From what I can remember, this is what I typed.

25.1.2003 Saturday afternoon

This morning was shitty. Shitty as hell.

I believe in bad luck arriving in threes. Threefold, three times three, just like a witchy woman. Well, call me superstitious but that's me. Too much "Charmed" and "The Craft" I guess.

What happened initially was that, I was late for class. Again. The third time now. The first time wasn't so bad because I didn't know which session I was supposed to attend, there being 2 sessions, an 8.30 am class and a 10.30 am one. It was lucky for me that my name had appeared in the 10.30 list, but due to unavoidable circumstances, the lecturer beckoned for me and others alike to attend the earlier class for our own sakes. The second time round I arrived 15 minutes late due to my having only arose at 8. Again, I was lucky for he only started the class at 9 proper since he had some last-minute materials to prepare.

Today, I wasn't so lucky. I was half-an-hour late. This despite my dad speeding on the highway like nobody else's business. We even beat a young man and his friend and the rider sorta glanced at us for here was this middle-aged man on an old, battered scooter, with a girl at the back, revelling in the wind. Hah! He certainly tried to overtake us.

Still, however much we beat them, I was late.

Being late was one thing. Being late for a cancelled class was another.

I walked quickly to the tutorial room, expecting the class to turn when I make my grand entrance and thinking, "Ahh..here is 'The Girl Who Is Always Late'! How much later will she arrive for the next class?" No, I do not want that. Maybe luck was on my side, for they never had the opportunity to do what I envisioned them to do, but as I saw it, luck was not on my side. For I could have checked my mail earlier for the notice on the cancellation of the class. I could have done so last night, but due to reading and sleepiness, I didn't. And I arrived for a non-existent class. Crappy isn't it?

Just lost it man. Lost it there and then. Flung my back down, kicked my tumbler around and punched my fist into the wall. Screamed a bit as well. I couldn't bloody care less if someone had seen or heard me. Maybe they did, maybe they didn't. So what? I am a human being, entitled to my own emotions and tribulations, and I never asked anyone to stare anyway. Frigging yobs. ARGH!

All I'd wanted to do was get out of there. I did think of doing some work at the library but I just couldn't. I simply had to get away. Initially I'd thought of bunking at Huda's but then I scrapped the idea. The family would return sometime after lunch or around there and it wouldn't do any good for them to find their daughter's friend hanging about. Awkwardness and unpleasantness. Families have their own agendas.

So I went home to sleep. But not before I paid my bill and library fine. Afterwhich, I boarded the bus and thought how nice it would be to catch a snooze at my favourite seat in the cool air-conditioning. Alas, it was not to be, for there were these two fucking middle-aged Chinese ladies (*Note: called "nyonas" in Singapore, according to me anyway), who had taken it upon themselves to save the elongated side seat as well as the seat beside it for their two friends. Now, I wouldn't have minded if they had talked to me, telling me nicely and politely that those seats were taken but did they do so? Nooo, they didn't! They simply placed their hands on the afore-mentioned seats and stared at me gingerly as I made my way from one seat to the other. I mean, what rubbish?! Even if you'd placed your parcels or shopping bags there, at least I wouldn't get that offended. But such an act of uncourteousness?? Well fuck you bitches!

Called them that right there and then. Was forced to sit right behind them and if I were to lose my sanity, I would have just pulled off their heads, ears and all. Felt like slapping those idiotic heads as well, with their permed, fake-looking hair. I mean, they were just simply rude. Extremely rude.

You know what, saving seats is fine. I know because I do it sometimes, but not in crowded buses. The best time to do so would be when the bus is nearly empty or not-so-full. It would be nice to choose a seat and sit on the outer side, for then people would be less likely to try and ask to sit on the inner side. It's something to do with verbal communication and their fear for it. Singaporeans are more or less the ungracious society and now we can add one more thing to the list.

Remember the list?

I am WOMAN. Hear me ROAR.