Episode 2: The Metrosexual.
Episode 2 opens in Kaizer’s apartment, where Marleen has spent the night. Marleen admits she spends longer in the bathroom than Kaizer, though he’s not too far behind her. Maurice has just returned to his apartment from the gym, and talks us through a typical morning routine. His bathroom shelf is littered with an array of moisturizers, hair gels, razors, lip balms, peppermint cooling gels and a can of hydro mist spa water spray, for sensitive skin. Trevor bucks the stereotype, and is practically refined in his grooming.
The cast assembles at Scar for haircuts. Maurice believes men want to look younger and stay younger, “women will never always like an alpha male. Women will also never like an out and out metrosexual.” Although to Kaizer and Trevor he admits, “every aspect of male grooming I like. Pedicures, manicures, hair.” Trevor acknowledges there is a blurred line between metrosexual and gay, while Kaizer thinks, “metrosexual men actually do identify with women because of that cross over they get to understand women a little bit better.”
This week’s pick-up is at the Old Biscuit Mill, Saturday’s Neighbourgoods Market. Amid the spreads of scrumptious and wholesome cuisine, a bustling crowd provides a multitude of possibilities for the cast.
Maurice reminisces about the previous pick up, noting his low conversion rate as a result of the environment he’s asked to operate in. “If you haven’t come right by 12 you must go home and sleep,” is fatherly advice Maurice lives by. The pick up turf hasn’t suited Maurice, he prefers a setting that promotes talking, reasoning and the expression of feelings. His blunt “are you still married?” question to a mother at the market is staggering.
Kaizer finds the interaction at the market easy, his casual flirtations are frequent and comfortable. Simplicity works for Kaizer, “Just say: Hi. That opens the door most of the time. I don’t have come up with some pick up line. ”
Trevor discloses the ease with which gay men can interact, a simple nod of the head lets you know whether they’re open to conversation. Opinions fly on the outtakes as the characters comment on each other, Trevor thinks Maurice is not as confident a he sounds. “He needs a lot of help.” Kaizer councils, “you need to make an effort.” Maurice sees Kaizer’s effort as coming across “as a chest bashing bear,” and thinks, “for a gay guy I think Trevor doesn’t even look after himself.” Kaizer finds Maurice, at times boring and suspects this might be Maurice’s basic problem.
Dates this week find Trevor and Asa at a ceramic studio in Constantia making some interesting looking pottery. They both enjoy the informal interaction, and Trevor is quite flirtatious. A particular shaping technique, akin to milking a cow, gets the couple giggling.
Kaizer takes Marleen to a spa for their second date, where the disposable panties bemuse him. A spa is what Kaizer enjoys, being pampered and treated. He finds Marleen easy going, and relaxed, that’s why he likes holiday romances, there’s no pressure or clinginess as they’re leaving anyway. Boldly uncommitted, Kaizer pragmatically tells us, “I always have women in my black book. If Marleen goes, I don’t mean to be like all slutty, but that’s how it is. She knows that as well, she was here for two weeks, life has to go on.” Only the public nature of the establishment restrains their intimacy, as Kaizer admits, if Marleen had been in a Jacuzzi at his place, “things would have gone a lot, lot further.” As far as Kaizer’s concerned he’s single, however, if she had to stay, things might be different.
Not able to secure a date, Maurice has some down time at his apartment, reading the Sunday papers and watching sport. He’s not feeling good about himself, and believes he still has a fair way to go in his interaction with women. Right now, he doesn’t want to be tied down.
Sundown finds the guys perched on the harbor pier. Maurice sights his shit mojo for leaving him dateless this week, he thinks he needs more time to weave his magic, and clubs don’t offer him that opportunity. Maurice asks Trevor if he’s ever had sex with a woman, Trevor’s answer in the negative prompts Kaizer to ask Trevor if he knows what he’s missing, Trevor wryly replies, “Do you know what you’re missing?”
According to Kaizer, communication is vital to pleasuring your partner, while Trevor brags that being with the same sex makes pleasuring your partner second nature. Maurice wants to know if he looks gay. Trevor agrees he does look a bit gay and suggests even Kaizer “could possibly be gay,” Kaizer summates for him “so I’m almost half gay?” Maurice steers the conversation to penis size, but Kaizer dismisses the issue as largely irrelevant, it’s an issue men have, not women. Technique as the key, after all, “big dicks hurt.” Maurice is left gazing begrudgingly at the proportions of his beer bottle.
