Saturday, 13 September 2008

• Disco

  
  
  I awoke because of the din.

   

  Strings of “Oh Carol”, interspersed with a Shaggy song…

   

  There was a “disco” going on a little farther down the street from my place, and it was going on well into the night. Knowing these community “socials”, the people involved will probably be keeping at the music until maybe 4 in the morning.

   

  What’s a “disco”?

   

  Well, in small towns, mine included, people hold dance parties where organizers pay for the lights and music, set up tables and chairs (for two or more) and line up stalls where you can buy drinks (both soft drinks and beer, and maybe even the staple Tanduay rum). AND, maybe most importantly, have an ever-friendly (it depends) staff at the entrance to collect a fee for “partying”.

   

   A lot of young people, from high school and older (to maybe folks in their sixties) gather themselves together and troop over to the local quadrangle, or closest basketball court (a common venue) to spend the night partying with friends, or meeting girls (and guys), or just plain ogle and drink away.

   

   Participants dress up to their latest party nines, and expect to have a lot of fun.

   

  This is an essential part of small-town culture, mind you. It is where young people meet other young people, where love affairs start and end, and where, booze flows so freely, anything (and I mean anything) can happen. A little backgrounder, folks…

   

  Folks, young and old alike, look forward to this weekly social gathering with fervor, expecting fun and being able to meet someone. Someone I know used to tell me that when she was younger, she had a special bra with hard cups that could and did prevent any male from pressing so close to her and getting any ideas. She met her husband in a dance such as these, though. They’re still together up to now. :-p

   

  A great way to kick off things. Discos are a real crowd-drawer, and for the politico who wants to get the word abuzz for his new programs, discos are good avenues for getting the word out.

   

  Money makers. If the local Sangguniang Kabataan (SK), or the local Cagers society) needs to raise funds, why, discos are the way to go. Aside from soliciting from the local officials and businessmen, they stage these fundraisers and rack up popularity points with the young. Also, store owners also get a tidy sum, because for a price, they can sell their goods (mostly drinks, smokes and chips) at a slightly higher price. (And sadly, the “friendly neighborhood pharmacist” also gets to make a buck with the young people…because like I said, anything can happen.)

   

  Cultural exposure. I’ve seen many expats and tourists at the discos at one time or other, sampling the culture and feel of the small town social life.

   

  Advertising. The popular song that gets people up from their chairs is going to get more airtime in the radios, as people request this over and over. That said, if you have a catchy beat that you want people to sit up and pay attention to, give it a go at a disco.

   

  However, because of the booze and the easily-shorted tempers, knife fights and brawls are quite a normal part in the list of “things to expect” at a disco. It even gets to the point where people would throw stones at each other and yell expletives. Which is a good thing the peacekeepers are around during the discos too.

   

  ************

   

  Well, it sounds like they’re playing the national anthem there already.

   

  You know what sounds come after the party breaks up?

   

  Silence…and of course,

   

  Chickens.

   

  :-p

   

  ************

  • 4:57 PM
  • 34 Views
  • 2 eProps
  • 1 Comment