"Malayo pa ba ang Silang dito?" I asked Jollieboie, who was at that time dozing off after coming from work during the day.
"Sabi ko sayo malayo pa eh. Hindi pa nga tayo lumalampas ng SM Dasma," He said, with a hint of annoyance from asking him the same question over and over for the last hour.
Meanwhile, Nate_Fish3r, who was seated beside Jollieboie preferred to listen to his mp3s rather than join in the commotion between me and our other companion. Being the silent guy among the three of us, he preferred to observe how we figured things out on our way to the Hanap Barkada Group's post-summer outing. Separated from the rest of the group and leaving Manila after dark, finding the resort in the backwaters of Silang, Cavite was no mean feat.
---
The Hanap Barkada GEB (HB) Thread was established in Pinoyexchange two years ago. It is the successor group of the Outsiders (ODDERS), Straight Natured Gay Guy's Group (SNAGG) and the other LBGT threads that passed into oblivion after its members realized that they no longer needed to hide in the forums anymore. HB started as a small, loose group composed of regular posters in the Alternative Preference subforum of PEx. It would remain so for the first year of its existence.
The group's main objective is to organize a friendly group eye-ball among non-straight PExers who frequently posted on other threads that directly addresses a certain bisexual or gay issue that thrive in the subforum. Since these issue-related threads are many and quite provocative in many cases, the posters in these threads had different personalities and views on the non-straight world. These different views sometimes lead to conflicts and misunderstandings that needed a neutral ground for discussion. On the other hand, those who agree on certain issues also needed a neutral ground for discussing subjects (which are mostly trivial) that don't relate to a certain issue. HB is considered a neutral ground so its main purpose is to serve as the main tambayan thread of these PExers.
However, organizing the GEB was another challenge. First, the thread founder suddenly left the group even before the other PExers started joining in. The one who came after him and tried to organize things wasn't charismatic enough to reach out to many. He gave up the responsibilities even before the first grand eyeball ever happened. And the first GEB itself was met with a cold shudder. Two of those who came were from the Outsiders and when the Odder organizer suddenly informed us of another meet up the same evening the HB set its first GEB, we immediately left, leaving those who stayed texting more people to come.
Because of the cold reception the organizers received after the first GEB, the Hanap Barkada Group had its hiatus. I, for one had a conflict with several of the original members after I felt they're being plastic towards me. In the long run, the only real friendship I have established from the original group was with Bronxdude and Bananaboy. Bronxdude is a small, fair-skinned guy whose smiles and punchlines can make anyone's day shine like sunrise. Bananaboy on the other hand, keeps in touch with my online journal. Anyone who actually reads my deepest thoughts have a special place in my heart. Even if we don't talk that much, my respect and admiration for him has always been sky high. Throughout the entire hiatus period of HB and into my warring days in the subforum, my cordiality with Bronx and B-boy never faltered.
The next time our lives would cross again was at the same thread. A month after a surge of new members came to the thread, the new organizer called for a grand eye-ball.
This time, things were much more hopeful than the first GEB I attended.
---
We passed SM Dasmarinas and my two companions were either sleeping, or their thoughts were so far, they have missed the fact that the resort we are looking is not that far away. The stretch of highway after the mall became increasingly dark and ascending - an impending sign that we have finally left the urban side of Cavite.
Being a guy who doesn't leave the confines of the city very often, a sight of rural life is something very disturbing to me. The moment the bus windows revealed plains and rolling hills shrouded in perpetual darkness and distant lights blinking in the horizon, I became restless and focused my thoughts looking at the highway marker.
"Kilometer 48... If we missed the landmark, then we're off to Tagaytay."
"Don't worry too much, I told the conductor to drop us at Km. 48," Nate Fish3r assured me when we're in Imus.
"But what if the conductor forgot Km. 48?" I quietly asked myself.
So when I saw that we had just passed Km. 38, several more minutes of bus travel and I informed my companions that I would go in front to permanently remind the bus authorities to drop us at the exact spot where we needed to be.
"Malayo pa kayo dun sa babababaan niyo," The driver insisted.
But I was already getting restless and very dark. Expensive and brand new cars overtook the bus several times and billboard signs advertising the fancy restaurants in Tagaytay became increasingly more visible on the road.
I looked at my companions at the back of the bus, who were obviously waiting for my hint to stand up and go in front. A slight nod made them rise up to go in front and join me. Unfortunately, the bus had a brief five-minute stop-over in their main headquarters along the highway and this delayed us in reaching our destination significantly.
