My Gut Just Saved Me 98,000 Pesos
At the moment: still scared out of my bloody wits
When Julian wasn't able to drop by at school to take me home tonight, I knew deep within my subconscious that something bad was going to happen. It was 7pm and along the dangerous streets surrounding UST you can never be too safe. Spending more than 6 years studying in UST makes you paranoid and cautious about your life just outside the school walls. You learn to accept that there's no such thing as 'impossible' and that you could die in just a fucking instant. (not to mention just steps away from school grounds)
What made me even more nervous was the fact that I was carrying my laptop with me. I had a big presentation to show today so I just HAD to bring it so don't give me a lecture about not bringing laptops when I don't even have a car. So technically, I was carrying 98,000 pesos on my shoulders (plus my parents' unspeakable fury if it got lost) I was a bit nervous about going home on my own with it on my shoulders but of course, I had no other choice.
I got on a semi-empty jeepney heading for Project 8. The ride was okay although traffic was a big, nasty bitch. I was tired, I needed to pee, I was starving... in short, I was so ready to go home. But my senses suddenly turned on full gear when a man practically jumped in the jeepney.
So how am I going to describe this man?
He was wearing a messy white bandana over his oily head. He had a loose, army shirt on and dirty, tattered jeans. He had bloodshot eyes and was panting like he had been running away from a freight train. He was carrying a big duffel bag which he secured defensively between his legs. But probably the most suspicious thing about him was that he was staring. As in literally staring at the woman in front of him. It was a shameless kind of stare.. The expression was a cross between terrified and constipated. He just looked so fucking guilty and nervous. Like he was about to do something he wasn't used to do.
Before you judge me of being paranoid and illogical, let me tell you that I have been a victim of it more than once. I know how it feels to get mugged in a moving vehicle. It creates an image... a memory that will perk itself up again when you encounter a similar situation. And trust me, my heart was thumping wildly against my chest. I have never felt more nervous in my whole life. I was carrying my laptop.. the laptop that I loved so much and that which my parents worked so hard for. The thought of it disappearing in an instant sent chills down my spine.
I was so sure that within minutes he would be taking out a knife or a gun and demanding people to give their belongings. It was a gut feeling. For a couple of seconds, I contemplated whether to give in to that gut feeling. I deliberated whether I was just being ridiculous or not. I even looked numerous times at "the man" just to inspect again and again if he was worthy of my suspicion. For all I know I could just be one fucking nutcase scaring myself for nothing.. but everytime I turn to look at "the man" he was panting heavily and staring... staring intently at the woman in front of him. Really, the only word I can use to describe that stare is: shameless. It was a blatant "ADIK-AKO" stare. It scared me. I swear, fear grips the consciousness and takes you into a praying frenzy. I can't remember how much Our Father's and Hail Mary's I uttered. Seriously. I was that scared.
That's when I finally made up my mind. I called over to the driver "Ma, sa tabi lang po" even if I had more than 5 blocks away from my stop. I crawled out of the jeepney half-expecting "the man" to suddenly grab my laptop as I pass by him. Of course, that didn't happen because if it did, I wouldn't be able to update right now. As I stepped out of the jeepney, I felt tasteful, overwhelming relief. Like that last push when you're suffering from constipation.
I walked the rest of the way home. It was long and yes the torture of my pleading bladder didn't help my journey the least bit but boy was I fucking thankful I got out of that jeepney. I honestly don't know if "the man" was really an evil man out to get our stuff but the fear was too much to describe.
I chose to follow my gut and got out of the jeepney even if "the man" wasn't doing anything yet. But should I really wait until he has threatened everyone in the jeepney to surrender our belongings to actually do something? You might think I'm a paranoid nutcase.. but at least I'm a paranoid nutcase with a laptop. I honestly don't know what I could've done if "the man" was actually a goon. >.<
My little advice would be if your gut tells you to get out, get OUT. If there's no apparent disadvantage to you following your gut, then by all means trust your instincts. In this world where you get killed just for a nokia 3200, you can never be too careful.
