Step 2: Go to the bathroom which costs 400 pesos. Give a 1000 bill and get 6 coins for change. Leave them in pocket because you are too lazy to open the wallet again.

Step 3: Husband goes to the bathroom. You leave the three bags lying on the ground at his seat to your right, keeping an eye on them, hugging only your day pack.

Step 4: Two men in dark clothes take the seats at the table behind. One of them behind husband’s seat is a bit uncomfortably close to the bags. You do not bat an eyelid at their faces as you get sleepy. 10 minutes is a long wait and it is past 10pm.

Step 5: Suddenly a string of coins fell on the floor to your left. You shift eyes to the ringing sound. A man in black stands close by and gestures that they are from you.

Step 6: Thanking him on reflexes, you bend to your left to pick up the coins, despite half remembering that you have coins only in the RIGHT pocket.

Step 7: Did the small day pack slide towards man sitting behind your right, whose foot is stretching perhaps a little too much for comfort?

Step 8: Taking both day packs in your lap because you are vigilant, you decide why not BEND TO THE LEFT AGAIN TO PICK UP COINS!!!! (Worthy of a self slap here)

Step 9: Man behind stands up and starts to walk away. You are instantly alarmed by the space emptied by one big backpack.

Step 9: In a split second you are stricken by panic. If you immediately get up and run after the man, you run the risk of losing the other big backpack lying on the floor! If you don’t, you are definitely losing at least one backpack!! RIGHT NOW!!!!

Step 10: Be pleased as you choose to get the chase going. Catching up with him just five steps away at the cafeteria, take over your beloved backpack from his hand, with a murmur of “SORRY”(?!?! What ridiculous reflex?!?! Please slap yourself again). To your pleasant surprise, no resistance is met and the backpack is recovered successfully. Unfortunately there is no time to scrutinize his physique as there was but one question in mind: is the other bag still around????

Step 11: Turning back as soon as you have secured the three bags with hold, you can’t believe your eyes as the fourth one lies at the same spot on the floor. March back and devour the moment of triumph at your seat, accompanied by a pounding heart from panic. People all around seem unstirred with their chitchat, coffee and sandwiches. Perhaps a little more stare than 5 minutes ago? Is anybody aware of what just happened to the clumsy gullible lone Asian woman? Now everyone in dark clothes (black and filthy blue) seem suspicious.

Step 12: Never lose sight AND HANDS of the bags again until husband returns to find you in slight post trauma.

Congratulations on surviving a NEAR ROBBERY!!!