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June 2009
I particularly was inspired by the young lady over my right shoulder (looking at the picture) who was a 28 year old student. I was sorry it took to my last day to meet her. I entered the hospital and had to go through the EKG, Chest X-rays and blood tests and then taken up to my room where I signed the papers for all systems go. That was Thursday, on Friday they gave me my ride to the operating room where they worked on my knee for two hours. After another two hours in the recovery room I was taken back to my room where Priscilla the Horse was waiting. When I woke up I was told that all was well but all I wanted was my pain pill. I did not get any right away because I was told that they inject something into the knee to ease the pain. Every few hours I did get anti-biotic pills and a pain pill that did not seem all that strong to me. Now, dig this, I can't get out of bed and I am wondering, how do I piss or shit. The answer was, "we put a diaper on you, feel free to go." You gotta be shitting me! No damn way am I going to do that. I did get to use a bottle for taking a leak but any dump would have to wait. The day after the operation I tried to get to the toilet but the toilet was too low, there were no rails to hang on to in the bathroom and it was so uncomfortable that I gave up. By the way, forget a shower, no hot water. Finally folks, on Sunday, finally, I was able to bend my knee enough to get in the bathroom and sit down with my legs stretched outside the bathroom door. A successful movement was accomplished. Sleeping was nearly impossible, every time I started to doze off someone came in to take my blood pressure, then 20 minutes later, someone delivers my medicine. I never figured out why these two events could not be coordinated. On Monday, the fifth day of hospitalization I was able to go home and found that I could get up the stairs to my bedroom, but very slowly. My surgeon was a Doctor Valenzuela and I think he was fantastic. He is young, energetic and very professional. He was trained in the States and also in Australia and I highly recommend him to one and all considering any orthopedic surgery. Oh yes, I will add a few more photos further on in the column. After all, I could not be as mobile as I would like this month and not sure about next month but as usual, I think I can find a few good looking smiles for you.
THE MAILBAG Hi Harry, Was reading ur rag today and see you are in the hospital getting a new knee... Who will keep all of us over-the-hill filipina lovers updated while your out of commission? Who will publish all those lovely pictures of the gals and night spots that gets our old blood pumping for another month? Who will let us know who is scamming who and where is the best place to get a bite to eat after your tuckered out from acting like an adolecent again? More bad news from Cebu Pacific. Could not use a USA credit card online or over the telephone 2 weeks ago. No problem with PAL and others. Worthless! Mike Casey (I wonder if I will ever hear the end of complaints about Cebu Pacific, especially in the use of credit cards. I guess "cash talks") Harry, Hope your surgery went well and you are well on the way to recovery. I reckon the Bada Bing is a reference to the lap dancing bar which was the gangster hang out in "The Sopranos" as "The Winchester Club" was the hangout of the lovable cockney rogue Arthur Daly in the British tv series "Minder' Nigel
This was a letter sent by one Steve Ellis to the police station Commander in Bohol. It is good to see that someone takes the time to compliment the police when they experience a positive action. Could it be that maybe, just maybe, outside of Angeles City the attitude of the police are a bit different?