Stay safe guys! ^__^
When Julian wasn't able to drop by at school to take me home tonight, I knew deep within my subconscious that something bad was going to happen. It was 7pm and along the dangerous streets surrounding UST you can never be too safe. Spending more than 6 years studying in UST makes you paranoid and cautious about your life just outside the school walls. You learn to accept that there's no such thing as 'impossible' and that you could die in just a fucking instant. (not to mention just steps away from school grounds)
What made me even more nervous was the fact that I was carrying my laptop with me. I had a big presentation to show today so I just HAD to bring it so don't give me a lecture about not bringing laptops when I don't even have a car. So technically, I was carrying 98,000 pesos on my shoulders (plus my parents' unspeakable fury if it got lost) I was a bit nervous about going home on my own with it on my shoulders but of course, I had no other choice.
I got on a semi-empty jeepney heading for Project 8. The ride was okay although traffic was a big, nasty bitch. I was tired, I needed to pee, I was starving... in short, I was so ready to go home. But my senses suddenly turned on full gear when a man practically jumped in the jeepney.
So how am I going to describe this man?
He was wearing a messy white bandana over his oily head. He had a loose, army shirt on and dirty, tattered jeans. He had bloodshot eyes and was panting like he had been running away from a freight train. He was carrying a big duffel bag which he secured defensively between his legs. But probably the most suspicious thing about him was that he was staring. As in literally staring at the woman in front of him. It was a shameless kind of stare.. The expression was a cross between terrified and constipated. He just looked so fucking guilty and nervous. Like he was about to do something he wasn't used to do.
Before you judge me of being paranoid and illogical, let me tell you that I have been a victim of it more than once. I know how it feels to get mugged in a moving vehicle. It creates an image... a memory that will perk itself up again when you encounter a similar situation. And trust me, my heart was thumping wildly against my chest. I have never felt more nervous in my whole life. I was carrying my laptop.. the laptop that I loved so much and that which my parents worked so hard for. The thought of it disappearing in an instant sent chills down my spine.
I was so sure that within minutes he would be taking out a knife or a gun and demanding people to give their belongings. It was a gut feeling. For a couple of seconds, I contemplated whether to give in to that gut feeling. I deliberated whether I was just being ridiculous or not. I even looked numerous times at "the man" just to inspect again and again if he was worthy of my suspicion. For all I know I could just be one fucking nutcase scaring myself for nothing.. but everytime I turn to look at "the man" he was panting heavily and staring... staring intently at the woman in front of him. Really, the only word I can use to describe that stare is: shameless. It was a blatant "ADIK-AKO" stare. It scared me. I swear, fear grips the consciousness and takes you into a praying frenzy. I can't remember how much Our Father's and Hail Mary's I uttered. Seriously. I was that scared.
That's when I finally made up my mind. I called over to the driver "Ma, sa tabi lang po" even if I had more than 5 blocks away from my stop. I crawled out of the jeepney half-expecting "the man" to suddenly grab my laptop as I pass by him. Of course, that didn't happen because if it did, I wouldn't be able to update right now. As I stepped out of the jeepney, I felt tasteful, overwhelming relief. Like that last push when you're suffering from constipation.
I walked the rest of the way home. It was long and yes the torture of my pleading bladder didn't help my journey the least bit but boy was I fucking thankful I got out of that jeepney. I honestly don't know if "the man" was really an evil man out to get our stuff but the fear was too much to describe.
I chose to follow my gut and got out of the jeepney even if "the man" wasn't doing anything yet. But should I really wait until he has threatened everyone in the jeepney to surrender our belongings to actually do something? You might think I'm a paranoid nutcase.. but at least I'm a paranoid nutcase with a laptop. I honestly don't know what I could've done if "the man" was actually a goon. >.<
My little advice would be if your gut tells you to get out, get OUT. If there's no apparent disadvantage to you following your gut, then by all means trust your instincts. In this world where you get killed just for a nokia 3200, you can never be too careful.
