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During the fourday workweek the government has adopted as energy conservation measure, I am out of the house before 7 in the morning. In these past two months, I travel to work with a blank stare without any care to the world. There was even a time when I was caught between a brutal tongue-lashing of a Muslim couple in my jeepney (public transport) ride to where the office shuttle picks me up, not actually minding if they decide to kill each other right there and then.

Given this rather somnambulant state, it was too late when I discovered I didn’t have loose change for my jeep fare this morning. The smallest I had was a hundred bucks and it was too late to retreat. There was only one other person in the jeep, a pregnant young woman, and so I asked the driver whether he has change for my money this early in the day while handing the 100 bill to him. He took my money then asked whether I had some change (which obviously I didn’t have) and where I will get down. This went on for a few minutes until the pregnant lady took coins out of her purse and actually paid for my own fare. I was protesting the whole time saying it wasn’t necessary and all I got from her was a smile.

I felt really embarrassed. Here I am, in my early morning apathetic self, unable to pay for my own fare and allowed a lady who will soon face responsibilities I know I can’t at this time to give me a free ride. But at the same time, I was elated at this random act of kindness I was privileged to experience. It perked me up more than the mug of coffee I had when I woke up. I was deeply touched and it made me feel like I have to do something to pay it forward. I even thought of getting her number to pay her back some time soon. But I decided against that worrying that she might think not only am I penniless, I’m also sick in the head.

It was even more amazing that she looked like she did the most ordinary thing in the world. I was thanking her profusely and she was just smiling all the time, not exactly basking on the glory of preventing a girl from being thrown out of a moving vehicle.

It was just P5.50 but it IS P5.50. If not for her my day would have been all screwed up because I wouldn’t have made it to the office on time. I would have to walk all the way back to the house because for sure, no store would have change for P100 before 7 in the morning. And because of this, as certain as the sunrise, I’ll be cranky as hell for getting tired so early in the day and for my stupidity that I could have avoided. And she saved me from all this. What an angel.