P1: Leaving the house at half past 3am this morning on my way to work, a dark SUV stopped beside me and a guy in the backseat rolled down the window and asked how to get to the highway. I suggested I ride with them going out since it was on my way anyway. He said that was what he was going to suggest anyway and offered the shotgun seat. There was a moment of panic inside me. Is this my white van? Am I about to get kidnapped or robbed without even any offer of candy on the proverbial table?
P2: As I directed their driver out the labyrinthian streets, he said I looked like a professor, despite being just in a tee with camouflage pants. I used to be, but just to keep things brief I concurred that I was. What did I teach? Math and science. He was a lawyer, and so was his backseat companion. They came from the McDonalds' near the toll exit but they had to go back because he left something. Since they left though, a grocery store near the exit caught fire. The way back was blocked.
P3: A fireman told them where to go, but somehow even Waze and Google Maps failed them and they ended up in our subdivision.
On a side note, the other day, on a bullshit excuse to check up on someone, I had called and said a firetruck with sirens on passed me on my way to work and asked if the fire was near their house. Possible moral: be careful what you cry wolf about, it may manifest.
Back to my convenient early morning "good deed": they came from an environmental conference in Anilao.
P4: Some of their group stayed overnight at the beach resort, but others, like them, decided to go home. They chose go to McDonalds as a witching hour rest stop.
Anyway, before we got to the highway I told them the easiest way back to McDonalds was to go out the next nearest tollgate then exit near the McDonalds, which was only 2 km away. The other lawyer said they were already familiar with that area.
After I got out, he gave me his card and I thanked them for the free ride. No kidnapping.