The bus broke down. I was 2 hours late for the interview. No signal for mobile wifi. Phone's battery died.
Photo by Fabrizio Verrecchia on Unsplash
I had a schedule for an interview around the metro. It was supposed to be on the 24th but we didn't have any power for 2 days straight. This was because of the typhoon. I was only able to read the mail that night when power was finally restored. Luckily, the recruiter understood my situation and agreed to reschedule the interview. It was scheduled on the 27th instead.
I know my way around the metro so this did not bother me. I was used to commuting everywhere (and I thank my adventurous college days for this). I planned for my trip and took the 4:45 AM bus. This would ensure that I would be there early, considering the bloody traffic.
Everything was going great. But then halfway through the trip, the bus broke down.
It's alright. Even though I got delayed, I would still make it in time. However, the next bus that came was mostly filled. The same thing for the one after that. This went on and the company decided that they would now send a replacement to pick us up. Looking at my watch, I knew I was in trouble. I would get stuck in traffic. Rush hours are the worst.
I tried sending an email to the recruiter. But I couldn't seem to get a signal on the road. The same thing with the other passengers.
The 5 hour(at most) trip became a 7 hour one. The situation was testing my patience. I decided to just let things be and hope for the best. I couldn't exactly do anything at that moment.
My phone's battery then died.
That is, after the email to the recruiter went through.
My plan was to take a taxi using grab or uber after I arrived at the terminal. Its cheaper and faster that way. I was further delayed because I couldn't hail a cab. When I managed to get one, we got caught in the traffic.
When I finally saw the building, you could say I was beyond relieved. The interview was okay. I managed to talk to more than 5 people in the company. I think that's a good thing. My next problem was going home. It's expensive to take another cab. I didn't know the way to the transit line, but I know it was about 15 minutes of walking. I couldn't exactly use google maps because I don't have a working phone haha.
The guards, as well as the people that I asked, were not helping so I decided to wing it. I kept walking and making the hard decision of picking routes at intersections. I was on the lookout for places where I could charge but sadly, I didn't find one around the area.
I was able to finally find the transit line that would take me to the bus terminal. That is, after an hour of aimless walking.
Saying I was happy is an understatement. You know that feeling when you finally see that landmark that you recognize. The feeling that you're not lost anymore. The feeling that finally, you're in control now. Yeah, that's right. That was what I felt.
Surprisingly, there weren't any hiccups for the trip back to home. It's like its mocking me.
There was no traffic. The whole trip went smoothly. The bus arrived at my hometown 45 minutes earlier than the usual. HAHAHAHA.