i was ***supposed to*** have a simple night last night.
around 7:30 pm i walked over to a friend's house where i was supposed to help her upload some pictures. while there, she called up a high school batchmate she also wanted to come over. it turns out two other batchmates were at that batchmate's house. not wanting to bring two unexpected guests to my friend's house, she invited us over to her house instead. i balked saying i had parked my car at my parents' place. my friend, who has a car but stopped driving a long time ago, said she'll ask her housemate to bring us to our batchmate's house. i said we didn't really need to be bothering anyone as we could just stay put in her place. our other batchmate, however, kept on insisting we go to her house. i kept on declining until she offered to fetch us at my friend's place. i was so touched that she was willing to do that so i gave in saying it would be better for me to walk back to my parents' place to get my car instead of her coming over from a not so near place to fetch us.
when i got to my parents' place, my mom asked whether i again have a meeting. i said our high school reunion's over so no more meetings. i suppose she then assumed my friend and i were already done uploading pics and i was going home already. my dad even told me to call my mom once i got home. i said my phone was still not working. he told me to text her instead. well, i did not as my friend and i were at our batchmate's place up to 1 am : }
past 1 am as i was driving past the intersection of C5 and kalayaan ave. i noticed the blinking oil and battery indicators on my dashboard. my battery is fairly new and my oil i regularly have checked when i gas up so i wondered what could be up (yup, simply wondered. looking back, i don't know why through all this i did not really get nervous or anything.)
i managed to get to bonifacio high street where my car first stalled. i restarted the engine with the thought that i had to get to the house asap. i coasted along then at the first bend, stalled again. i restarted again and then right after turning the corner to mckinley, stalled for the third time.
that's when i decided to open my hood. i checked the water and it was ok. nevertheless, i still poured some in. i was supposed to check my oil and realized i didn't know how to fill it up, horrors. all i knew was you pull out a stick to check it -> i did, but i didn't really bother to get a reading. what i actually intended to do was put some oil in but ended up wondering how on earth i could pour oil through that tiny, tiny opening where the stick goes through. (goodness, i started driving in college and only now realize that i am oh so ignorant about car stuff!) i got my flashlight and tried to see where oil was supposed to be poured in. i was able to locate it but then, i couldn't open the lid! (funny but what crossed my mind was the instance i had to settle for peanut butter because i couldn't open the lid of a cheese spread.)
i decided to text a friend to be on standby in case i am not able to get the car to the house. times like this i thought i should be bothering first either my dad or my brother but i couldn't as my parents think i was already home hours before : }
i tried to restart the car, it did. i drove again. only then did i notice the overheating indicator : }
i stopped and drove and stopped and drove a couple more times until my car stalled again approaching a well-lit lit area. i again opened the hood and again tried to unsuccessfully open the oil lid. just then a guy in a motorcyle passed by the opposite lane. he went past my car then made a u-turn to help me : ) he was able to open the lid and told me my oil was actually full. he asked whether it was just an overheat and said if so just wait awhile before i restart. he asked where i was going and i said home which was near already. he asked me to restart the car, it did, and we waved each other off as i drove toward our village.
my not so simple night ended with my car making it to my garage but not before i experienced the kindness of a stranger in the drizzly wee hours of this morning. i did not get his name and he never got mine but, whoever and wherever he is, i'd like him to know that i am really, really thankful : )
