this used to be my playground

that mental listing of exes brought back lots of memories. including ugarte field! and as a senior (by age) member of this PLU blogosphere, i feel it is my responsibility to orient you about the PLU lifestyle and scene back then.

ugarte field was how we used to call the place. you would call it roxas triangle today. (at maraming salamat pu sa google earth for the pic)

used to be the cruising place in makati. with no fitness first branches or spas LOL, the hapless PLU would frequent any of the parks and gardens of the city to get laid. there were others like qc memorial, mehan garden. but ugarte was special because of its clientele.

being at the heart of makati, ugarte would be the place to meet and mate your makati-based office worker. sure it wasn't just office workers. being accessible to public transportation made it attractive and viable for people from other areas and walks of life.

it would be dark, right in the middle of the park, very dark. and very conducive. so people just get down to business.

you'd go there, alone or with friends. (this used to be an entertainment option for us. we'd all meet somewhere else. take someone's car and drive there. then we'd end up in a disco (note the term) or a goodah outlet. hehe)

but upon arrival, galit-galit muna. you disperse like flies shooed away. there were walkways zigzagging through the park. and others like you, walking, seemingly aimless. then the look, and the 2nd look. and the 'follow me' look or 'stay where you are, im coming for you' look.

you exchange some trite greetings. ("hi. ako si boy." "boy? eh girl ka!" joke) then its find your place in the moonlight.

everything happens there. everything unsafe. (pre HIV days no???) and if you both are open to being tonight's show, you'll have your audience, slowly circling you. some bold souls will attempt to participate. if you're open to it, it becomes a party. two becomes fifteen. lol.

but there are horror stories. someone shouts "may pulis"... and you have poor souls, pants down to their thighs or ankles, running, hopping, skipping for dear life. and you'd see 'the mobile" in the perimeter, going round and round. i personally never witnessed such a round-up.

or there is the occasional misplaced callboy asking for payment. "p_____ i___ mo! kung magpapabayad ka, magpaganda ka muna!"

mr ayala became wiser (or more conservative?) and closed up the place, i believe in the mid-90's.

that was nice...