Speaking of the police, I did have the opportunity to visit PNP Station Four and note the progress of the construction to the holding cells. Much progress has been made but more financial assistance is necessary. I wish to thank the management of Shanno's for visiting Maj Lorenzo and donating some money towards the project. Regretfully, not too many other Clubs in the entertainment zone have taken the time to visit and donate either money or materials. I hope that more folks will get on board to participate in this project. Comments from Keaton W. - If you pay for a 60 peso drink with a one hundred pesos banknote, waitresses often give two 20 peso notes as change. If you do not want to give a 33% tip, you’d better have coins in your pocket! Why don’t they give some coins so that patrons will always have a choice? (I guess if I was a waitress I would do the same thing and hope the guy was not a cheap charlie. To tell the truth Keaton, I am bad, I give P20 tip all the time regardless of the charge. I figure it evens out over time, I over tip quite often and then I under tip as well. Of course, you could always give the P20 back and ask for change) Uniforms featured in your April issue were great! I hope more bars replace their boring bathing suits with sexy (and perhaps revealing) outfits. (Me too!) Fire & Ice have raised their local drink prices to 70 pesos, I believe the highest on Perimeter Road. They do offer two-for-one during happy hours, but I wish they would just charge less for each drink, as I don’t need any more drinks than I already consume! (Fire and Ice will charge what they can get away with. Just don't drink as much, milk your drink and then wait for the happy hour or leave and find one of the many clubs on Perimeter road that charge much less)
The newly opened Fantasy Bar (used to be the Viper) has many attractive dancers. My only objection is that the local drinks cost 95 pesos and there is no happy hour, unlike in La Pasha and Typhoon. (Their "fantasy" is thinking that customers want to pay P95 pesos a drink for very little entertainment) Warm regards, Keaton. Hi Harry, A note on Cebu Pacific, that disaster of an airline. I'm going to Bangkok mid next month, Jun 09, but their website (half the links don't work) says Clark-Bkk flights are full, even in the following month, July. Hard to believe, and though the actual flights are ok, their organization is so chaotic I don't trust CebuP to even fly the route after they cancelled my Bkk-Clark flight in January without notification or compensation for two extra days hotel and meals. This is in contravention of the international airline rules of the Berlin and Montreal Conferences. And a Manila judge has ruled they are wrong.
TIDBITS ATTN DART PLAYERS - The second Baloy Beach Darts Tournament will be held on 11-12 Jul 09. This is one of the most exciting, fun dart tournaments that one can easily participate in and be a winner regardless of skill level. The location will be at the Lagoon Resort/Johans Resort (opposite each other) midway Baloy Beach, Barrio Barretto, Olongapo. For further information phone Lagoon 09217341698 or Johans 09196471234 - Accommodation can be arranged. Entrance fee is only P200 with P20,000 guaranteed plus trophies for 1st 3 places. Format is classified open draw doubles. More details will be provided in the july edition of this column. NEW ATM CARD SCAM IN PHILIPPINES - An American, residing in the Angeles City area, used his stateside issued ATM card, Debit Card, to withdraw P8K (approx $166.00) from his account to purchase a stereo system at SM Mall Clark. He used the BANCNET ATM machine just outside the door next to Starbucks. This was done on 4 May 2009. On 30 May 2009, he went into his account to verify his balance for the end of the month. When he opened his account he discovered that starting on May 26 to May 29 several ATM withdrawals per day were accomplished. Most were in the Angeles area at BANCNET Bank 032, but several were done in Olongapo Rizal 2 Bank. The multiple withdrawals cleaned out the American's bank account.He is completely broke due to the above SCAM. To our knowledge here in Angeles, this is the first time this has been noticed. How they got the information to make up a fake ATM card is unknown but we all know how crafty these people are. BEWARE!!! The Story below was sent to me by a reader of this column. It is sketchy on details, i.e., what happened after the police arrived? How badly was the foreigner hurt? Was he carted off to the hospital? Yes, incidents like this continue to happen in Angeles City but not all that often. It reinforces my warnings that one has to be careful. It seems that lately the local lads are becoming more sensitive and quick to take offense thereby resorting to violence against, not only themselves but foreigners. I can imagine how helpless a spectator would feel to see such an incident. I am too old and weak to physically be involved but I would certainly be on my phone requesting police assistance and then stick around to see if I could assist the victim. Be careful folks, a mispoken word could lead to a fine night on the town ending in violence. By the way, the area where this took place is well lit and quite busy at this time of the evening.