Stay safe guys! ^__^
ice cream sold by sorbetera at 7:55 PM
17 Comments:
I did that a couple of times narin.. Getting of the jeep/fx because of my gut feeling.. na something is terribly wrong.. You just have to go with what your senses tell you.. Or be sorry in the end.. Good for you.. hehe :)
yes! exactly! Grabe... it's better talaga to follow it. it's impossible to ignore diba? That lingering fear that something bad is about to happen.
As long as may pwede pang gawin to save oneself, gawin na! ^__^
the first time I noticed a guy like "that man" :D I just thought, "baka paranoid lang ako.." Turns out, the freaking guy IS a goon. So after that incident, I (almost) always alight the jeepney pag may nasesense kong hindi maganda. hahhaha! Mas ok nang sigurado di ba? :D
oo tama pare ko!
plus it feels good to just follow your gut.. kasi yung takot nakaka paralyze.. sobrang sigurado ka na na may mangyayari na masama eh.. Ang hirap idescribe ang takot na yun.. >.<
ang mahal naman ng laptop mo! LOL
well, all i can say is better safe than sorry.
That's a fancy laptop. Good for you for being aware of your surroundings. (^,^)
gawd. I'd be mortified too when I carry something expensive. I remember when N7610 came out. It was a hell of a price for Nokia. And our block was Nokia users. No one knew my fon's a 76. Two weeks has passed! I'm not the kind who'll pose my phone. I was more afraid that I'll lose something so expensive at phone lang yun! pang-Down na rin yun sa tuition ko.
One of my former classmates keep on showing her 6600. My friend got pissed off with her because she's declaring she'll buy a 7610 daw next month pagka-bumababa na presyo.
My friends suddenly said: wala ka kay nagi, 7610 na ang phone nya!
I'm glad nobody's calling me an insane freak. haha! ^__^
sh*t you made me remember this moment of temporary insanity i had back in third year high school - i climbed into the back seat of a stranger's car. heck, i was tired from walking. and he seemed nice. but after he started asking questions that made me... ehem... uncomfortable, i got him to stop the car.
then i ran.
ang tanga ko talaga, i know.
waaaa!! donya quixote, seriously?! omg.. you must be REALLY tired to get inside a stranger's car. ^__^ egads..
Kung tingin mo tanga ka for doing that, then tanga din ako.. haha kasi nangyari narin yan sakin. >.< I was waiting for a jeepney when this van stopped in front of me. A lady in her thirties asked me if I was on my way to UST as well.. I said yes.
And then she told me they can take me there because they were on their way to UST too. I was reluctant at first but I got in anyway. When I got in, I saw a bunch of other UST students there also. None of which are talking to each other... natakot ako for a while pero I held on since I didn't really sense anything sinister about the couple.
Ayun.. nakarating naman ng UST ng maayos.. >.<
Haha! napakwento tuloy ako! kaw kasi donya eh ^___^
Hahaha. Oh my gosh...my gut always growls!
Siyet scary ampf! x_____x
Tell your story to those who would fight for their crappy old ericsson T68i. Good thing I didn't. Or else four huge men could have chewed me up and spat me out like oatmeal.
i had my laptop also. but i'm scaaaaaaared to show it to the public. aba. mahal din kasi ito, at kabibili lang last month. kaya nakakatakot.
in times of danger, thought it may sooound cruel; prayer. pray that addicts (like me) would stay away from you.
and self-defense, is also a great weapon.
BITE HIS ARMS! he will never ever survive that. mahilig ka pa mandin sa ice cream! TUNAWIN mo sya!
ayun lang. :) LOL. http://utakgago.blogspot.com exchange links ba?
creepy yung nag je-jeepney ka tas you're bringing something worth more than ten thou, diba? bahala na kung tawaging paranoid, but what you did was right. you got off before that freak-o did something freaky. hahaha! buti na lang di masyado mahilig sa hold-up mga freak-o dito sa cebu. patayan ang gusto nila dito di hold-upan.
damN! buti nlang bumaba ka!.. grabe! ang freaky ng ganun,, glad you and your laptop made it out safely~ Ü
My gut has saved my life millions of times. Never ignore your gut.
@ STEEL: What the hell are you doing here?!
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