ondoy (part i)

(Sta. Cruz Manila. Bagyong Ondoy. From my physical journal.)

I'm convinced. It's a foreshadowing of the imminent parousia!!!

Oh, yes. That would be the 20th time my phone has chimed, indicating low battery. But fuck, electricity's been out since 2 pm this afternoon. 5 minutes more and my phone'd be out, and landline's cut as well because of this fucken typhoon. I'm dying to phone people and read up on what's happening to the world!

I tried getting out- to charge the batts, get some more candles and coffee. The first time I tried getting out was actually around 4pm. But fuck! The ground floor was flooded with putrid rainwater; fucken gray, mixed with filth and unmentionables. I hesistated and got back because I thought I couldn't take plunging my legs in that filth. The flood only looked as if it could barely reach my knees then.

The second was minutes ago, around 9pm. I got downstairs and found that the ground floor was flooded with crotch-high flood already. But I was desperate. At home, I only had candles, a book to read, and only a few bread and fruits left for dinner (I was alone. Our househelper stayed in our other home in Nova). I needed food and communication really badly. I changed into shorts, braved the flood, submerged my legs in those murky waters.

But faaaaaaaak!!! When I reached the gates, I saw that they- our ever-failing security guards (yes, we need an escapegoat)- had barricaded the building from outside, with what looked like assortment of chunks in rice sacks. I thought that was weird and extreme, considering we were already some significant 3 -4 feet higher than the actual street. I thought the flood inside were mere rainfall collected inside the building, etc, etc.

It was dark. So it was only when I hurdled over the barricades when I witnessed that the entire length our street was covered with dark water!! Hur! It was like setting food on a riverbank! Possibly waist to chest-high if I had stood on the pavement.

I retreated, feeling defeated, snorting at that awful joke heaven had sent.

So I'm here on my bed trying to write with candles. I want to get out now! But I'm willing to bet that those stupid fat-headed and pot-bellied city officials won't have a solution immediately. And, tomorrow's too early for the third world. I'm also sure that somewhere nearby, other people are prolly having tougher problems in the face of this typhoon. God, save us all.