STRESS

MONDAY: took driving test and got my license. wahooo!!!

TUESDAY: went to the dealership and bought a car. (parang sari sari store eh) and drove the car home. again, first time driver on the highway. stress.

FRIDAY
Interstate-45
10:00PM

I was driving along the I-45 when i discovered "cruise control". Sweet. I won't get a speeding ticket this way. The speed limit was 65 so i set my control at 63 (o ha, di na ako mahuhuli nyan, takot ko lang).

So i was "cruising" (naks, cruising...nakkkkssss talaga, sothial) at 63mph with my music when i noticed something in my rearview mirror...red...white..blue...lights.....blinking... hmmm. It's only September, a little too early for Christmas. But yanno, if someone wants to put up his Christmas lights this early, who am i to object? Let him be, right? Let him have his Merry Christmas. So on i continue to drive drive drive with the Christmas lights tailing me.

"garbled garbled garbled sounds," did i just hear something? nah. just drive on.

"more garbled garbled blah blah," hmm, i think i really heard something this time...no, it wasn't my cd. Why don't i turn the volume down?

"PLEASE PULL OVER! PLEASE PULL OVER!!"... now that was loud. Megaphone. Syet! Syet! Syet! It wasn't Santa's sleigh! Why??? I was not speeding! Definitely NOT SPEEDING! I was on CRUISE CONTROL!! Tae.

So i pulled over.

"Please exit the highway." O e di exit kung exit. Buwiset. Katakot.

"Good evening, Officer," i said while trying to make my voice sound calm.

"Good evening. Stay inside your car. Lower your window a little bit more."

"Is anything wrong, officer?"

"Yes, you were driving without your lights on." Aysus! TANGA TANGA TANGA!!

"Oh! i didn't notice, sir! I'm so sorry, i really didn't notice." toink toink toink!!!

"May i see your license?"

"Sure, Officer." I hand him my paper license to him while trying to stop shaking. ay totoo talaga yung nanginginig sa takot na sinasabi nila.

"New driver?"

"Yes, Oficer, 5 days."

"New car?"

"Yes, Officer, 3 days." Parang ROTC sumagot eh. Tae.

"Ok, let me verify . This will only take a minute." He walks back to his car while i'm desperately trying to stop my legs from shaking. I want to pee.

He comes back a few minutes later and returns my license. "Could you turn your headlights on? I'd like to see them working."

"Sure, no problem, Officer." and i push a knob and my wipers start waving at me. "oops, sorry, not that..." syet, where was that again? i start fumbling with buttons...Toink toink toink!!!

"Here, turn this knob then press down, see that?", he says kindly as i see the whole road in front of me flooded in light.

"Wow", was all i could mutter. i could almost see the angels basking in their holy glow.

"You're lucky you didn't get hit. You didn't have any lights on you. Learn to operate your new vehicle and drive safely. Now will you please sign here."

"Thank you, Officer. What exactly does this do to my record? Do i have to pay a fine or something?"

"No, it won't appear in your record, it's just a warning. Ok, have a good night, and drive home safely."

"Thanks, Officer." and i breathe a sigh of relief. a BIG sigh of relief. I watch the policeman walk back to his car....when i remembered...

"Excuse me sir!", i called out. " Could you tell me how to get back on the I-45?". toink toink toink!!!

So he gave me directions, actually he told me to take a U-turn, turn right, and go straight ahead. Of course i followed his directions and ended up on a deserted road going to another city. But this post is already too long to even start with that story.

Uh, have i told you what happened two days ago while driving along Harborside Avenue?

Oh, nevermind.