Jonard A.K.A. James

What have I learned lately?

I haven't asked myself this in a while.

For quite sometime now, I have confined myself to the bliss of "married" life that I have forgotten there are still interesting people I could learn something from.

Take the case of Jonard AKA James. He's an entertainer in one of the gay bars here that I met through Phil AKA Venus, not the beauty queen but the fly trap, a friend from work. Phil has a handful of friends working at the bar, thanks to his frequent visits there.

We stayed there for a good four hours until the bar closed. It wasn't until after closing that we got to talk to James. He asked us if he could join in an after-gimmick alcohol hose down that Phil and I already planned before.

I thought James didn't meet his "quota" and as a last ditch effort to hit it, asked us if he could join, expecting something in return for the company he offered. I was right. Almost.

I was right to think that he expected something back from us but I never thought it was the monetary kind he wanted - He wanted understanding. For quite some time I've believed that his kind are like blood suckers, ready to suck (literally and figuratively) the life and money out of us hapless froglettes. I was wrong.

James is so different from the image I set in my mind about male Mary Magdalenes. For one, I thought all have ripped abs and nice toned bodies. He is well, uhh, ordinary. Just like everyone else, he has your typical Filipino height, color and built, and aside from and despite his physical attributes, he has his own points of views, opinions, ideas and dreams.

I admit that I'm one of those who look down on guys like James, but now, I ask myself: Why should I?

Just like me, he scribbles when he feels the urge to. Just like me, he thinks that the work he does is not really the one he's meant to do. Just like me, he feels discriminated, and most of all, just like me, he likes M2M porn! I know this is a lousy attempt at tickling funny bones but over and beyond this, he made me realize that he is just like us all - human.

So what have I learned lately?

I am but just a participant in the stage called life and I am not in the position to judge. You know why? It's because I am not a judge. I am like Venus, the beauty queen, not the fly trap.

I thank you!