SLEX merry go round

I made the mistake of letting the new driver come with me to Tagaytay last Sunday, August 6, 2017. I informed him of my schedule 4 days ahead of time. He said he had been to Tagaytay before and he knew the way. Sgt. P assured me that he would guide the driver also, to make sure.

Come Sunday, I left the house at 7:30 for my 9:30 am appointment at Nanay Cirila’s in Mendez. The owners, Medi and Rey were kind enough to recommend to me their foreman / carpenter who helped them construct their house – turned- restaurant. I was meeting them at their house at exactly 9:30 am.

I allotted 2 hours travel time anyway it was a Sunday, traffic should be light.

I only had 3 hours of sleep the night before so I was hoping to take a nap on our way to Tagaytay. Even a half hour of sleep would be rejuvenating.

I told the driver to take EDSA, then Magallanes fly-over, then to SLEX.
Driver —“Yes mam”.

A few meters before the Magallanes fly over, I looked up and noticed that we were on the Pasay / Baclaran lane. When I told him mali, he swerved so we could go to SLEX. Mistake #1. “Di ba ang sabi nya alam nya yung daan? Hindi nagbabasa ng karatula!

I told him we’re taking the Skyway, and he should stay on the right lane.
Driver —“Yes mam”.

A—–“Huwag mong tutukan yung nasa harap mo at pag nag break yan, kahit magbreak ka, sa laki at bigat nitong sasakyan natin, tatamaan pa rin natin yan”.
Driver— “Yes mam”.

A—–“Alam mo na ang direksyon natin? Ingatan mo baka sa Alabang tayo mapunta, diretso lang tayo”.

I made the mistake of closing my eyes. I didn’t sleep. I was just trying to relax. When I opened my eyes, we were exiting at Bicutan.
A—–“Bakit tayo nag-e-exit dito, ang layo pa natin”.
He stopped in the middle.
A——“Huwag kang tumigil dito. Ano ang balak mo? Mag-u-u-turn? Dumiretso ka na lang at dun ka maghanap ng exit pabalik sa SLEX”.
Driver—-“Yes mam”.

We landed in Bicutan.
A——“Basahin mo yung karatula, kung saan ang papuntang SLEX”.

I looked down, and fixed my chair’s back rest. He turned to the right that says to SLEX.
A——“Mali yata ito, pabalik tayo. Itanong mo dyan sa toll gate”.

True enough, nabalik kami sa pinanggalingan namin. Napunta kami sa Magallanes, and he turned right at EDSA and we made a U-turn at Pasay Road.
Balik naman kami. This time. I didn’t blink.

I told him he already knew beforehand that we were going to Tagaytay. Kung hindi pala nya alam ang pagpunta, sana he asked the other drivers for direction AND admitted to me that he didn’t know how to go there. So that I would assign another driver to come with me. Sobra akong kunsumi sa kanya.
When we were at the stop light in EDSA – Pasay Road, I wanted to go straight home if not for my two appointments.

I was so angry. I would definitely be late to my 9:30 appointment. Ayaw na ayaw kong na le-late. Gusto ko silang dalawang kagatin sa leeg. Ito namang isa, i-ga-guide daw nya, makita-kita ko, he uses his hand signals, itinuturo yung kalye akala mo nasa tirimbian na may secret signals.

I wanted to scream. To release my anger I stomped my feet and hit the seat with my right hand. Then I did some deep breathing. I told the driver to exit at Petron and go to the Mcdonald’s drive-thru. He was obviously confused. He queued up at the vehicles waiting for gas. He didn’t know what drive-thru meant. When I saw the toilet signs, I wanted to get off. I spotted the McDonald staff getting advance orders. Ang bagal naman so I gave money to the driver and told him to order two hasbrown and one small sprite.
A—-“Matatatandaan mo ba dalawang hashbrown at isang small Sprite”.
Driver—- “yes mam.

When I went out of the toilet, I saw a siomai food cart. I bought three orders for the three of us. Kahit inis na inis ako sa kanilang dalawa, ibinili ko na rin sila ng siomai. That was part of my healing process. Gusto ko silang batukan pero eto ang siomai o.

My driver was already near the pick up window. When I got my order, they gave me two hashbrown and one french fries. Instead of Sprite, naging fries. Sprite, fries, they sound similar. I had the fries replaced with Sprite. They asked for an additional one peso. Ang mahal pala ng Sprite 36 pesos for a small cup?

Back to SLEX from Petron,
A—-“Alam mo ba kung saan tayo mag-e-exit?”
Driver—-“Eton”.
A—-“Okay”.

Naku, muntik na kaming nalampas sa Eton. Kung hindi ko pa sinabi na lalampas na kami. Hindi nagbabasa ng mga karatula. Ni hindi naman din pala nya alam kung saan yung Eton, narinig lang nya.

Hindi rin nya alam yung RFID. Nakataas na yung barrier, ayaw pa nyang umabante. He rolled down his window and extended his hand to get a ticket.

Eton exit

When he’s the one on the wheel, there’s no time to do anything but watch his every move or else we would end up either in Roxas Boulevard or in Santo Tomas. Okay lang if in Batangas, baka sa Santo Tomas, Pampanga.