Today's adventure made me reflect on how life has unexpected surprises and that there are reasons for everything that happen.

This morning, I was originally scheduled to be in two places at the same time: a. ADMU for my MA, and b. CSQC for Saturday make-up classes.

At four in the morning, I get  a text from one of my bosses, that classes were suspended in CSQC. I rush down to inform my mom and tell my drowsy brother to go back to bed because you're in luck, school was cancelled.

Which made me start wondering about my MA class.

MA classes are different from regular classes. They don't suspend despite weather or holidays because some classes, like the one I'm currently taking, only meet for five whole Saturdays. Missing a class would be very inconvenient and a lot won't be tackled for the day. And as written in my syllabus, classes are classes whatever day it is.

So I head out, and bless my parents, they offered to take me to school. They needed to get a little grocery done anyway so they decided to head out to bring me. That was 8 am.  It was rainy and dark, but there was no traffic, no signs of flooding. It just looked like a really wet Saturday morning...or so I thought.

I wore my plueys, thinking it would just rain a teeny tiny bit then I would have to switch to flip-flops for the rest of the day. TOday turned out to be the ultimate test for my plueys.

They dropped me off, and told me to text so that they could wait for me in the event that the class suddenly gets cancelled. AGS was having their fair and the grounds were littered with families and little ones, braving the rain to enjoy in an otherwise damp school fair.

at 8:30 am, I was the only one there, until my professor entered and we began talking a bit. It's actually fun to get to know your professor. I forgot how fun it was to speak to someone you respect with a sense of equality and familiarity.

My classmates trickled in and voila, we were complete, sans one who was a non-credit participant. Our prof decided to pursue the class but I noticed she seemed distracted. The rain fell continuously and at 12 noon, we were allowed to go home. Four hours early, a good blessing.

I was already heading towards the gate when I bumped into Ahrren, a classmate of mine one summer who is currently a teaching assistant in the Educ department while she finishes some units. She asks if I was there for my advisement and I look at her and say "advisement ba today?" and she says "last day today." 

On a normal day, I would have probably panicked and make rash decisions on my subjects next course, but I decided to check, ask if I could come back another day, and maybe find a good schedule to move around my Saturday work in CSQC. So I did.

I am currently thinking of taking a leave next semester because none of my preferred classes are available and the one class that I could take is scheduled too close to all my Sat classes, including Family day and the Christmas party. For all the diplomas in the world, no way am I ruining my boys Christmas party by being absent. Besides, that's the one day I can get a ton of gifts which I can brag about to everyone.:P

After passing by the office, I bumped into sakurabaka who just submitted a paper. I was supposed to meet her after my class to enjoy the fair but with the rain and all, I wasn't sure at that moment. I was already texting my parents and at that time, my understanding was that they were on their way home. I figured, since I was going to have to go home on my own anyway I could spend a little time with Cherry before I left. So we had a little lunch, and I walked with her back to AGS.

AGS was packed. It seemed that, instead of getting stuck in traffic, the families decided to stay and enjoy the fair. Which was actually a good choice which I will get into detail later. I entered Cherry's room to dry up a bit and began texting my parents. I understood wrong, apparently, they were heading back to get me because they got my text that I ended early. They were going to meet me in front of Ateneo in 10 minutes. I bid Cherry goodbye and was off.

And Cherry, I hope you and your family are okay.

I was told to meet them by the overpass fronting ADMU that led to Jollibee. I walked my way, not really minding that all around my plueys, the water gushed and cars stood still on either side of me. I was a pedestrian, and on occasions like this, I didn't mind that I didn't have a car. It was easier to find alternate means of getting to places since there was a jeep, with its cheap flat rate, the LRT that has no traffic, or simply walking. I was smiling like some sick bastard under that rain. MY only concern was the laptop in my backpack, but I was told it was waterproof, and I HOPED that it was.

When I got to the pedestrian gate, I blinked.

In front of me, which was usually a bumper to bumper case of exodus, was an empty Katipunan avenue....waist deep in sewer water.

I called my parents and told them they would never pass, and that MMDA opened the U-turn heading back to Libis. They told me to wait by the main gate, so with a heavy bag, I continued walking in the rain.

I didn't feel wet, mainly because I knew my feet were bone dry. It was just that I didn't want to end up playing Quasimodo in the next Hunchback of Notre Dame remake because of my bag. I still dream of seeing five feet!!!!

When I got out there, traffic stalled. I stood there, with the wind blowing water down my neck, and my umbrella attempting to free itself from my grasp, it wasn't the way I wanted to spend my Saturday morning. Or any morning for that matter. My phone, bless it's ticking heart, was still letting me make calls and my load was still clicking. I felt secure.

