Lesson learned: In traveling, be mindful and somehow be accountable to the person seating beside or next to you, even if she/he is a stranger.

'Ma'am, excuse me. Naa kay abay?,'a bus conductor said.'He was asking if there was someone seating beside me.

I removed my shawl wrapped on my face, looked at the seat beside me and I responded, with hesitations, 'wala' (none). I was really not sure If there was someone seating beside me.

Then the conductor informed the driver to proceed after the toilet break.

Cling and my friend was heading to an nine-hour bus ride to South Cotabato for a family-related mission, of course with the Lake Sebu adventure as our second priority.

I was so groggy since the bus left at 1:00 a.m. and I was seating on the conductor's seat before I was transferred in the passenger seat, three hours after the bus left Cagayan de Oro City.

Few minutes, after the bus left, I remembered that there is someone seating beside me. I am not sure if she is a gay or a woman though. And later I realized that the passenger seating beside me was left at the bus stop where it stopped for a toilet break.

I was so guilty and would want to tell the conductor that the passenger seating beside me was in toilet break. But I realized, we were too far already and it's impossible to go back since the place it is a rebel-infested place and close to where the infamous Ampatuan massacre, where a lot of people was buried alive using a backhoe, was done.

Out from my big guilt, I just wrapped my face with my shawl the duration of the trip, afraid that everyone in the bus would now that a passenger seating beside me was left in one of the bus stop overs.

For the whole duration of the trip, I was crossing my fingers, hopeful that no one would know. And every time the bus stops, I am hopeful that the concern is not about the passenger we left because of me.

I was so worried for the driver and conductor to be suspended because a passenger was accidentally left there. And of couse worried for the passenger. I know how cold it was since it was still 4:00 in the morning.

After nine hours, I am so glad that no one asked about it. And the driver and the conductor were not put in a bad light.

Now, I know how most people feel whenever they have terribly bad. The guilt feeling is a feeling of deep agony for me. I know it was not a big mistake for me but of course I am also accountable to the passenger beside or next to me, even if she/he is a stranger. hihi.

I will never do it again...that's a promise!