"EPITOME"

"...dahil ito lang nag pelikulang nakapagpabalik sa akin ng lahat..."

January 5, 2005...


KEVIN: Musta ang paglilipat mo nang mga things mo?
GEM : Ok lang. Medyo pagod. Hirap pa lang maglayas.
KEVIN: Ewan ko ba naman sayo. Konting tampuhan niyo ng ate mo, alsa- balutan ka kaagad.
GEM : Wag mo na nga po ako sermunan. Nagiisa na nga lang ako d2 eh.
KEVIN: Hmmmm...ok.Magbihis ka bilis. May pupuntahan tayo.
GEM : Oh, saan mo na naman ako dadalhin? May nadiscover k na naman?
KEVIN: Hehehe...Oo. Dadalhin kita sa langit this time. Sige na bilisan mo na.
GEM : Saan ba tyo pupunta?
KEVIN: Sa Malate.
GEM : Loko-loko ka din noh? Taga Malate kaya ako. Dito lang pala, bakit pa ako magbibihis.
KEVIN: Ah basta. Kita tayo sa Mcdo Quirino after 30 minutes. 'Wag ka na maligo. Doon na tayo maliligo. Magdala ka ng I.D. ok? Wag mo kakalimutan.
GEM : Huh? Huy saan ba tayo pupunta talaga?
KEVIN: Punta k na sa Mcdo, malapit na ako. Bye.

Three years had passed since una kong napuntahan ang place na yun. Kevin just told me to follow, no questions asked. He entered in a small entrance. I'm not sure if I'm going to follow him, 'coz i dont know what's inside that place. Nakatayo lang ako sa labas, staring at the signage located above the entrance. It's like a big letter "e", like the logo of "internet explorer". Kevin called my name.

"Mga tol, si Aries. Tropa ko. Papamember siya." I thought I heard Kevin wrong. He's talking to the staffs at the counter, introducing me to them. "Bakit iba ang name na ginamit mo sa pagpapakilala sa akin?", I asked him. "Ok lng yan, kasi dapat dito, may nick ka. Alam mo na." sagot niya.Hindi na lang ako nagsalita.Alfie (staff) gave me 2 keys. I dont know kung para saan yon basta tinanggap ko na lang. It seems Kevin knows every inch of the place kaya sumunod na lang ako sa kanya.



"Nasaan pala tayo ngyon?"

"Ah sori, ito nga pala ang "EPITOME". Isang itong bathhouse. Dito sa taas ang showroom. Mamaya may show. Magugulat ka. Siguro first time mo." said Kevin, grinning. "Sa baba tayo. Bihis muna."

"Anong show?"

Ngumiti lang siya.

He led me to a locker room. One staff there gave us two pairs of slippers and 2 towels.

"Ano ang gagawin ko dito?" I asked Kevin. "Yan ang isusuot mo sa baba. Tsinelas at towel lang. Bawal ang nakadamit sa baba." sabi niya, habang nagtatanggal ng damit at inilalagay sa locker. Ginawa ko na lang din ang ginawa niya.

We entered in one door. That door is leading in a stair going down. Pero bago ka makababa ay may madadaanan munang isang maliit na room na curtain lng ang ang tabing. Madilim sa loob. The only light visible is the flashing light coming from the inside.

"Sumilip ka sa loob." Kevin told me.

There's a television in the middle of the room showing a triple X movie.

We went downstairs. All people were only wearing a towel. Ang lalagkit tumingin. Kevin knows some and introduce me to them.

"Ang bata niyang kasama mo ah." one of them said.

Nangiti lang ako. After that, tumambay kami ni Kevin sa winebar. I met Jepoy there. He's one of the staffs. Mabait at makulit na tao. After 2 bottles of red horse, Kevin said it is time to go upstairs. Magstart n daw ang show.
..........

I'm in the middle of a cheering crowd, looking at this very goodlooking guy. He's face is very angelic, seems innocent. He's age is around 23. Moreno, sexy, long torso, too good to be true. I want to approach him. I want to talk to him and tell him how much I like him. But the problem is....

....the problem is, HE IS IN THE STAGE, SURROUNDED BY FIVE OTHER MEN, DOING THE "SHOW", NAKED.
..........

After the "show", we go back downstairs. A guy approached Kevin. I told him that if he likes the guy, he can go with him and I will explore the place alone. Gusto ko kasing hanapin yung "showboy". But I didn't find him. A guy or two tried to approach me. That's my first time there and I'm afraid na baka kung ano ang mangyari sa akin sa place. Tumambay na lang ako sa loob ng Steam Bath. The heat is so relaxing. I closed my eyes. I almost fell asleep. Madilim sa loob at ang tanging pinagmumulan ng liwanag ay ang ilaw sa labas na tumatagos sa pinto. I saw two silhouettes doing hmmmm..."something", I'm shocked 'coz I have no idea that such thing can happen in this place. I decided to go outside and take a tour. I found little cubicles outside the Steam Bath. I checked it. Some of it are locked. Two guys approached me.



"Tol, gusto mo magjoin sa amin?" one of them asked.



I want to ask what they are going to do, but I simply said, "I can't pare. Hinihintay ko yung kasama ko."

I saw them entered in the cubicle nearest to me. There's a window beside that cubicle. The devil of me thought of something green. I climbed that window and took a peek at the top of the cubicle. There they are doing "something", both naked.



I went to the winebar and ordered another bottle of beer.


"May kasama ka tol?" a 5'8" tall guy asked.



"Yup, kaso nawawala." I replied



"Parang ngyon lang kita nakita dito."



"First time ko kasi dito tol. Isinama lang ako nung friend ko."



"Ah, gusto mo igala kita?"



"Sure." I go with him. I saw a grin in Jepoy's face.

We explored the place. I wonder if neighbors around knows that such place exist in their vicinity.


"Tol, gusto mo pumasok tayo sa cubicle?" he asked once again.

I looked at him. I said..... "YES".


...................................



Last night I watched the movie SIKIL. Nagulat ako dahil ang setting ng ilang parts ng movie ay ginawa sa EPITOME, same stairs, same garden, same jacuzzi, same gym, same winebars. While watching, all the memories flashbacked. Dahil sa pelikulang ito, bumalik sa akin ang lahat. One of the things na sobrang namimiss ko ay pumunta sa bathhouse na iyon. Many things happened to me in that place. I even find past loves in that haven.


There's a certain point of my life that EPITOME has become the realm of my bliss. The highlights of it are the memories of GLEN and CHRISTIAN (long story, hehehe). I found out that the staffs working there are actually my neighbors in my new apartment that time, good thing they're not the kind of people who's into gossip even they are "straight". I met many people in "E". Everytime I'm feeling sad, "E" is the answer. I go there not just because to experience "something" or to find "someone"....actually, I don't know why, maybe because...I only want to find happiness.





PAGUWI KO BABALIK AKO SA EPITOME...