Way Back Into Blog

There’s been bad weather ravaging Doha these past few days. I was actually surprised when I looked out of our office window last Thursday to see that it’s already quite dark outside even if it was just 3 pm in the afternoon. I thought it was just the change of season from the cold of winter to the sweltering heat of summer. But then again, summer season should be having longer day time and shorter dusk? So I thought maybe it’s going to rain or something. And so it was, when I checked out at 5:30, it was drizzling and the wind was blowing hard. To make things worse, there’s no cab in sight for like eternity. Anyway, after 48 years of waiting for a cab, I was finally able to get one, and go home.

It’s Thursday, and so it was my house mate’s weekly ritual of going to church. So I’m all alone in our flat, watching the silliest show, Wowowee. I don’t know how I’m able to stand this stupid and cheap show, when I wouldn’t even dare to surf through ABS CBN at 12 – 1 pm, when I was in Manila.

Well, anyway, I got so darn bored, and just decided to go out, and check out the closest thing to a bookstore that Doha has, Jareer Bookstore. Garbed in my bulky camouflage printed jacket, faded Levi’s and flip - flops, I went out and again, waited for 48 years for a cab. Now, riding a Ford Crown Victoria, one of those cabs used as airport transport to and from hotels, I was thinking if it was a good idea to go out, considering that it’s virtually storming outside, add to that the terrible traffic at the Jaidah flyover, what a bummer.

After the terrible traffic that I had to endure just to get to the bookstore, I was met by a very slim selection of books, and sky high prices, another bummer. So I was there, browsing through the slimmest selection of books I have ever seen, and not able to decide which one to buy. My choices were Hannibal Rising, an assortment of books by Nicholas Sparks, A time traveler’s wife, and a selection from Paulo Coelho. I already had my eye on A time traveler’s wife, I think it’s something like the Filipino movie Moments of love, and this other American flick I just can’t remember what, when I suddenly saw Flags of our fathers. I then decided to buy it, probably caught not by the title, nor the content, but more on the cover and the hoopla this book has made since it was brought to the big screen.

I’m supposed to go to Starbucks to waste a few more hours having a caramel frappe and a new book on hand. But the place is so packed and the crowd was rather too boisterous for a quiet reading. So I just decided to head home, where it’s a little bit cozier and quiet, to enjoy the newest addition to my collection.

~ by jotuvillo on March 25, 2007.