my friday the thirteenth story

"There are nights when the wolves are silent
and only the moon howls."
--George Carlin

it was already late at night (read: nine-ish) and we'd just gotten back to the company in batangas from a visit to a colleague's house in sta. cruz, laguna. my urinary bladder was already complaining due to the long drive and too much soda. when the company vehicle came to a halt, i rushed out and practically ran through the deserted hallways to get to the restroom.

i went in through the door leading to the locker area since it was my nearest access to the restroom. i noticed that more lockers were already installed but nothing more than this made a different impression on me. well, saved for the observation that the locker area was also deserted and i was the only breathing soul there.

because i really had to and not because i was suddenly afraid, i rushed out of the locker area, proceeded to the restroom, and chose a cubicle. it was such a great relief when i was finally able to let go of unnecessary liquid from my body.

when i was ready to face the world again, undisturbed anymore by the urgent call of nature, i went out of the cubicle. i opened the cubicle door just in time to see one of my male colleagues walking nonchalantly along the restroom hallway. since he belongs to the facilities department, i figured he was there doing a regular dead-of-the-night check. still, his presence for whatever reason inside the ladies' restroom didn't really register as appropriate and i felt the need to demand why he was there.

"woist, bakit ka nandito?"

"ah...eh...kasi...sa mga lalake 'to."

oooops! my bad. sa lagay na yon ako pala ang nasa maling lugar. bwahahahahaha...

no wonder then why he, too, had a surprised look on his face when he saw me.

with a flood of "hala! oh-em-gee. oh nooooo! i'm sorry," i hastily ran out of the men's restroom red-faced and stifling laughs i could not share with anyone (or anything) just yet but the deserted hallways.