I am having one of those senior moments. I forget whether I mentioned in a previous column about the fact that the "Powder Keg" bar and restaurant has been reactivated. That name will bring back memories to many of the old timers that have been around Angeles City for years. Guys like Dave Crowe, Bruno and Bob (?) will definitely be aware of the place. The bad news is that it is not located in Angeles City. Instead, it is a long way from here. How about Alona Beach in Pangiao Island, Bohol, Philippines. Just like the original Powder Keg they feature old rock and country music with a full menu available and they serve breakfast all day. They claim to have the best thin, New York style pizza in Bohol as well as the biggest cheeseburger anywhere (Willie Pigs owner might challenge that claim). A lady named Mercy is the owner but Bruno, many remember him, is on hand to provide technical advice. For more information contact Mercy at (038) 50281252 or cell number 09103478367. I checked with Mrs Horse and she told me that Pangiao is a famous place where a lot of movie and TV stars go for a holiday. It is not too far from Cebu. She told me that Kris Aquino stayed at some hotel there for P100,000 but she is not sure if that was for one night or more. For me, regardless of how long she stayed, P100,000 is a bit of change. I am sure if I get on the internet I can find a less expensive place to stay. Whenever I decide to go there I will contact Mercy or Bruno. I am kind of interested now. Hey Bruno, Mercy, I will be checking out that New York pizza one of these days and it better be damn good, if not I will be merciless in my review. Regretfully it appears they do not have a web page for me to refer you to.
I have never thought of this type of information before but it may help some folks planning to retire here and want to bring their favorite pet with them. I got this information from someone preparing to become a permanent fixture here in the PI. - "What you can reference on your site, I have discovered that NorthWest Airlines when traveling with a pet from the USA to the PI, is the only airline that will allow your dog/cat to fly in the cabin with you provided you meet the size/weight requirements. Cat/dogs both are non-quarantined upon entering the PI provided you have all the necessary paperwork and I am contacting the PI embassy here now regarding what paperwork is required. I can confirm that all paperwork necessary to bring your pet to the PI must be dated within 10-days of your arrival and they recommend you have 4 copies of everything. I've seen numerous posts that customs upon entering PI never even checks the paperwork for cats/dogs entering, though I'm not taking any chances." The Northwest website explaining rules for transporting pets is: http://www.nwa.com/travel/animals/carryonpets.html The management of the Donald Paul Hotel on Surla Street, Angeles City, is looking for someone who might be interested in leasing their fully equipped restaurant. Contact number is: 639096045466. Hey Harry, you missed it! Crystal Palace had their first anniversary sat nite (16 May). it all started with a marching band with beauty contestants parading behind, baton wielding dancers led the way. About 30 girls escorted the beauties. fireworks. it was the BEST! (I did not realize a year had passed so quickly. I guess I will miss a few events as I recover from my surgery but my congrats go out to the Crystal Palace for putting on a fine show and thanks to Jim Quinn for informing me, sure hated to miss it).
I just saw the final of American Idol and must say that the best, most talented all around singer definitely did not win. Adam Lambert outshone the boring Chris in every song that he sang. Regretfully, the voters went for "cute" instead of talent. I think that this result takes away from the Idol image where they try to find an outstanding singing talent and then too many voters in America ignore the true talent. The fact that Adam was gay should not have had any bearing on the vote but I am afraid it might have. So, the 8th season is over and I will be curious to see which contestant rises to the top of the entertainment charts. I predict that Chris will be seldom heard from. Hey guys, here's one for you. I came across these comments from Andy Rooney and had to pass them on. Obviously Andy has never been to the Philippines and does not know what is available here. But, there are plenty examples of some of those "elderly" men who chase those 22 year olds and even younger. What follows is classic Andy! In case you missed it on 60 Minutes, this is what Andy Rooney thinks about women over 40: 60 Minutes Correspondent Andy Rooney (CBS): As I grow in age, I value women over 40 most of all.. Here are just a few reasons why:
Yes, we praise women over 40 for a multitude of reasons. Unfortunately, it's not reciprocal. For every stunning, smart, well-coiffed, hot woman over 40, there is a bald, paunchy relic in yellow pants making a fool of himself with some 22-year old waitress (Some of them are on Fields Ave). Ladies, I apologize. For all those men who say, 'Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free?', here's an update for you. Nowadays 80% of women are against marriage. Why? Because women realize it's not worth buying an entire pig just to get a little sausage! Recently there was a rumor floating around that one Maribel Pacis Langley Van Keulen was attacked by a Filipino with a 2 X 2 wooden board with nail spikes in the end. This rumor is true but it was an incident that took place at the entrance to Langley's place of residence. Langley was able to defend herself and eventually turn the assailant over to the police. The rumor continues that Langley was ignored and that one foreigner named "Steve" allowed the assailant to go without any action being taken. This part is not true. The assailant was charged and released on bail the next day. It will now be up to Langley to pursue the case which I hope she does. No individual should be allowed to attempt such physical harm to a person and get away with it. Langley claimed in her Affidavit of complaint that she is a member of the National Press Club, a member of the Press and that she is also a member of law enforcement here in the Philippines. During her visit to Station Four she also brandished an ID claiming that she is a member of the CIDG. Langley is well known in Angeles City and also Barrio Barretto in Olongapo. She is a controversial figure but with all her connections and abilities I am sure that she has the ability to defend herself from any precarious situations. We are glad that she did not suffer any physical harm and that she will be able to pursue her legal case against her attacker. Langley also stated that she is allowed to carry a firearm on her person and that her assailant was lucky she did not have it with her the night of the attack. The police at Station Four did follow proper procedure and the foreigner, Steve, who assists the personnel at Station Four did not interfere with any actions being taken despite a bit of verbal abuse from Langley.
