g-liner

Yesterday was Thursday and it only means one thing...St. Jude! Been attending the novena and mass since March. Although I've been missing some Thursdays due to work load, I made it a point to attend the mass whenever I have the chance.

So yesterday, even if I was on sick leave, I still made my way to Mendiola. I was able to catch the 7pm mass. To cut the story short, after one and a half hours of mass and novena and dinner at Tropical Hut (yeah I've been wanting to eat there for the longest time since it has been years since I tried their burgers) plus an ice cream from Ministop, I was on my way home. So I hailed the next G-Liner bus going to Taytay. I'll be dropping off at Agora in San Juan and take the tryk to our place.

So while inside the bus, I was still finishing my ice cream while watching Mga Mata Ni Anghelita (yeah most buses prefer Kapuso instead of Kapamilya and it sucks!). Then there was a commotion. Kala ko nag-aaway lang yung mag-asawa sa likod ko. Then I overheard the word holdap! So I was kinda alarmed. Out of instinct I hurriedly took out my phone, which was fortunately on silent mode since I just came from mass, and dropped it under my seat. Then I brought out my wallet and left it on my lap. The reason why I did that was I don't want those hold-uppers to check on my pockets anymore. For me it would be more traumatic if they touched me. They can just take my wallet and leave me alone.

Then one of the two hold-uppers sat beside me. But he was ordering the guy on the opposite seat to open up his bag for his phone. All that time his back was facing me, and there I was still eating my ice cream, trying hard to be calm so as not to attract any attention. Siguro naisip nung hold-upper na wala akong pera so waste of time lang hehe. They seemed amateurs since medyo magulo yung set-up nila. They weren't even sure where to drop off. And then they did just before the bus reached Nagtahan bridge infront of Arellano University.

Right after they went off, that's the only time I felt myself shiver. Nanginginig tuhod ko. Pero inubos ko pa rin ice cream ko. Then I got my phone under my seat after reassuring myself na wala silang naiwan na kasama. The guy opposite my seat with the big bag even smiled at me when he saw what I did with my phone. Then I got my wallet that was still on my lap. Ang galing coz naipit ko pala sa wallet ko yung St. Jude novena. So I felt that St. Jude guided me during that traumatic time. So medyo nagkagulo na sa bus after. We went straight to the next police station to have the incident blottered. I think they got four phones.

Swerte pa rin nung isang matanda kasi phone lang nakuha sa kanya. Presence of mind din yung ginawa nya na yung envelope containing her money eh sinilid nya dun sa Jollibee na tinake-out nya. She showed the amount to us and talagang bundle sya na tig-1000 and 500. I even told her na magpa-escort na lang sya pauwi sa mga pulis kasi baka mabiktima ulit sya.

Just a night before, naholdap din sa jeep at the same area yung friend ko. Buti na lang wala din nakuha sa kanya since yung phone nya nakalagay sa ipod pocket ng nike backpack nya.

LESSONS LEARNT:

• You can never be sure pag magcocommute ka. May it be bus (which I thought was the safest), FX, jeepney, or even cab. Wala nang sinasanto ang masasamang loob ngayon.
• And when that experience happens, stay calm. And try not to attract too much attention. Kalaban kasi nila yung oras so hindi rin nila magagalaw lahat. So yung mga noticeable yung napapansin nila. And pag calm ka, mas nakakapagisip ka kung ano dapat gawin.
• Always turn your phones to silent mode (thanks Rai!). I can't imagine what will happen if biglang tumunog phone ko during that time.
• Kung maiiwasan, wag na lang magpagabi. Or just like what my friends, Carissa and Sab, are doing, they're contacting their trusted cab driver. Of course with an additional cost. At least safe ka!
• And always pray!