I was 30 minutes late for a talk I was scheduled to deliver to Chin Wong’s journalism class at the Ateneo University early yesterday morning. I was up at 5.00 a.m. and we were out of the house by 7.00 a.m. But the rain started to pour just as we entered Sumulong Highway and, by the time we got to the Balara area, traffic was, well, you know… the usual story.
A branch of a sampalok tree broke and fell while we were stalled in traffic and I actually dodged, momentarily forgetting that I was inside the car. Minutes later, Speedy and I watched as lightning hit a post (must have been a telephone line post).
So, it was like that. I did get to deliver my talk although I felt I had lost my momentum. Gee, I came prepared and I stood there and couldn’t think of much else except the ride to Ateneo.
Of course, no one got exempted from yesterday morning’s disaster. A friend left his house in Pasig at 8.00 a.m. and arrived at his office in Quezon City at 11.00 a.m. Quentin Tarantino left his limo and rode a pedicab to escape the traffic.
HOLLYWOOD director Quentin Tarantino arrived at Malacañan Palace yesterday by pedicab, wearing a Barong Tagalog, jogging pants and sandals–a victim of flash floods like Metro Manila’s 12-million residents. (Source)
I was still at the Ateneo when the announcement came at around 9.30 a.m. that classes on all levels had been suspended. After calling up my kids’ school to check if schools in Rizal were sending students home too, I proceeded with the original plan — go to the mall to see The Bourne Ultimatum to while away the time until my 7.30 p.m. meeting.
Guess what?
The mall was full of students, most wearing high school uniforms.
Or is that unsurprising? 
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The Mentat 08.16.07 at 12:58 am
Tarantino, here? Coolness…
How was Bourne? Good? I plan on watching the movie this weekend.
Good thing I missed the rain… was asleep, as usual.
But it’s good nothing bad happened to you.
Rach 08.16.07 at 1:37 am
That’s amuzing. I could just imagine him riding a pedicab.
It’s beginning to rain again. Good thing classes are suspended tom. I don’t need to wake up early to prepare for my son’s class.
rolly 08.16.07 at 3:55 am
You, Quentin Tarantino and PGMA!
It’s a good thing your talk was early. I can just imagine how frustrating it would have been for all that trouble only to be cancelled due to the suspension of classes.
And yes, surely, students will be found in malls. Where else will they “while away the time” when they’re stranded from all that heavy traffic. The DepEd’s late again. And to think it was just last week that they had been criticized for their slow response to inclement weather.
sam 08.16.07 at 6:46 am
This post reminds me of my college days. When classes were called off we’d buy bottles of the Bar, beer, pulutan and spend the day till evening drinking at someone’s place. Today if I were to do that - I’d be disgusted with myself! Now isn’t that weird. He he he he.
arny 08.16.07 at 11:19 am
dear connie,
i have been a quiet follower of your blogs for 6 months and i enjoyed it immensely. thanks for putting a smile on my face everytime u post your blogs!!
as for the floods nothing beats living in the province (angeles city). no traffic and manageable flood. just grin and bear!! hehehe.
arny
ps. i tried several of your recipes and 90% came out great and have positive reviews from my picky family. thanks again connie
inna 08.16.07 at 11:32 am
guilty of those when i was in college. classes were suspended and our safe haven (for a few hours) is the mall. lunch, movie, window shopping, etc…my excuse- traffic and flood. in my days (some 12 years ago) traffic clears up at night…of course i get an earful from my mom when i get home…even if i had called to let her know where i am and who i am with- my BFF’s.
did you like the movie? (i saw it last weekend…i liked it a lot). makes me want to read the books again.
rina 08.16.07 at 11:54 am
no, it’s not surprising in the least. we also used to head straight to the malls pag na-cancel ang classes. but i was in college then and not living at home so ok lang. i wonder how those students got away with it, since the parents surely knew that classes were suspended? “traffic kasi, ma”?
rhodora 08.16.07 at 12:35 pm
I am just too glad that my daughter is staying in a building just across her school. This was one of my biggest concerns before she went to Manila for college - flash floods along the main streets. I couldn’t help cringe as I would imagine her getting stranded, or worse, not being able to go home!