The Crazy Horse bar remains closed and I have heard rumors that Charles Surrey might be making plans to leave the country. Maybe it is getting too hot for him here. Anyone being approached to invest in the Crazy Horse Bar should be very cautious, a wise move would be to ignore any offer at this time. Not too long ago Charles was trying to sell a 25% share in the Blue Nile Club of which he has no interest at all. I was surprised to hear that lots of the girls from Nasty Duck are leaving because of management and going to the new bar near the Phoenix Hotel. Also heard that a mamasan from Fire & Ice moved her girls to Body Shop because of unfair management. Just goes to show how difficult it is to please the ladies and some of the mamasans and that they will leave you in a heartbeat if they feel mistreated in any way. Sometimes it is all a lack of communication or a perceived slight that can set them off.
I have always loved the Harlem Globe Trotters basketball team and was thrilled to see them when I was a kid. They were in Manila last month and I wanted to take my ten year old son to see them. Regretfully, my knee would not allow me to take him there but my brother in law stood in for me and it was an event that will forever remain a memory for my son. He had a blast, could not stop laughing and came home with many stories to tell me. The price of the tickets was well worth it and I was there in spirit. I am sure that many will recognize who the rather distinguished gentleman is but I wonder who the lady is. I was really surprised to see someone that good looking in uniform, especially in Britain. OK already, only kidding, I don't want all the Brits in town getting on my ass. It was nice to note a bit of momentary royal confusion, I am sure his highness recovered nicely. I'd like to thank David Padcock from Live Oak, Tx who mailed me four packs of beans for Mrs. Horse to use in her great chile. But, Dave, please, the next time just find someone coming this way or wait until you visit personally. The money you paid to mail the beans was far too much. They arrived in good shape and the gesture was fantastic, I am overwhelmed and I guess only someone from the great State of Texas would be that generous to an old New York boy like me. Thanks much buddy.
I have heard recently that Gen Restua is now heading up the NBI Clark Office and occupies a house on Clark. Restua used to be a City Director here in Angeles City a number of years ago. The word is that he is working very closely with the City and that no doubt many of the local Club owners will become very familiar with him and his men as they assure that all required laws and regulations are being upheld. It would be nice to meet him again as long as it is in a very unofficial manner. TAPS If you visited Club Nifty or Club Rio while you were in Angeles City then there is a strong possibility you might have run into the owner, Neville (Shifty Nifty). Prior to his departure to Thailand a year or so ago he was a well known figure around the entertainment area, always in the company of one Robert Sullivan. They were nearly glued together. Regretfully, I have forgotten Neville's last name but I was saddened a few months ago when I learned that he was suffering from cancer in Thailand and on 15 May passed away. The owner of Roadies and a few others organized a fund raiser to purchase a ticket for Neville's daughter to visit him in Thailand while he was still alive. This is another example of the soft hearts that our so called "hard core" club owners have. I am sure that Robert Sullivan stuck by him right to the end as any close friend should. Club Nifty and Club Rio are still operating but the man behind the idea has left the premises, for good. May he rest in peace.
