[The Sagada Chronicles] Day Zero

First Published on November 12th, 2006 

 

DAY ZERO
November 2, 2006
Thursday Night

 

I would have loved to sleep during the taxi ride on the way to Candice’s, but Coach beat me to it.

He was snoring (quite considerably) from past North EDSA up to the Condo. He woke up with a start, just in time to see we’re just outside Casa Romeo. 

He must also have decided to be on guard upon waking up. The minute I nudged him, he said:  “Magkano share ko?” 

Of course, we should have guessed that Candice would be out eating during that time. We were standing outside the complex for about 20 minutes when the guard approached us, apparently  bothered that we were hanging out (and happy) with all the bags and stuff around us. 

Good thing Candice left word earlier about meeting us at the Condo. No sooner that the guard left us, satisfied that we were not harmful at all, Candice arrived. We could hardly pick on her for being late (as usual), not when she was flanked by Atty. and Fiscal Cerezo. So we postponed the teasing. 

We hung out for another thirty minutes or so, waiting for Ivee – who would come directly from the office. Talk about being one of the ‘Career-Martyr Club’, which is spearheaded by our absentee friend Kel, and which is another story altogether.  

While waiting, we checked our stuff, ransacked Candice’s bookshelf for some bus-reading materials (Garcia-Marquez for Candice – Philosophical is her thing, Murakami for Ramil – Journalistic ang trip, Medina Jr. for me – I like light reading eh).

Ivee arrived with Paul, whom we made inggit because he’s not coming with us (malupit kami.. mukhang nainggit nga talaga si Paul). And we proceeded to Victory Liner Cubao to catch the 10 o’clock bus to Baguio. Thanks to the Cerezo Parents (Atty. and Fiscal) that we got a free ride to the station (yipeee!). For us penny-pinching vacationists, saving on a taxi fare is BIG!

So the four of us arrived at the station and realized that we can still be in time for the 9 o’clock trip (yey!),got the tickets, boarded the bus, texted Jaja (whom we would meet in Baguio) that YES, WE ARE ABOARD AND SOON TO BE ON THE WAY! Day Zero ends. 

-- Or so we thought. Had Ramil thought to ask what the heck that blue and yellow duffel-like bag carried. A flustered Candice declares that the bag contained their laundry. Pooh! 

I and Vee got a good laugh at that, while the two concerned bloops sparred in the background. Blooper number 3. And we’re not even in Baguio yet. So Candice calls home for someone to get the bag – in fifteen minutes, before the bus leaves. Impossible, though. In the end, she took the bag to customer service so that her Dad can pick up later. 

“Sa Sagada mo na lang sana ipina-laundry!” For this remark, Ramil earned a big scowl and a solid beating from Candice.  

And there ended Day Zero.