Stranded!

By a strange twist of fate yesterday, I found myself stranded in the middle of nowhere at 7:30 pm without some workable plan to get my butt out of there. I just missed the last bus to civilisation by three precious minutes and there wasn't a single taxi in sight. So I called a couple of friends to come and rescue me but everyone was naturally tied up with something. So, you're on your own, Kri!

I lighted a cigarette to calm down the nerves and began to look at the problem right in the eye as rationally as I could. After a few seconds of deep contemplation, I concluded that I have only two options. One was to spend the night at that solitary bus stop deep in the rural interior and take the first bus or anything that moves out of there in the morning. The other option was to walk the hell out of there before it gets really dark.

I may be the outdoors type but the prospect of sleeping on the bench with only the village mosquitoes for company wasn't too appealing. Besides, I didn't bring my toothbrush along. The latter option appeared to be more practical and simple to carry out, you know, just put one foot in front of the other in a constant rythmic manner until the next town where I could get some form of motorised transport back to the office.

So, I decided to walk out of the place. Yes, the whole five over miles on my own two feet. I needed the exercise anyway as it has been quite a long while I gave this old heart a good workout. OK feet, start walking! I crossed over to the other side so that I could see oncoming traffic and they, me -- elementary Boy Scout stuff -- gritted my teeth and put my best foot forward.

I trudged on ignoring stupid motorists who honked and flashed their headlights at me. They probably thought I was on the wrong side of the road. The day turned into night as I walked through settlements, and past palm oil and rubber plantations relying very much on the lights of the occasional cars coming from behind me as those coming towards me practically blinded my eyes with their high beams. Whassamatter, haven't you morons seen a man walking on the roadside before?

At about 8:30 I arrived at the fringe of the Gurun indusrtrial area. Ah, civilisation at last. The place was well lighted so it was pretty much like an evening stroll from there on. People in town areas don't care even if you crawl on all fours across the street. So I dragged my weary feet past some fruit vendors near the North-South highway underpass, greeted them too and finally crossed the railway tracks into town at 8:55. I made it in one piece!

To celebrate my success, I walked into the first coffee shop I saw and ordered a tall glass of iced lemon tea and a piece of cake. The drink and that old mouldy cake never tasted so delicious before! Fauzi called just then to inquire if I still needed a lift. Told him not to bother as I was already in Gurun having a drink. Then he asked how did I get there. I told him that I walked, of course, to which he laughed in disbelief.

Damn you, Fauzi. I knew you were having a good time in some karaoke lounge in town. I could hear music in the background. I'd kick your ass if these feet weren't too tired!