close brush

It has been raining the past few days, so everyone should be careful on the road. Even Rands' kuya figured in an accident this week. I had my own experience too.

About two weeks ago, on my way home, I headed to the usual terminal in Alabang. There were already people waiting in line for the next bus, because the present bus was almost full ("Dalawa nalang!"), and they did not want to sit at the back. I thought, what the heck, I don't mind, so I got in. When I reached the back, there was a fellow employee from our school! It was sort of a pleasant surprise.

So the bus went on its way... The conductor started giving out tickets from the front, a lady stood at the middle for a "pangangaral", and a baby was crying softly... that was the last I heard before... you know, I fell asleep (as always!). I half-awoke when the bus ascended the skyway ramp and the conductor was two rows away from us ... then a few moments later, we heard something burst at the rear part of the bus. I felt the bus swerve abruptly to the left, and the women screamed... Suddenly, we were at a complete stop. The rear tire of the bus had burst.

I was jolted fully awake by this time, and my fellow employee looked a little shocked. "Buti nalang dala ko 'tong bigay ni Ms. Balgos," and he showed me a rosary dangling from his pocket. I also heard someone say, "Buti nalang may nangangaral dyan, abutan nyo kahit barya." Then we all got off the bus. When I reached the door, it was then that the situation hit me ... we were right at the edge of the skyway!

This part of the skyway had a "sidewalk-type" of structure, about one-foot wide, before the edge of the railing. According to some of the passengers, if we had been on the rightmost lane when the tire burst, there would be no other way for us but through the railings and down into the highway below, a good 30-40 feet!

I must admit my knees were shaking a bit while we were waiting for another bus to pick us up, but my fellow employee was a little more shocked than I was (because I was actually asleep when it happened), because he got off with me at Magallanes so he can take the MRT instead, "Parang na-trauma ata ako, pag nagbbrake, kinakabahan ako."

Divine intervention ... there is no other explanation for what happened. We were not even going fast enough for a big accident. A lady preaching the word, a baby that people in general consider as an angel, many passengers who are believers and some may actually be praying during that time... all of these saved us. I am quite lucky, there is no other explanation for it ... we were saved.

anecdotes

last saturday, my ex-officemate carlos' baby gabby celebrated her 3rd birthday at mcdo in front of sta. lucia. the party was 9-11am!! i had consultation for my practicum class; i came at 830am hoping to finish at 9, but our prof was late! we ended up arriving at the party at 1030am! i forced my nephews to join the games even before they can sit down to eat! randy and i called it "the 30-minute party" hehe. we had to leave at a little past 11am because there was another gown-clad little girl waiting for her princess party to start. it was short but sweet; sheila and i got to meet old friends again.

(in the picture, gabby is holding our gift right there! cutie girl!)

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when we went to mass in up chapel yesterday, i was so touched by how the resident lector read the second reading (she was much better than how i read it during my service at lourdes that morning! hehe, feeling ba?), that i told randy that i want to approach her to compliment her. when the mass ended, she was still in the sacristy, but when we went to shopping center, she was there! so i mustered courage then i approached her.

nades: hello po.

resident lector: hi! (very pleasantly)

nades: ang galing nyo po magbasa.

resident lector: salamat. (then she advances to me seemingly for a hug, and I actually make her 'beso'!, innocently thinking that she is just really ma-chika)

resident lector: hanggang kelan ka dito?

nades: (omg, shucks! she mistook me for somebody, dyahe!) ay nagsimba lang po ako jan, sorry po. (ang dilim kasi sa may shopping eh!)

resident lector: ah. ok salamat. *walks away*

my good intention turned embarrasing experience...

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last night, i watched return of the king on ch7 up to 1am, when i've seen it when it was shown at the cinemas! i chanced upon it last sunday when i came home late, and when they didn't finish it (there was a part2!), i had to see it. nakakaadik! *does anyone know why frodo had to leave the shire? hehe*

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this morning, i got to experience one of my most eeeww moments! i was seated in a bus, between two males. this guy at the window seat spits out the window, and then i felt something... (you wouldn't want me to continue... i still shudder at the feeling. napamura talaga ako, then he goes "ay sorry", and takes out his towel, but i wouldn't dare let him wipe me with that!) this should teach everybody a lesson, to always bring wet wipes or tissue when traveling.