Gilbert S. Crow, Retired Army, 73 years old, lived in the Oasis Compound. Died 12 May 09. This was a tragic story. I knew Gilbert casually for many years. He was a loner yet a familiar figure at the Angeles City Sports Club and various clubs in the entertainment zone. He was quiet and serious. I was told that Gilbert developed throat cancer and no doubt this played on his mind quite a bit. He committed suicide by hanging himself from a tree in his front yard at the Oasis Compound. My heart goes out to this man and his family. This came as a shock to me. When in Olongapo I learned from Ron Chesley that Chris Khorona passed away from a heart attack on 25 May 09. Chris was well known in Angeles City as he was the man that sat at the Blue Nile Executive Hotel for many years waiting to assist foreigners in obtaining their visas and passports. He spent his spare time playing pool for various teams and also darts. I knew Chris for many years and it is with deep regret that I report his passing. He had many friends here and in Olongapo. I WOULD IF I COULD
DOUBLINGS FOOD HAUS
AROUND TOWN
I watched the Phoenix Hotel rise from the ashes of Mt. Pinatubo many years ago when a wonderful Australian character by the name of Owen Dolan supervised its construction and became its manager. Owen was murdered years ago and of course, justice was never taken with his killers but Owen's memory and legacy remains with the Phoenix, one of the favorite Hotels in town to many visitors. There was only one man in town who could be accepted as a replacement manager for Owen and that was Mike (Pig) a legend in his own right. His popularity with guests, local expats, and newcomers speaks for itself. I feel a certain kinship to the Phoenix since I watched it being built from the bottom up and I welcome any opportunity to stop in give a high five to Pig. What I like is that there are always some familiar folks on hand that will give one and all a friendly greeting. I caught Mike and a couple of the lads one afternoon when I visited with my pool team. I took the above pictures to preserve for historical purposes but you might wonder what the hell the middle picture is doing there. The explanation is simple. One might give the pictures of the guys a quick glance, or ignore the pictures altogether but that rear end in the middle will cause you to pause a bit longer. What purpose does it have? None whatsoever, but who the hell wants to pass up a sweet a-- like that. Eh, you won't find the owner of that bit of goodness at the Phoenix, try Angel Witch instead. A VERY CHARMING NURSE A VERY IMPRESSIVE YOUNG LADY DARTS AT MARINERS
Our little Angeles City Dart League (ACDL) is still chugging along. We have managed to hang on to seven teams and keep hoping that eventually some more establishments will come on board. It is a fun league composed of a mix of good players and beginners, ladies and men with a variety of nationalities represented. We play on Thursdays at 7 PM with most events finished by ten to ten thirty at night. Some places have two boards so play finishes early. The pictures above represent the Mariners which is a great place I never knew existed until our dart league started up. It is combination guest house, bar, restaurant located in the Mountain View area going towards City Hall. It is run by Precy and her husband, Bjorn Tom Haughland and a more friendly couple and hosts would be difficult to find. They also own an apartment complex next to Mariners and their rents are very reasonable. I always enjoy visiting the place but for some reason I can't get their damn bird to talk to me. If you want more information about the Mariners contact Precy at cell phone +63 0916 375 5730. If you are a dart player planning to visit Angeles City contact Jimmy D (Harry the Horse) pack you darts and visit me at my stable, the Hotel La Casa/Blue Boar Inn and you can throw a few arrows at one of the four boards in the bar. Darts is a good family game, one you can participate in for many years and it is a good excuse to down a beer or two. KNEE REPLACEMENT TIME AT ANGELES UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION HOSPITAL (AUF)
You better believe I took my camera to the hospital with me. How the hell can the Horse go through all this misery, lose time on the street, miss out on all the gossip, miss some bar openings and then not write about the event that took me off my feet. I was determined to catch a few good looking doctors and nurses. The first Doc I caught was the admitting doctor in the emergency room (1st picture). Man, this Doctor Ria was all business but I learned that she is single and graduated from UST. I did not get her age but I figure she is still in her 20's. Not a bad looker but I figure the only way you can meet her is to visit the emergency room every day with some sort of illness. Now a doctor could be a good catch for some enterprising young man. The other ladies are nurses but I did not get their names. I just wanted to show you what you are missing at the hospital. There certainly are enough good looking ladies around to help you forget your pain. Now, dig picture number six from the top. That is one dynamic, personable, unusual doctor. Her name is Myrna Reblando, 58 years old and still single. She is a cardiologist and has been in the business for 37 years. I can't forget her because she represents what I fear about going in the