Tension is a Passing Note

I started writing this last Friday afternoon, when I was still feeling beer-buzzed and processing the previous day’s events:

Thursday was a different kind of crazy. Weather’s so damned unfriendly, but it got better as I got to Xaymaca in Timog. I was the first guest to arrive, about 30 + minutes before the Mozzie EP launch party. I knew I was gonna be there a little early, because I had to avoid torturous rush hour traffic along the way. Hailing a cab was hard, but I was able to get one not too far from the MRT’s Kamuning station.

So I got there, changed and washed up, and sat down. I distracted myself by drawing something I started at home the night before. People started arriving in groups. Some sad mini-revolt at the Manila Pen that started hours before, I heard while in the taxi, was crushed by late afternoon. But I heard one of the launch guests talking to someone on her phone about a curfew.

A goddamned freaking curfew! Mark got there and confirmed that it had just been announced; Lester and my sister texted and told me about it at about the same time. People seen outdoors were gonna get arrested by 12 midnight. How fucking stupid and fascist, I thought. People were sorta scrambling to figure out when to leave or where to crash at that point. I had Dicky call John because he was incommunicado for a time. I reached him later too, and we decided that his place is where I’d be spending the night.

I was hungry; I was just subsisting on Boom Boom lollipops that afternoon (there wasn’t time to stop at some food place), so Mark ordered us food (chicken lollipops--sa wakas, ibang lollipop naman!--and a clubhouse sandwich with fries). The place was packed already, and people were still coming in. I’m sharing the table with new acquaintances, while Mark was Tasmanian Devil-ing across the room to greet guests and do whatever it is that he does best. Kindat emoticon here.

People’s plans abruptly changed; the show was shortened to accommodate the guests’ early exit. After Convoy and Happy Happy Joy Joys, Mozzie played a shorter than usual set. Kaze, sadly, was unable to appear, also because of the impending weirdness. By the way, congrats, Mozzie (buy their 7-song CD, visit Pam’s and Mozzie’s Multiply sites to see where they’re available)! I’m glad that they’re able to launch despite the you-know-what. It was still fun. Mark got free beer stubs and gave me a couple. By my fourth beer, I was feeling buzzed and was mindsexing someone across the table. Ah, beer, it doth lower mine inhibitions. Thanks for the stubbies, Beer Guy.

Anyway, the whole thing was done by 11. Virtually everyone was grumbling, but had no choice but to cooperate with the idiotic curfew just to avoid the inconveniences. But the event was fun, time constraints notwithstanding. It took me about 35 minutes to get a cab, but traffic was smooth and I was at John’s about 15 minutes later.

John was cool with having me over, even if he was busy working on some pages. Oh, I just realized, I’ve known him since… half our age now. Working out is doing him good, I noticed. Anyway, he made me crab ‘n’ corn soup, and I spent hours watching Heroes (Noah Bennett owns!) and looking at YouTube (My god, I never thought I’d say this, but Keith Urban and Alicia Keys rock!!! As in, they do a great rock song. At last, someone uploaded their “Gimme Shelter” performance!).

What a night. Those of us forced to stay indoors had to make the most of it, I suppose. Personally, there were parts during the party, and the hours after that, that made me smile. Some pure, honest conversations and moments just made my day.

Must be the beer talking. Burp.