing Manila head, from behind.
I turned around, and was pleasantly surprised of the ready placards that Li made, apparently with some effort.
It read "Free Hugs".
"Sure. Absolutely. I'd love to," I told Li.
"OK, we're good to go."
That day was Free Hugs Day. And I was once again reminded that the best things in life, like the bottomless alcohol by the bar the night before, are free.
(To be continued...)