hospital. After admitting tests they sometimes find things wrong with you that you had no idea about. In my case, this Doc comes flying into my room to tell me that the EKG showed a problem but don't worry about it. On second thought, she said I should get a Echogram or whatever they call it. Had the test and then one night she bounces into my room and tells me, "ah Hah, there is a problem with some artery in my heart or something like that, but don't worry about it, it is an aging process". Bull puckey! Now I am worried and also, another doctor tells me that I am border line diabetic. I only went in for my damn knee and now doctor Myrna has me worried about my heart. On top of that I am afraid to eat ice-cream, cookies and slices of pie now. But, this Doc Myrna is a gas. She is something else and just in case some of you older guys are interested in meeting a super doctor with one hell of a personality drop her an Email at mrcardio2000@yahoo.com. If you look at my knee pictures I think you can see that such an operation requires that the surgeon requires and assistant doctor with him during the procedure. Would you believe that someone in the VA Clinic suggested, in order to save money, that they would not pay for an assisting doctor. That person needs a reality check. If I had this operation in the States I suspect that the cost would be around $35 to 50 thousand dollars. The cost to the VA was only around $7,500 and this doctor was US trained. The staff doctors and nurses at AUF were great. Of course the food sucked and I never ate any of it at all. I would think that a hospital would have holding rails in the showers and in front of the toilet, especially since they accept patients for orthopedic surgery. The VA only pays for a semi-private room and I paid the difference for a private room and that was not expensive. Man, I want to suffer alone and not want to wake up and listen to someone else that may be in worse shape than me. Plus, I do not want to fight over the TV. So, here we are, 1 Jun, 23 days since my operation and I am on the slow boat to recovery. I have to thank my friend Tim who lent me a pair of crutches and also his continuous motion machine that has been a big help in getting my knee back in shape. It is torture but necessary. Hopefully, I can get out a bit more in June and find things to write about for July. I suspect it won't be until sometime in August before I get back to my normal hectic pace. Thanks to all those who wrote me and my sympathies go out to anyone out there who is going to have knee replacement surgery. It ain't no fun!!! THE DART SEASON ENDS
NEW OPENINGS
More new bars opening but I have not had the time to get pictures yet. Will do so in June. Troy, from Treasure Island fame has opened the Candy Bar. It is part of the complex of clubs located next to the Phoenix. Another well known name in town, Peter Taylor, in the same complex has opened the Bare Assets Club. Going a bit further up Perimeter Road Greg Harbert (TARTS, Vixons and Lost in Asia) is in the process of opening up an outdoor sports bar but I have not seen any sign up that gives me the name. I suspect that he will be up and running in a week or so. More and more action continuing to appear along Perimeter Road and, at least for now, those P95 local drink charges have not made it past the Checkpoint. (This complex of bars is located between the Phoenix Hotel and Zapatas Mexican Restaurant - By the way, I have heard that the lease ran out on the Zapatas location and it might be moved to the Friendship area in the near future) THOSE WHO GATHERED AT GARFIELDS TO BID BEVERLY JAMES PERRIN A FINAL FAREWELL
THE NEW IMMIGRATION OFFICE ON CLARK
GRIN AND BEAR IT
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In an earlier issue of your newsletter I saw that somebody is looking for Walter Groves. Walter Groves stayed in a Clarkview townhouse rent-free for several months, always telling the landlord that the money would arrive at any moment, which it never did. He borrowed from people far and wide, many who felt sympathy for his wife and new-born child. Purportedly, he has a gambling problem. DO NOT TRUST THIS MAN! (You are absolutely right. I had other Emails about this low life, lying SOB. It definitely is a name to remember and a person to avoid at all costs. He deserves no sympathy at all)
When dining at the Mequine buffet at the Holiday Inn I spotted a very big chocolate donut in the display case just in front of the entrance to the buffet. It was love at first sight! I had to purchase this delicacy and present it to our son for a taste test. You better believe that this donut was not consumed at one sitting. Instead, bits and pieces were taken over a period of three days. The test results indicated that once you got pass the chocolate the rest was not all that special, in fact it was a bit dry. Never-the-less, with a bit of help from our staff, it was fully consumed. My suggestion to the sales staff manning the bakery was that it might be a good idea to insert some cream filling into the body of the donut so it would not taste so dry. Bottom line, I would not buy another one until they figured out how to make it a bit more moist. Somehow, I don't think they really care what this Horse thinks about their donut. I guess I better stick to my strawberry filled jelly donuts at donut king. By the way, my young taster wholeheartedly agrees.
