The Best Incident Of My 2007.*

There were five minutes left before 10 o’clock when I squinted at the numbers on my phone’s clock.  I was running late for work!  Moments later, the bus I was riding reached EDSA Ortigas.  I jumped out of it and started practicing my brisk walking techniques I learned in college (as I always left my apartment exactly the time my classes started) until I got to the steps of pedestrian overpass.

Realizing I still had 15 minutes before office could declare me a sluggish employee, I decided to forget the time pressure and relaxed a bit; wishing my calculation of distance and time between Megamall and our building fits well in real life.  And besides, there was a cute guy ahead of me whom I didn’t want to lose sight of.  Thought I could be a stalker for one morning.  So, I enjoyed the walk, with music through my headset, while I was crossing overpass. I also played random things in my imagination and even came up with a hypothetical notion, what if, in some unexplainable earthly manner, you slip in front of people who are unknown to you? That’s barely possible, I thought, answering my own question. I continued walking and entertained other things in my head, including the guy ahead.

I then reached the other end of overpass and descended the stairs along with hundreds of people, who maybe were just as late as I was.  I used my legs’ muscles no differently when I descend any other staircase.  But roughly six steps away from the level ground, I shook hands with mr. gravity.  My body suddenly refused the standard vertical position and landed on my butt.  OMG, I stumbled!  At a public place!  In smart casual clothing!  At that time of the day… when the sun reigns powerfully in the sky!

For a second or so, people kept on running down while I am still in an uncomfortable position. They didn’t seem to pour attention on me, though I know they were seriously biting their tongues to not let a single laugh escape their mouths.  In next to no time, I got up with ruffled dignity. 

As I continued walking to office, I felt amusingly funny; that is, of course, while my body was exploding adrenaline.  I was feeling funny more than ashamed.  To make me be in a normal mood again, I groped my phone in my pocket and changed the music I was listening to. I scanned the track list and played Nothing in This World.  It was alleviating, a bit. Wasn’t my fave song, but its feel-good tune helped.  I yet craved for more comfort.  So, I ran to 7/11 and bought myself a Big Uhaw of Mountain Dew with lots of ice.  I arrived at the office even before the music ended.  I was late, but I didn’t mind.  I put down my things and ran straight to my officemate’s cubicle and narrated to her the hilarious experience.

 

  -–> I cleaned my face with oil control film just before I started my work that day and wasn’t surprised with the result.

And oh, the guy aforementioned?  I lost him.  Obviously.

 * Took place on Aug 13, 2007, Monday.