Subtext

"Bro are you there?" 

He sent a direct message on Twitter. I knew the guy way back when I was still a fervent clubber at Time In Manila. He sent a direct message and we had a no-holds-barred conversation.

"Yup wassup?" I replied. I was at the gym, waiting for someone to send me a message on WeChat.

"Uhm, medyo dyahe. But do you know someone who's game for some Viber phone fun?" 

I suddenly remembered why I had to cut the exchange of direct messages the last time we talked. He was confessing his kinkiest fantasies when I was not even hinting that I'm interested to share mine.

"Try Spyder." 

Spyder is a friend who joins us once in a while during my group's Saturday binges. As far as I know, he is the best guy to recommend since he is a master of this game.

"Is he a top?"

"Yeah game yan, and he is a top." 

Another reason why I picked Spyder is because I claimed last weekend that someone has hots for him. It was a ruse, of course. I just had an opportunity to keep my word, someone suddenly becomes available.

So I sent word to Papa Tagay informing him to contact Spyder and tell him the details. Who knows, our friend might be interested. While there are no assurances they would click, at least, I was able to help two men, whose idea of fun I refrain to engage.

"Here's my Viber number..."

"Is he cute?"

"Will he like me kaya?" 

The guy had raised so many questions that even I could not keep up and supply the answers. No feedback came from Papa Tagay, or from Spyder approving the pair up. He was after all, at work. I was still responding to the guy's direct message - up-selling our cute, semikal friend - when it hit me and got a reminder of why I didn't cross the line the last time: He was in a relationship, and even though they have already approved an open set-up, it is not in my desire to trouble myself with the complexities of gay life.

That is why I was in a straight dance club.

The exchange of direct message went on until I disclosed that he might not get a reply from the person I recommended.

But when he asked for another suggestion, I was forced not to reply because it was getting clear where his message was directed at:

"He hasn't replied yet."

"Baka nasa work."

"You have someone else in mind? Hehe."

"None that I could think of."

"Hehe, thanks bud."

"Paano kaya ito?" 

Direct message terminated.

Assumptions aside, gut feel tells where the conversation might lead to. I was merely anticipating what his replies were and so I could steer clear without sounding too fake. Naive. And much as I would like to help the guy find his toy for the night, I wouldn't risk getting caught in the crossfire, for I know - like his subtexts were - I had thoughts to say that don't require to be put into words.