saturday evening found me walking the old paths that lead to orosa-nakpil. we had just gone to a party in the suburbs when moi and friends decided to finally check out the new Bed.
it felt weird walking the streets of malate again. many of the joints we've gotten used to seeing were now gone. and my ged, there are now more girlie bars in adriatico. a few pechays even approached us. eeeeeeeeeeekkkk!!!!
all is not lost, i kept telling myself. at least o bar's still there---it was packed that night---and the word i got bout the new Bed was encouraging.
it just broke my heart that sonata's still closed. nasan na kaya sila janice, jepoi at yung cute niyang pinsan? wala na rin ang suki kong yosi vendor sa may labas. nakatapos na kaya yun ng course niya sa ama?
well, we finally made it to Bed and my first reaction was...anlinis and aren't those lights a bit too bright?
gone was the darkness that greeted you before and clothed you with anonymity when you stepped inside. heads actually turned when we got in. okeyyyy, i said to myself.
i guess the old Bed days are really gone...back then, you could be dancing on the packed ledge in front of the very small stage, look to your side, and see in the darkness someone on his knees. in worship.
and there was not that many people that evening although it was already past midnight. we quickly went upstairs and wow, remodeled na nga ang place. may cushioned seats (parang bridge ng starship enterprise or...for geriatrics like us, a friend joked) and then may third floor pa for the sunog bagas.
i've quit smoking (well, not if me amats) but i liked the yosi area. pwedeng tumambay out in the fresh air (ehem-ehem) and make kwento. may plants around, a bar, and cguro one could add a few sulos and it could feel like a beach party (pwedeng magbikini open!).
we went down again to the second floor pero di pa rin karamihan ang mga utaw. wa i pa ngang nagdadance sa first floor.
where are the gogo boys to get the people dancing? asked another friend. hindi pa lasheeng ang mga utash, i answered.
and they were also mostly of the upper strata (or they appeared to be...was actually thinking government ba to?) so, who again are you wearing?
the friendship wanted to ask one of the owners milling around, `what did you do to our church?!!
Bed used to mean--as james joyce said of the catholic church--`here comes everybody.' you go there and you'd see different meanings of the word gay. in the flesh. i guess the p500 entrance fee put an end to that.
as we milled around the place, we just wished Bed would succeed in its new incarnation. maybe the brighter lights and costlier entrance fee would mean that the pickpockets are gone.
i actually lost a brand new phone there once (a sony ericsson p900 to be precise...my ged, talagang that was lightyears ago) but that didn't stop me from going there again and again.
the old hole in the wall's charms were priceless. ella the tranny at the door; the confetti, bubbles, and bright lights that capped a club anthem's climax; the untrustworthy aircon system that had sweating bodies taking off their shirts (thank you!!!); and the packed space that made everyone look familiar as one went there more often.
i was looking for familiar faces last saturday night but didn't find that many.
as my friends tried to reminisce (again. what happened to the famous toilet with the aquarium?), i just tried to enjoy the new Bed and listened to the music.
honestly, the old Bed got me hooked through its music. before going there, I thought gay clubs only played diana ross, gloria gaynor or other 70s stuff until sunrise. boy, was i mistaken.
and the new Bed didn't disappoint. maybe it was the alcohol, but i was dancing as the dj worked it up just before we left. almost didn't want to leave.
by that time, there was already a line of people outside waiting to get in. tumatawag na ang kampana.
maybe, the magic's still there.
