M told us that we should go someplace else for a coffee and more talk. I suggested that we should choose a spot where there are few people so we could talk more comfortably about many topics. I also mentioned him how great it could be if T (another blogger tropa) was there with us. After all, he was connected to the three of us way before everyone else found his blog. It turned out M had his number, so I asked him if he could invite T to come. Unfortunately, T was already resting at home, tired from his badminton practice. So he just gave us his blessings and promised that he would show up when someone among us calls for another meet-up.
By this time, the awkwardness had already been replaced by familiarity that H and I were ready to go wherever M decides. Following M, we walked towards Starbucks AIM, where M treated us for coffee. Since he missed a lot of things H and I had talked about while he was at work, we started our conversation from where H and I had ended it before M arrived.
We stayed at Starbucks for another two hours. As our conversation went on, it became apparent that my PLU background was very much different from where they came from. There were many instances that I've almost compromised their discreetness when our topic dwell on my past. It's sometimes hard to share things especially about Mister Piggy's and Mint, which used to be my hang-out place when I was at H's age.
The talk went on, we've learned more from M than what he would normally reveal in his blog or our IM chats. H sought our advice about his personal dilemma while I, tried to cope up speaking to two discreet guys, which I haven't done in many years. You see, even if first impressions would immediately put me to the masculine category, I think my prolonged exposure to the PLU world had already stripped away the discreetness which H and M still has with them.
Again, time went by without us ever noticing it. If not for my urgency to go home due to an emergency, our talk would have go on until close to midnight. We parted ways at Ayala. M rode a bus going to the north, while H and I shared a taxi ride going to Manila.
---
Some years ago, I have never seen myself expanding my contacts beyond my own circle - the Outsiders. I thought before that we were already perfect, and that the PLU world outside my circle was too uncertain and pretentious for any hopes of a long-term friendship to grow among guys like me.
This past two years alone, my views on friendship had drastically changed. I have made many good friends, that sometimes, the thought of Outsides was just a mere long lost memory to me.
My meet-up with M and H yesterday, reminded me of a time when such meet-up similarly happened between me, Roy and Papu five years ago. Papu was the elder among the three of us. Roy was my big brother - not only for his experience when it comes to being PLU, he was also older than me by several years. Back then, I was just 21, still barely out of my straight life and just beginning to explore the PLU lifestyle I decided to embrace.
I remembered our first meeting. It was a late afternoon and I just came from school. Roy was my newfound friend, who I met in a PEx thread for "bisexuals," while Papu was the leading figure in another thread at Pinoyexchange for "masculine guys." As I was about to cross the street going home. Roy texted me that he would meet Papu at a cafe in Ortigas. Since Paps and I were already acquaintance at that time, I asked Roy if I could join him, in which he agreed.
To cut the story short, the three of us met, without any plan in mind except talk. That meet-up was the beginnning of a great friendship that still holds the three of us together today. It also paved the way for the creation of a PEx supergroup, which became the Outsiders a year later.
I may have found M and H in a very different situation. But honestly, when the three of us were talking at Starbucks last night, I felt disarmed and enthusiastic enough to see them beyond the personalities they often showed in their respective blogs. Before H boarded the jeep that would take him home, I told myself that this would definitely not be the last. H reminded me of many things about my younger self. Minutes later, H texted me thanking us for a great meet. He said he learned a lot from our insight.
When I conveyed H's message to M, he assured me that he will show up anytime we call for another meet-up. I told him that we saw him as a big brother, since H and I were panganays in our own family.
"This is the start of a long journey," M said, while probably chuckling at what I just told him.
"Yeah probably this is the beginning," I said to myself. "This won't be the last, I'm sure of that."
By this time, the awkwardness had already been replaced by familiarity that H and I were ready to go wherever M decides. Following M, we walked towards Starbucks AIM, where M treated us for coffee. Since he missed a lot of things H and I had talked about while he was at work, we started our conversation from where H and I had ended it before M arrived.
We stayed at Starbucks for another two hours. As our conversation went on, it became apparent that my PLU background was very much different from where they came from. There were many instances that I've almost compromised their discreetness when our topic dwell on my past. It's sometimes hard to share things especially about Mister Piggy's and Mint, which used to be my hang-out place when I was at H's age.
The talk went on, we've learned more from M than what he would normally reveal in his blog or our IM chats. H sought our advice about his personal dilemma while I, tried to cope up speaking to two discreet guys, which I haven't done in many years. You see, even if first impressions would immediately put me to the masculine category, I think my prolonged exposure to the PLU world had already stripped away the discreetness which H and M still has with them.
Again, time went by without us ever noticing it. If not for my urgency to go home due to an emergency, our talk would have go on until close to midnight. We parted ways at Ayala. M rode a bus going to the north, while H and I shared a taxi ride going to Manila.
---
Some years ago, I have never seen myself expanding my contacts beyond my own circle - the Outsiders. I thought before that we were already perfect, and that the PLU world outside my circle was too uncertain and pretentious for any hopes of a long-term friendship to grow among guys like me.
This past two years alone, my views on friendship had drastically changed. I have made many good friends, that sometimes, the thought of Outsides was just a mere long lost memory to me.
My meet-up with M and H yesterday, reminded me of a time when such meet-up similarly happened between me, Roy and Papu five years ago. Papu was the elder among the three of us. Roy was my big brother - not only for his experience when it comes to being PLU, he was also older than me by several years. Back then, I was just 21, still barely out of my straight life and just beginning to explore the PLU lifestyle I decided to embrace.
I remembered our first meeting. It was a late afternoon and I just came from school. Roy was my newfound friend, who I met in a PEx thread for "bisexuals," while Papu was the leading figure in another thread at Pinoyexchange for "masculine guys." As I was about to cross the street going home. Roy texted me that he would meet Papu at a cafe in Ortigas. Since Paps and I were already acquaintance at that time, I asked Roy if I could join him, in which he agreed.
To cut the story short, the three of us met, without any plan in mind except talk. That meet-up was the beginnning of a great friendship that still holds the three of us together today. It also paved the way for the creation of a PEx supergroup, which became the Outsiders a year later.
I may have found M and H in a very different situation. But honestly, when the three of us were talking at Starbucks last night, I felt disarmed and enthusiastic enough to see them beyond the personalities they often showed in their respective blogs. Before H boarded the jeep that would take him home, I told myself that this would definitely not be the last. H reminded me of many things about my younger self. Minutes later, H texted me thanking us for a great meet. He said he learned a lot from our insight.
When I conveyed H's message to M, he assured me that he will show up anytime we call for another meet-up. I told him that we saw him as a big brother, since H and I were panganays in our own family.
"This is the start of a long journey," M said, while probably chuckling at what I just told him.
"Yeah probably this is the beginning," I said to myself. "This won't be the last, I'm sure of that."
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