anti-vitamin for the eyes...bane or boon?

ferns opposite the Don Salvador toilet stop

I couldn’t imagine how uninteresting a driver’s life could be (and I am referring especially to drivers of vhires which ply the Toledo-Cebu route and back), being not a professional driver myself, and not a male driver specifically.
Taking the van’s front seat has always fascinated me. It provides ample leg space (that can even accommodate a bulky luggage which you don’t want crushed by other people’s stuff at the rear of the van) and gives an unobstructed view of the road which presents many opportunities for taking pictures while cruising.
The thing was, I was about to board the front seat when the dispatcher stopped me and said that it was already reserved. I tried to reason that I didn’t see anyone queuing before me. He had an answer ready for that one, like the person went away for a spell to grab something to eat. So I didn’t argue. Intent in traveling comfortably the rest of the way, we waited for the next van to arrive. Sis and myself took the seat behind the driver while an elderly man opted to take the front seat. I heard the dispatcher say the same line he told me. Later only I realized that they put together two girls in front, one clad in sleeveless baby shirt that barely reached her middle, next to the driver. Our eyes (sis and mine) met in total understanding. Apparently we didn’t pass muster…hehehe.
This was the final incident that completed my day of bloopers.
Having started the day at a wrong foot (decided on a whim to take the second trip to San Carlos from Bacolod via Don Salvador), I expected nothing less would happen for the rest of the day. While we were on our way to the terminal, a bus bound to San Carlos has already left and it was too late to flag it down being inside a PUJ. So at the terminal we took the next bus with San Carlos sign on it. We waited 30 minutes for it to fill. I was confused for a bit as when it finally left, the bus turned towards the direction of the hospital. We took the wrong bus. Taking advantage of the traffic, we alit at the first opportunity when the bus stopped and wove our way through the stationary cars. Walking back to the bus terminal, I stepped on animal dung. At San Carlos, the fast craft left already and we had a choice to take the 12:10 Melrivic (a cross between Lite Ferry and Fast Craft) or wait for the speedier smaller craft. Both arrived at just about the same time at Toledo port. Then there’s the thing with the van.
Sigh. My happy disposition that day helped. Besides snapping at the dispatcher one time, for most of the trip we just laughed at our misfortunes.