However, I took this opportunity to buy a pack of cigarettes at a nearby sari-sari store and enjoy the fresh cold air blown from the highlands.
"It's been a long while since I last felt this cold air hugging my polluted body," I told myself. "Good thing I made this daring escape at home."
Jollieboie and Nate Fish3r also went outside only to complain as to why I asked them to stand up when in fact we're still far away from our destination.
"Ayaw niyo nun, at least hindi lang ako ang mukhang excited." I told them. Jollieboie gently scratched my head as a sign of disapproval. Obviously, among the three, I was the one who is really excited at the prospects of getting out of town.
Five minutes after we went outside, the bus blew its horns telling everyone to return. Several more kilometers of journey into barely lit roads and endless coconut plantations and the bus begins to slow down again.
"Dito na kayo," the conductor told us.
Dropping off the bus, we found ourselves in the middle of nowhere. There was indeed a waiting shed, which was the landmark the organizer told us. However, the road leading towards the interior was shrouded in pitch black.
"Saan dito yung resort?" asked by one of my companions.
"Hindi ko alam, magtanong tayo kung may dumaan."
Luckily, tiny orange lights lit a corner of the dirt road. It turns out that there were several tricycle drivers waiting for their passengers at the bukana. I approached them to ask where Kim Siong is.
"Lakarin niyo na lang, yung unang bahay na maliwanag, yun yun" answered one of the drivers.
So off we went into darkness, dodging possible snakes, eeky frogs and other critters that we might encounter along the road. Meanwhile, Jollieboie's imagination triggered a series of naughty thoughts that never crossed our mind while asking for directions.
"Tsk, ano kaya feeling na ma-rape ka dito?" He asked.
"Wag po! Wag po sa kahuyan, dun tayo sa tricycle niyo manong," I followed jokingly.
Within minutes, the sight of a big, lighted house appeared in front of us. Walking further, there was a Pai-fang gate with Chinese symbols written on it.
"This must be the place," I told my companions.
Sensing our arrival, the dogs began to bark. Soon, the guard opened the doors for us.
"Heto po ba yung Kim-Siong," I asked the guard.
He just nodded and pointed at the two-story house at the farther edge of the compound.
Then and there, I finally heard a guy singing at the videoke bar.
And it was Sad and Blue's voice making birit of a Regine's song. He's one of the confirmed attendees on the list.
Finally, we have arrived.
---
-tobecontinued-
"Sabi ko sayo malayo pa eh. Hindi pa nga tayo lumalampas ng SM Dasma," He said, with a hint of annoyance from asking him the same question over and over for the last hour.
Meanwhile, Nate_Fish3r, who was seated beside Jollieboie preferred to listen to his mp3s rather than join in the commotion between me and our other companion. Being the silent guy among the three of us, he preferred to observe how we figured things out on our way to the Hanap Barkada Group's post-summer outing. Separated from the rest of the group and leaving Manila after dark, finding the resort in the backwaters of Silang, Cavite was no mean feat.
---
The Hanap Barkada GEB (HB) Thread was established in Pinoyexchange two years ago. It is the successor group of the Outsiders (ODDERS), Straight Natured Gay Guy's Group (SNAGG) and the other LBGT threads that passed into oblivion after its members realized that they no longer needed to hide in the forums anymore. HB started as a small, loose group composed of regular posters in the Alternative Preference subforum of PEx. It would remain so for the first year of its existence.
The group's main objective is to organize a friendly group eye-ball among non-straight PExers who frequently posted on other threads that directly addresses a certain bisexual or gay issue that thrive in the subforum. Since these issue-related threads are many and quite provocative in many cases, the posters in these threads had different personalities and views on the non-straight world. These different views sometimes lead to conflicts and misunderstandings that needed a neutral ground for discussion. On the other hand, those who agree on certain issues also needed a neutral ground for discussing subjects (which are mostly trivial) that don't relate to a certain issue. HB is considered a neutral ground so its main purpose is to serve as the main tambayan thread of these PExers.
However, organizing the GEB was another challenge. First, the thread founder suddenly left the group even before the other PExers started joining in. The one who came after him and tried to organize things wasn't charismatic enough to reach out to many. He gave up the responsibilities even before the first grand eyeball ever happened. And the first GEB itself was met with a cold shudder. Two of those who came were from the Outsiders and when the Odder organizer suddenly informed us of another meet up the same evening the HB set its first GEB, we immediately left, leaving those who stayed texting more people to come.
