A moon-filled night.

Driving from Intramuros back home, I took Pedro Gil instead of travelling via Buendia. Pedro Gil, I still prefer to call it Herran, was a mess at five in the afternoon.  Public jeepneys, "de padyaks", and an assortment of cabs and private vehicles were fighting for what was left of the street, as other cars turning left blocked those going straight, and as commuters waited for their rides almost in the middle of the street.

As we passed St. Paul's University and U.P. Faura, I almost didn't recognize the two institutions as they looked shabby amidst the narrowed streets occupied by stores, hotels, sidewalk vendors, and slow and parked public utility vehicles.

Then on to Dart, Paco, I almost cried upon seeing the even narrower street leading to my Alma mater. To my left, I was pleased to see the facade of what used to be Bellevue Theatre, with its pillar and decor intact still.

Robert Downey, Jr as Sherlock Holmes with Noomi Rapace who played Sim, the gypsy, in Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

At the railroad crossing in Osmena Highway,  I heard the railroad bell and stopped right before the track. Other vehicles took their chance and raced to the other side. Then the train didn't make a move, and the rail guard didn't close down, so together with other cars, I drove quickly and passed the crossing.

Many moons ago in Weirton, West Virginia, there was a railroad crossing wherein cars waited ten minutes or so for industrial trains to pass through. This was before the new highway was built and I had to pass through old Weirton and onto University Avenue in Steubenville before reaching Sunset Boulevard where we lived.

Which led me to think more of  trains. Couple of days ago, I watched a re-run of Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows where Holmes, Dr. Watson and a gypsy girl  travelled to Germany by horse and Holmes was captured by Moriarty inside his armory.

When Dr. Watson finally freed Holmes and as they fled, Moriarty's weaponry pounded them and killed most of  Holmes' company. The quad of Holmes, Watson, the gypsy girl and her aide escaped via a passing cargo train.

Which led me to think, how many movies have I seen where a passing cargo train from nowhere facilitated the escape and saved the life of the main character? Many.

A passing shadow stole the ride amidst the moon filled night.