And GMA just laughed upon hearing of Quentin Tarantino’s pedicab adventure? She should feel ashamed because of the unsolved flooding problems! hehehe.
Connie 08.16.07 at 3:52 pm
The Mentat, Bourne Ultimatum was the ultimate coolness LOL
Rach, aside from the “I don’t have to worry about the kids getting stranded in school” thought, the I-don’t-have-to-wake-up tomorrow reaction is the most welcome thought for any mom, I think, when classes get suspended. Hehehe I got up at 11.00 a.m. today.
Tito Rolly, I bet you and your kids were already in school when the announcement was made? Binaha kayo pauwi?
sam, inna and rina: me guilty too hehehe. my brother and i would go straight to the moviehouse. since there were no cell phones yet at the time, dear mama could not check up on us hehehehe TO STUDENTS: DON’T EMULATE. UMUWI NA LANG KAYO.
arny, i consider myself to be “living in the province” since Antipolo is outside Metro Manila. Despite the elevation, flashfloods are a serious problem here.
rhodora, you know, speedy and i were talking about the possibility of moving back to the city… we were thinking that by the time the kids are in college, the distance might be too much for everyday commuting. even if we drive them to and from school, considering the flashfloods, still too risky. surprisingly, neither kid likes the idea of moving back to the city.
Re “And GMA just laughed upon hearing of Quentin Tarantino’s pedicab adventure?”
Laughed HEARTILY daw. Grabe ano?
Superficial Whore 08.16.07 at 4:17 pm
Gawd, I’m so ogling to see Quentin T in the flesh! I’m an avid fan of his Kill Bill masterpieces.
Kainggit my officemate got a pic of him (with him pa ata)… =’(
Jon Limjap 08.17.07 at 11:21 am
tito rolly,
I don’t think you could blame the DepEd this time. Again, walang signal ng storm, and the rains only came at 8 AM. Most classes have already been starting by then.
===
This just goes to show that atmospheric water content should be taken into account in the storm signalling system!
kotsengkuba 08.17.07 at 12:24 pm
I can imagine Quentin Tarantino in Jogging Pants, Barong Tagalog and the Hattori Hanzo. Yehey! I loved the first Kill Bill but hated the second (if not for Pai Mei, sayang ang iikli ng scenes nya).
When I was in college, I never had the chance to pass time in movie houses. Basta kapag umulan (o kahit hindi) direcho kami lagi sa bahay ng barkada sa Ibarra (near Welcome Rotonda). One time binaha ang mga pang-hapon, they walked along trabaho market. Lampas baywang ang baha at basura. Cool!
Connie 08.17.07 at 12:25 pm
Jon, on our way home on Wednesday evening (the 7.30 meeting got reset naturally), there was a discussion on the radio about the obsolete equipment of PAG-ASA amid all the sisihan. It’s good that the obsolescence angle is now getting some attention.
BatJay, Ang Dating Hippopotamus 08.17.07 at 2:00 pm
miss na miss ko na ang ulan at bagyo. dalawang taon na kami rito, mabibilang ko sa kamay ko kung ilang beses nang umambon.
buti pa kayo diyan, may mga signal-signal. hehehe.
galing ni bourne ‘no? nanood kami ni jet the other night. super cool.
Connie 08.18.07 at 2:47 am
Batjay, ang kapal ng fog kahapon. Practically the entire afternoon. Wohooo!!!!
Yung Bourne, I will watch again. This time with Speedy and the girls. Asar na asar si Sam na nanood na ko eh sabi ko what would I do habang naghihintay? Alangan naman shopping for over 6 hours. Pucha ang gastos nun. LOL