Because of the cold reception the organizers received after the first GEB, the Hanap Barkada Group had its hiatus. I, for one had a conflict with several of the original members after I felt they're being plastic towards me. In the long run, the only real friendship I have established from the original group was with Bronxdude and Bananaboy. Bronxdude is a small, fair-skinned guy whose smiles and punchlines can make anyone's day shine like sunrise. Bananaboy on the other hand, keeps in touch with my online journal. Anyone who actually reads my deepest thoughts have a special place in my heart. Even if we don't talk that much, my respect and admiration for him has always been sky high. Throughout the entire hiatus period of HB and into my warring days in the subforum, my cordiality with Bronx and B-boy never faltered.
The next time our lives would cross again was at the same thread. A month after a surge of new members came to the thread, the new organizer called for a grand eye-ball.
This time, things were much more hopeful than the first GEB I attended.
---
We passed SM Dasmarinas and my two companions were either sleeping, or their thoughts were so far, they have missed the fact that the resort we are looking is not that far away. The stretch of highway after the mall became increasingly dark and ascending - an impending sign that we have finally left the urban side of Cavite.
Being a guy who doesn't leave the confines of the city very often, a sight of rural life is something very disturbing to me. The moment the bus windows revealed plains and rolling hills shrouded in perpetual darkness and distant lights blinking in the horizon, I became restless and focused my thoughts looking at the highway marker.
"Kilometer 48... If we missed the landmark, then we're off to Tagaytay."
"Don't worry too much, I told the conductor to drop us at Km. 48," Nate Fish3r assured me when we're in Imus.
"But what if the conductor forgot Km. 48?" I quietly asked myself.
So when I saw that we had just passed Km. 38, several more minutes of bus travel and I informed my companions that I would go in front to permanently remind the bus authorities to drop us at the exact spot where we needed to be.
"Malayo pa kayo dun sa babababaan niyo," The driver insisted.
But I was already getting restless and very dark. Expensive and brand new cars overtook the bus several times and billboard signs advertising the fancy restaurants in Tagaytay became increasingly more visible on the road.
I looked at my companions at the back of the bus, who were obviously waiting for my hint to stand up and go in front. A slight nod made them rise up to go in front and join me. Unfortunately, the bus had a brief five-minute stop-over in their main headquarters along the highway and this delayed us in reaching our destination significantly.
However, I took this opportunity to buy a pack of cigarettes at a nearby sari-sari store and enjoy the fresh cold air blown from the highlands.
"It's been a long while since I last felt this cold air hugging my polluted body," I told myself. "Good thing I made this daring escape at home."
Jollieboie and Nate Fish3r also went outside only to complain as to why I asked them to stand up when in fact we're still far away from our destination.
"Ayaw niyo nun, at least hindi lang ako ang mukhang excited." I told them. Jollieboie gently scratched my head as a sign of disapproval. Obviously, among the three, I was the one who is really excited at the prospects of getting out of town.
Five minutes after we went outside, the bus blew its horns telling everyone to return. Several more kilometers of journey into barely lit roads and endless coconut plantations and the bus begins to slow down again.
"Dito na kayo," the conductor told us.
Dropping off the bus, we found ourselves in the middle of nowhere. There was indeed a waiting shed, which was the landmark the organizer told us. However, the road leading towards the interior was shrouded in pitch black.
"Saan dito yung resort?" asked by one of my companions.
"Hindi ko alam, magtanong tayo kung may dumaan."
Luckily, tiny orange lights lit a corner of the dirt road. It turns out that there were several tricycle drivers waiting for their passengers at the bukana. I approached them to ask where Kim Siong is.
"Lakarin niyo na lang, yung unang bahay na maliwanag, yun yun" answered one of the drivers.
So off we went into darkness, dodging possible snakes, eeky frogs and other critters that we might encounter along the road. Meanwhile, Jollieboie's imagination triggered a series of naughty thoughts that never crossed our mind while asking for directions.
"Tsk, ano kaya feeling na ma-rape ka dito?" He asked.
"Wag po! Wag po sa kahuyan, dun tayo sa tricycle niyo manong," I followed jokingly.
Within minutes, the sight of a big, lighted house appeared in front of us. Walking further, there was a Pai-fang gate with Chinese symbols written on it.
"This must be the place," I told my companions.
Sensing our arrival, the dogs began to bark. Soon, the guard opened the doors for us.
"Heto po ba yung Kim-Siong," I asked the guard.
He just nodded and pointed at the two-story house at the farther edge of the compound.
Then and there, I finally heard a guy singing at the videoke bar.
And it was Sad and Blue's voice making birit of a Regine's song. He's one of the confirmed attendees on the list.
Finally, we have arrived.
---
-tobecontinued-
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