Another conversation....

I was actually supposed to blog about something else, but after reading Guy's A conversation..., I remembered a somewhat similar experience which happened to me about four years ago. The experience was so striking that it was seared into my very consciousness, never to be forgotten. And now, I'll share the story with all of you. :-)

But first, a backgrounder.

The year was 2001. The date was January 19. It was a Friday. The members of the prosecution team in President Joseph Estrada's impeachment trial just resigned two days earlier as a result of the Senate voting 11-10 to not open the controversial second envelope allegedly containing highly incriminating evidence. This sparked a wave of protests, as people started thinking that President Estrada was likely to be acquitted.

People started massing at the EDSA Shrine, demanding that President Estrada step down. The huge volume of people in the area causes a great traffic jam, stopping cars in their tracks even from several kilometers away.

I was in my car, stopped in traffic along Kalayaan Avenue, listening to AM coverage of the unfolding drama. I have been idling in the same spot for the better part of 20 minutes, minding my own business, scratching the skin off my nose and trying pluck a booger that was annoyingly moving back and forth with every breath that I took...

Then, a car stuck in traffic alongside me lowered its window. Lo and behold, I saw perhaps one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen in my entire life. She was in her early to mid-20s, her hair flowing in the wind, her sunglasses cutely perched on her head, her alabaster skin glowing in the hot afternoon sun, her full and luscious red lips beckoning me...it was almost hypnotic.

She was motioning me to lower my window.

Me? What could she possibly want with me? I thought to myself.

Tentatively I removed the finger probing the depths of my nostril and lowered the passenger side window with the touch of a button...

The power window's motor was still whirring when she exclaimed:

"Have you heard!?!?" She spoke in a wonderful melodic voice with a diction so perfect and pronunciation so divine that I thought I had died and was now talking to an angel.

I gathered my wits and in my most modulated tone I replied nonchalantly:

"Umm, what?"

"They finally joined them!" That voice was oh so soothing...

"Who?"

"General Reyes! The armed forces and the PNP have withdrawn support for Estrada!" Oh man, I'm falling in love...

"Really?" I'm going to die if I don't marry her...

"Yes! It's on the radio, listen!" Actually I was already listening. I was so caught up in my booger pursuit that the news must have escaped my attention...

I cock my head towards the radio. "Yeah! You're right!" God, can I please bring her home to my parents? I promise I'll be good...

"We've won! We've won!" She gave me a thumbs-up and she was smiling from ear to ear...

"Yeah we did!" I smiled back and flashed a thumbs-up her way as well.

She smiled, nodded, and raised her window up again...

Nooooooo!!! My heart was screaming inside...Don't go!!!...I was gasping for breath, as if I was dying...

Everything was a blur...it seemed like the world was spinning...

The traffic started moving, and her car was lost in a sea of vehicles...

I lost her.

And I never saw her again.

But in those precious few moments, I loved her a lifetime's worth.

I then went back to picking my nose.

And yes. They did join them. The following day President Estrada would be out of Malacañang, and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo would be sworn in as the 14th President of the Republic of the Philippines.

And the rest is history.

This is a true story. :-)

Scout's honor.

And if, by some stroke of luck she happens to read this, I would just like to tell her: Hey! It's me!!!