Now that I write this, I realize that God was with me all that time, because as I recall myself, and with what has happened now that it is dark, a lot of things could have happened, but God saw me through until we got home.

I called my parents and they told me to start walking up towards the flyover to meet them. At least I'd be dry, they said.

And that...would probably be the first and last time I will trek Katipunan avenue and live to tell the tale.

I found the car and got in.

I felt warm and secure. My parents were there and there was food in the trunk. We didn't need to worry if we ever got hungry.

Then I saw our gas level.

We always fill up with just enough for our rides, what with gas prices sky-rocketing every month. It worried me that we would never make any gas station at the rate we weren't moving. My dad would turn off the engine everytime we stopped, and turned it back on to move another five feet. We did that snake like trance for around an hour until we got to the u-turn and got to the opposite direction of Katipunan. We pulled the car to the side and began planning our route home. Most of the other cars would stop in front of Mcdo and park along Katipunan island (as in the middle island separating north and south bound) so the otherwise four laner was reduced to a two laner of empty cars.

We decided to take Aurora, knowing that there was a gas station nearby.

It wasn't smooth sailing as we thought.

The traffic moved at a snail's pace, and we entered the project 2 side streets. Gas was really low and I was worried that we might have stalled in the middle and create an even worse case of bad traffic than original. We only needed to turn left and the gas station would be in sight, but a big truck was in our way and...the engine stalled.

I was freaked out. my dad started it up and it clicked. He moved the car slowly to the side and we parked there for a while until we decided to trek to the gas station. At least there, there was a rest room, and a convenient store. We could wait the rain out there.

We stayed and talked for about an hour and watched the ebb and flow as the rain poured, stopped, traffic came and went, and more and more people came by, with folded pants, a ruined umbrella and a full bladder. We sat cozily in that shop.

The rain let up a bit, and the road was clear. My dad got the car and quickly brought it to the station, and we filled it up...to just enough.

After we ate, we headed on our way, taking the Cubao route. We passed EDSA and the smell of victory was near...or so we thought.

Right in front of Mayor Belmonte's house, just a few meters away from where we could turn...was the biggest swimming pool I saw today.

We ended up going back to EDSA and going via Kamuning. And it was smooth sailing from there.

We got home, a trip that began at 8 am, to 4pm, drenched, wet, tired, but home. It was as if I had a whole day class.

We unloaded the groceries, ate dinner, dried up, and now I am typing using Saiya, who is safe and dry (her sleeve is another story ), checking all the other techie gadgets in my bag and making sure they're all working properly, and drying out all my papers and readings. My Tranformers book is half-drenched, my papers, looking dog-eared as if they were five years old, and my bag the remnants of a battle of moisture and protection. It served me well, and I look forward to using it again.

As I sit here, warm, back to the comfort of my home, and I watch as people are still heading home at this hour on TV, I am glad that God showed us the paths we had to take, and the decisions we had to make,to get us safely home.

Here were the small miracles that happened today:

1. My brother, Miji, wanted to come originally. We all thought it would be just a trip to school and back. I was glad he didn't come, otherwise he would have been with us, and I wouldn't want him to get any wet, nor feel uncomfortable during the whole trip.

2. I originally was going home on my own, taking gate one to grab a cab heading out to Philcoa then Quezon Ave. Buti na lang I made those calls with my mom. It was a traffic there as anywhere else.

3. My bag, with all it's stuff, got wet. But the laptop was bone dry.

4. my phone was working the whole time I stood there in katipunan waiting for mom and dad. When I checked it this evening, it hung. I decided to turn it off. Now it won't even open. And I wonder, what if that happened in the middle of my phonecalls?

5. THe money I had in my wallet was just enough for a little lunch and gas. and we were both full and we got home with, just enough.

I actually wondered why I even went to school today, because I felt that all that traffic hulabaloo could have been avoided if I decided to stay home. But like the incident with the advisement, I just sighed and said.

Lord, I don't know why you made me and family experience what we just did today. I am thankful that you allowed them to pick me up. I know that you guided us safely home and that you helped us get gas at the right time, and turn to the right streets. You have showed me miracles today and I am glad that you are always there to watch over us. For now, please watch over everyone who are still out, especially the pedestrians who are caught in the rain, and for the people who are flooded,like Cherry. I know that this is a trial you are letting us face, and I know that you will help us through it. Thank you Lord for the miracles and blessing of this day.

and with that, I say good night.

Mara out~