Beverly James Perrin - the well liked, wonderfully interesting man who ended his last year or so as the manager of Garfields left us last month at the age of 65. He had been ill for some time with various illnesses but always seemed to rebound and continue to bring laughter to the crowds at Garfields with his stories of past adventures. He was member of the British Special Branch and served as a body guard to Princess Diana, the Prime Minister and other well known politicians. Some jobs he just did not talk about but alluded to a very interesting career. He retired at 55, came here and told a friend that he had to be serious for many years but now, after retiring, he was determined to have fun and live life to the fullest. He did that for 10 more years. He was known to stick olives up his nose, take a monkey barhopping and if that was not enough, even a live snake. He wore his vest and suspenders and became a symbol of the good life in Angeles City. He was a good friend to many and never had a harsh word about anyone. He was a gentleman. He woke up sick one morning, blood coming from nose and covering his mouth but he made it to his car with the objective of driving to Garfields, the place he loved. He never made it. I had only been out of hospital for a few days when I heard about a get together of friends of Beverly at Garfields who would spend a day lifting drinks in his honor/memory and retelling hundreds of Beverly stories. I managed to grab my two crutches, get a ride and make it on down. A few drinks kind of eased the pain in my knee but what really touched me was seeing so many familiar faces on hand to bid farewell to Beverly. The mood was respectful, fairly quiet but not too much so, it was the type of gathering that Beverly would have loved to see. I knew Bev for many years but not closely. He was someone I would see at the Phoenix, Private Dancer I and II, Exotica, Dusk to Dawn, Byrd Cage and finally Garfields and he always had a friendly hello for me. I liked him as so many others in town did and he will be missed. In this town, what more can you ask for. 
It is early May, I am desperate, I have to find my special lady before I go in the hospital. My walking might be limited later. I passed the Orchid Inn and then thought, wait, who always comes to my rescue in situations like this? Ah Hah, Dennis, my buddy in the "Body Shop". I explained what I was looking for and he was able, within minutes introduced me to a young lady I wholeheartedly recognized as a definite "I would" lady. Her name is Mary-An and she is a bundle of affectionate joy at only 5 feet tall. Would you believe that she had been working at this bar for only 4 days. They must have one hell of a good training program or she is a natural for her job as a waitress. She is 19 years old, from Bacolod, and has a two year old son. Yep, another Filipino injects a bit of juice into another underage girl and then dumps her later on. She did not hesitate to indicate that she was working in order to support her child and to help the family. Nothing unusual there but what was different was her personality and cuddly personality. Did I really use the word "cuddly", my goodness that is a bit of an old man's term. Maybe it would be better if I said that after 10 minutes with Mary-An one would want to do a hell of a lot more than just cuddle her. I was told that she is quite popular and I must admit that she was able to get me to buy a ladies drink without even asking. Usually I never do that but she kind of grew on me and the head waitress was getting a bit anxious. She has two sisters and one brother. She did not finish high school but, of course, would like to. Her favorite age for someone to court her is 29 years old but after some pleading, getting down on my knees, and buying her a drink I was able to convince her that men past 70 are not all that bad as long as they have money and a severe heart condition. Somehow I think that Mary-An would wear out an old man rather quickly. Regretfully, she does not have an Email address so you will have to visit her at the Body Shop. I recommend you get there early in the evening. I wonder if I could get her to visit me in the hospital? 
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