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What my family said upon learning the incident more than makes up for the pain I’m experiencing now.

Ate Beth, my yaya is ready to go to war: “Tarant#@*! yan ah. Hayaan mo natatandaan ko ang mukha nya!”

Kuya Aldo too, his naturally protective male Joson ego hurt: “Akin na pangalan! Ipakukulong natin!”

My saintly mom, shakes her head in dismay: “Minsan lang mgcommute eh.”

I was already apprehensive as I climbed the jeepney. Houses passed by, and I took note how the jeepney driver was an impatient one, making hasty detours at the slightest hint of traffic. But since the ride from Suki Market to Dapitan Gate of UST was just short, I decided to ignore my uneasiness.

Silly, silly me.

“Manong, sa tabi lang po.”

I had both feet on the ground and was about to turn to the safe side of the street when the driver spotted an oncoming jeep approaching. The one he bested during the red light.

Lucky lucky me, I still had my hand on the handle.

Remember Michael J. Fox at Back to the Future 3? When Marty McFly met the descendant of Biff? I kinda did that for about 5 terrifying seconds.

As if in a dream, I reported to myself what was happening on hyperspeed - “Ouch my hand’s sliding. Ouch, that was my butt. Ouch, I’m being dragged. I can’t let go of the bars else I’ll be catapulted to the air or I’ll roll over and over and hit another vehicle! Ouch again, my knees. Hmm, good thing I wore jeans today. Oh darn, my new floral shoes. There’s an oncoming jeepney! The jeep stopped. Ouch, I was dragged by a jeepney with a crazy driver. I’m shaking. Get up Marisse. Get the hell up.”

Think all the passengers shouted at the driver. Think every bystander at Dapitan too. Boy, was I the highlight of everybody’s Saturday.

So the driver was saying sorry “Pasensya na ho ala pong backview mirror, hindi ko kayo nakita. Pasensya na ho.”

Why would somebody drive without a backview mirror, I have absolutely no idea. A voice told me I should get the driver’s name, his vehicle’s plate no., and have the incident reported to the proper authorities.

Guess what ol’ Marisse did?

“Manong, sa susunod dahan dahan naman kayo, ok?”

Okay.

I moved on. I have stuff to do at Grad School.

I’ve got cold compresses for the bruises. I’m never good at useless recriminations anyway. I’ll live. There are deeper hurts.