21:30.

The world is on its back at 3am. Everything's bathed in subdued movie lights, the world is a stage and I'm its only player walking out of my company.

Down that long road that is really just a carpark, I walked flanked by cars, and the cars, they were (are) flanked by trees. I walked fast, the hour was late, I was tired. I wanted to linger for the night was beautiful, I wanted to linger in the open to feel the moonlight and fill my lungs with the cold crisp air.

It was after a storm or drizzle I didn't hear, and the ground was still wet. Everything was clean and I felt a measure of vigor.

Then, in mid-stride, I saw it. A small shape on the road, stationary and shadowed. I heard a small squeak then I ran.

When I was a child, I saw a half-squashed rat on the road while on my way to the market with my mother. Roadkill. Even when I'm in the front passenger seat of a car cruising somewhere, I avert my eyes when I spot something that looks like roadkill.

That shape on the road, with a longish extension on one side looking like a tail and four legs-like shadows when its belly was, looked like that albino rat I saw as a child.

I didn't scream, I almost did, but I ran in a foolish fit, immensely thankful when I realised the squeak was from my sandals on the wet road. At least that meant if it was indeed roadkill, it was not struggling to live with horrendous injuries.

I hope.

So there I was, the still of the night and my mood disrupted. I walked faster, there was no cab in sight, but wait, one - green taxi sign still switched on - was parked along the parking spaces at the right side of the side gate.

I walked over, waving a few times to get the cabbie's attention. Closer up, I saw he was concentrating on, looking down at something on the seat next to his. I paused at the opposite side of the road, and waved again.

He didn't look up. And with half a mind wondering if he may be engaged in dubious activities and half a mind just tired and longing to get home, I crossed the road. Tapped on the bonnet, he didn't look up. I walked to the front passenger side and tapped the window. He jumped.

He was counting his day's earnings. I hope I didn't look like a robber.

Any how, he refused to take me and I walked up to the main road and got a cab almost as soon as I reached that end of the road.

Thank God.

Fast forward.

The traffic lights are so pretty at night. I always wanted to film the scene from the back of a car or take photos. I had my digicam with me, but unfortunately no guts to take it out and start shooting and perhaps disturbing my kind driver and inviting a barrage of questions. So I did not. Sigh. The next time I am in a friend's car, and I sit up front, and it is early morning where the lights are on, I will shoot.

That morning ended at 4am, when I finally lay myself down to sleep, tummy full from a very late dinner Mom kept for me.

I love Mom's cooking.