Rain, MRT and the Comfort a Stranger

I was a college sophomore, and it was raining hard as I was heading to the MRT station. I prefer the weather as I was comfortably protected by my big blue umbrella. "My kind of day", I thought.

I looked around while the red traffic light blinked to yellow. The billboard greeted the rain with utmost pride, jeepney drivers became active shouting as more passengers waved and people were busily running away from wetness; All, except one.

She was no older than me, probably a college student in UP as well. She was silently covered by the windbreaker. She remained still despite the hard rain pounding on her damp hair and wet face.

Something inside me pushed to offer goodness. So I walk beside her and asked "Gusto mong sumukob?". I got a lot of free space in my umbrella.

She was surprised and she looked at me curiously, probably thinking that it was a pick-up line of some sort, but she nodded and settled under my umbrella. She began shaking her head and body like a wet cat. It was funny seeing someone trying to be comfortable amidst the turmoil of the busy traffic.

I introduced myself, offered a handshake but then she took my name wrongly. She said her name, and I found it hard to catch it as the rain was getting angrier. We quickly ran into the steps of the MRT station. "Hay salamat" was all she muttered.

We talked about how weird the weather was. Then I told her that she should never let herself get wet like that. She got confused with my comment, probably because we were total strangers and yet I sounded like an old friend telling her the obvious. She smiled and said "tama ka, di na mauulit"

She was a UP student as well. We talked about the usual, like the status of the colleges, the courses. We were talking as we bought the tickets and as we board the fully-packed MRT.

She seemed to have forgotten something, when she suddenly remembered and said "Thank you pala", then we both laughed at the lateness of her remark. Then I began telling her about my life, considering that it was a long travel. Strangely, I found comfort from a stranger.

Started out as a simple story about life, I led her into my memory lane. It's as if her gaze poked a hole into my secret-filled heart - it helplessly poured out memories and things I seldom share to stranger. I suddenly realized that I was hugging the conversation too much, when she began to tell her own stories as well.

I took the ride to her memory lane: from her funny childhood moments to stories about her mother, her sister and aunt - which I still clearly recall. We laughed at our conversations, not minding the small cold confinement of the MRT.

Then the speaker boomed with "CUBAO STATION". It was my signal to leave. She seemed disappointed as the MRT slowed down into a halt. She thanked me for another infinite time, and she promised not to forget an umbrella next time. I smiled and waved good bye.

We never knew each other's name and I never saw her again; Yet in that briefest moment - in that strangest rainy day, I left a happy memory in that MRT ride. I remember, looking back at the MRT as it disappeared in haste, that the market-smelled Cubao station will never feel the same.