Night Out: Part One

There is a red wall, to my left, concealing a staircase leading to the “sex den”.

Adventure starts when one is doubtful of the outcome of the journey or activity.  It doesn’t need to occur in the morning or evening.  It doesn’t need to be in the itinerary.  The more spontaneous the sequence of events, the more thrilling it can become.

9PM.  We left Mandaluyong to have a pre-birthday celebration treat of our friend at Yakimix in Macapagal Avenue.  It is already late and we know that Yakimix only serves dinner until 11PM and if we choose the one at MOA, we would surely not make it.  The taxi we rode took the route in JP Rizal and Buendia to get to the place on time and fortunately, we reach the place and got seats near the buffet table.

This would be the third time I would dine at Yakimix.  While I gorged on carbohydrates during my first two episodes in this same restaurant, this time I would try feasting more on protein.  I filled my plate with pink salmon, tuna, pork, and seafood.  The birthday boy picked almost anything since it is his first time.  As a result, he was not able to finish them all so we helped him.  I guessed he must have learned some lessons on the first experience.  We finished off the dinner satisfied.

11PM.  We are ready to go to Quezon City.  I was thinking this plan would not push through but after some text messages between the birthday boy and his friend, we took another taxi ride to E. Rodriguez.  We would be giving our support to the birthday boy’s friend and gym mate who would be joining a competition.

It is a long ride from Pasay City to Quezon City.  I only become aware that we are in the vicinity when I spotted several landmarks.  As we pass along Sta. Mesa, the traffic became less busy.  I thought we were entering a new dimension because the street lights became dimmer.  We pass several buildings until the birthday boy instructed the driver to make a u-turn.  We are here, I guessed.  When we got out of the taxi, we spotted several men, which according to my instinct are also people like us.  The birthday boy confirmed the idea and told us that these men are also heading to the same direction as ours.  We crossed the street.

11:30PM. We tailed off the men we just spotted.  In front of us is an old unlit three-storey building.  No one would easily recognize that there is a building there.  The men climbed several steps and we followed.  Again, the area is dark.  I could have not noticed that there is a slotted door and a door attendant.  One by one, we entered and greeted by a lady to our right who attended the baggage counter.  To our left, another counter takes charge of securing the visitors’ personal belongings and collecting the entrance fee.  Being new to the place, we questioned why they take our wallet, mobile phones, and watches.  There is a number given to us for claiming our personal effects after.

After complying with the house rules, we entered a narrow hallway, get stamped, and stopped again to get frisked.  We pushed the glass door in front of us.  There are posters of images of men to our left.  We took some time to scan over them before heading the stairs.  I could hear the beat of the music and people cheering on the second floor.  Upstairs, I saw a curtain of iron chains separating the stage area and the flight of stairs.

The room is typically set as a club or bar.  The sound of music is blaring in my ears and pounding on my chest.  There are colored lights, spotlights, laser lights, strobe lights, and mobiles overhead.  There is a performance on stage and all the men cramping inside the room are all eyes to that direction.

We squeezed in between bodies until we reached the judges’ table.  Fortunately, the competition has not started yet.  We were just in time.  After the performance, the contestants are introduced in their skimpy wear.  They paraded the small stage wearing only their tiniest briefs exposing their bulging crotches to the delight of the crowd.  I believe that since this is a male beauty pageant, the contestants must possess above average physique.  It turned out however that they do not come to my expectations.  I thought that I am not getting what I deserved with my money.  On the other hand, we are here to support some acquaintance, so I just have to settle with that.

Our gym mate, in all fairness, could be on the top five.  Although lacking in height, he at least is more masculine looking than the rest.  I thought that the competition must look on the sexual appeal rather than on the looks of the contestants after all, the club is catering to the sexual needs of its patrons.  Ironically, most of the contestants act as if they were on a female beauty pageant, which provided great amusement to the crowd.

The competition has three portions.  The first one, which we just saw, is one.  The other two are the rave costume competition and the last is the swimwear competition.  We saw different kinds of wings during the costume part, while we saw the contestants wearing the same swimwear on the last competition.  The pageant I thought would be a battle of looks and popularity.

The competition is the purpose of our visit to the place.  However, there are other interesting things happening beside it.  Being a bath house, I am curious of what is happening inside.  The birthday boy was obliged to orient us of the on-goings of the place.  He told us that some of the people around us would be going downstairs after the competition.  With that, he meant that below the floor we are standing on is the area where men could indulge on sex.  He also told us the other activities that one could engage other than sex.  There is a video room and a gym inside.

While the competition is going on, I could not stop roaming my eyes.  Indeed, there are beautiful men inside.  If I am into these men, it is not difficult to choose one.  Unfortunately, I am into lean and muscled men.  I am very particular with the abdominal area.  It is a turn-off once I see love handles.  In short, no one interests me that night in that place.

After the pageant, the bar cum stage area is slowly emptying with people.  There is a red wall, which I think was concealing a hallway, to my left.  The birthday boy told us that there is a staircase behind the wall.  It leads to the “sex den”, he added.  I start to observe the people around the room.  Some are already dancing, while some were drinking at the bar.  Others were just watching.  When I looked back at the red wall, I saw one guy leaning his back on the wall.  He is wearing a red shirt, shorts, and slippers.  He is lean, semi-bald and pleasant looking.  He is twirling a keychain and is looking at me.  I looked at him briefly and turned to the birthday boy.

“Isn’t it that guys who have keys have access downstairs?”  I asked him.  He said yes.  “Could a visitor like us could just go down with someone who have keys?”  I asked again.  He said no.  He said that we must pay 250 pesos in order to go down.  I silently digested his reply.  I looked again at the guy wearing the red shirt.  He is still looking at me with that twirling keychain.  Shortly, he made the final look and turned to the staircase behind the wall.  I could read that well.  Minutes passed and I could see him emerging from the wall and again stood leaning on it, looking at me once.

1:30AM.  With no watch, I asked the birthday boy to determine the time.  He went to the bar and returned saying that it is already one thirty in the morning.  He told us that we could wait until 3AM to join the party in this room.  He said that after the men engaged in sex downstairs they would come up in the bar to party.  Curious with what would be happening in this party, we waited.  Unfortunately, boredom struck us again and we finally decided to go.

We claimed our personal belongings at the counter and exited the slotted door.  There were other men outside waiting for their rides.  To the left of the door is a dark area hidden from the light posts by bushes.  I could see some shadows sitting on the benches.  We descended the steps and walked towards the corner of the block to our left.  Across the street, we saw what we assume is a contestant to the pageant.  He is wearing a sleeveless shirt that accentuated his ripped shoulders.  He is talking to someone whom we guessed as one of the judges.

“Let’s wait for a while here.  I’ll try to get the attention of that hot guy across the street.”  The birthday boy said.  Since it is his birthday, we comply.  I looked around the area once again.  It seems that the night is still early.  I glanced again at the shadows behind the bushes.  This area is discreet, I thought.  Suddenly, behind a foliage, I spotted an unlit signage.  It says, Fahrenheit.