almost a heart attack

It's hot. No doubt about it. I think it's 27 degrees Celcius. The worst part for Alba is we have to drive around the city for errands... in a car... without airson. I can't say that the day went any better for me, either.

The horror of horrors is when she had to go pick up an affidavit duly notarized at her uncle's office. Since we went circling around the block for about 3 or 4 times just to find a parking lot without any success, she decided to just park in front of a "reserved" sign, dash into the building and get the documents in a flash so we could finally get out of the Makati City area.

Since she parked in front of a bank, I didn't mind. After all, she went into the building, right?! Lo and behold! about 2 minutes after she left, a horrendous blue Mazda decided he/she wants to park in that "reserved" parking spot. What convinced me I wanted to strangle someone was the security guard got the "reserved" sign and took it out so that car could park. What the-?! Since Alba's car was aimed right at that spot, there was no choice but for me to drive the car out of the spot. The horrendous-looking-shade-of-blue Mazda went on a honking spree while I sweated out trying to figure out how to get out of the spot without hitting the back bumper of the Honda CRV in front of us.

Honk! First the clutch. Honk! Then the gear shift. Honk! I had to go on 1st gear. Honk! I immediately turned the steering wheel towards my left seeing that there were no cars coming up behind me except for this annoying one. Honk! Then, I looked at the front right side of the car and immediately concluded that no matter how much I turn the wheel, I should first back up in order not to hit the CRV. Honk! So I had to adjust my seat, look at the back (in case I hit the good-for-nothing honking horrendous blue Mazda). Honk! After seeing that there was enough space for me to back up, I pushed the clutch, reversed the gear, let go of the handbreaks and ever so slowly with my heart racing to my death, I pressed on the gas and I backed up just enough for me to have space to maneouver Bembol. Honk! Then hit the clutch and the breaks and go neutral. Honk!

Honk! Then, I had to look forward, check my side mirrors for incoming traffic. By that time, all motorists seem to have gotten the news that I was driving along that area so they had filled up the one-way road. So i had to let go of the breaks, go to first gear turn the steering wheel to the left, and step on gas as i tried to park the car beside the CRV instead of behind it - with the hazard lights blinking. Honk!

I was cursing the driver of the honking Mazda, the security guard of the financial institution and praying to God that no MMDA officer shows his face along the driver's side windows and tell me, "This is a strictly no-double parking zone, ma'm. Can I get your license please?" Wha- What license?!!!! I DO NOT HAVE A FREAKIN' LICENSE!!!

I was sweating my a** off as I await the officer who shall indict me for my crime under the ehat of the Manila sun with no air conditioner in the car...

until, at last, I saw alba running towards the car. Halleluia!