i found this incident quite funny. i was on my way home yesterday, seated in the front seat of an fx, when suddenly the smell of chorizo wafted inside the fx and i heard from behind the rustle of plastic wrapper being opened. i’m guessing that a fellow passenger was getting ready to enjoy a snack on the way home. however, alas, it was not meant to be because the driver spoke up. he said, “let’s eat later when we have disembarked already so that it would not smell inside the fx.” i’m sure it was a very embarrassing moment for the person who was planning to eat and he/she’ll think twice about eating inside an fx again.
i was riding the FX with an Antipolo signboard home. it was already past six o’clock in the evening so the traffic was already heavy. i had two co-passengers, a guy and a girl, who knew each other. they were getting off at metro walk, which was not far from where we boarded the fx. usually the fare is only P10 for short distances but it is common for fx drivers to demand P20 as the minimum fare in order to make a profit since that route is quite long and traffic is really heavy.
anyway, the guy pays the driver P20 for his and his companion’s fare. the driver told them that the minimum fare was P20, so they needed to pay additional P20. the guy reacted a little strongly since the distance was not really far. then the guy and his companion began discussing with each other about the fare, how both of them did not have change and how the additional P20 was not in their budget. suddenly, the driver told them quietly, “never mind. you don’t have to pay the fare.” they were stunned and became a bit sheepish. actually, i was also stunned because i’ve never heard a driver react like that. drivers usually trade barbs with passengers who complain about the fare or other drivers stop the vehicle to let out the passengers so that they can pick others who are more ammendable to the higher fare or passengers who will really go the distance. the driver continued to drive in silence with nary a snide comment or any remark that would show his displeasure.
the two passengers became quiet and they didn’t know how to react. then the guy tried to pay their fare, but the driver would not accept. i can surmise that they felt guilty because if i were in their shoes, i would also feel guilty. finally, we arrived at metro walk and since traffic was so slow they were able to get off at the left side. the girl was nearest to the door at the back of the driver’s seat so she got off first. then the guy followed but not before dropping their fare into the lap of the driver. i don’t know if it was P20 or P40 but all i know was that the two passengers were still a little bit unbalanced by the unusual reaction of the driver. even after the two passengers disembarked, the driver didn’t say anything about what happened. some drivers would have made cutting remarks or tried to justify their actions or some would have boasted of having turned the tables on the two passengers. but the driver just kept quiet and continued on his usual journey.
this is one example of the how a villain can become a hero. or how to use guilt effectively. hehehe.
last friday i overheard this conversation between two first year college guys. they were talking about a school project that involved going to high schools and distributing questionnaires. they were discussing the schools that they’ll cover. the first guy told the second guy that he wants to go with second guy if he was going to st. paul’s. then all of a sudden the first guy asked his friend, “what would you do if you like this girl and you find out that she’s bisexual? liligawan mo pa rin ba?” i don’t quite remember his friend’s reply. first guy continued, “ang hirap nun kung marami syang kaibigan na babae, di mo alam kabit na nya pala yun.” then they made generalizations that 40% of girls are bisexual or something. i don’t know where they got this figure.
this conversation just struck me because i never really thought about female bisexuality from a boy/man’s point of view. it must be because being female, i’m more preoccupied about the dangers of getting involved with guys who are bisexuals or closet homosexuals. do guys really worry about female bisexuality or was this something that only teenage guys worry about?
earlier that same day, i was listening to nicoleliyala (is that the spelling) read a problem sent by a female listener who was in a relationship with another female. she was complaining about how possessive and jealous her partner was. i liked how nicoleliyala answered the listener. she said something like women are very emotional by nature so being in a relationship with another female doubles the emotional “aspect” of the relationship. i wouldn’t know how true that would be but it seems highly probable.
Have you ever experienced being so close to somebody that you can feel his stomach move when he breaths and eventually you will realize that you are breathing in the same pattern? That kind of intimacy feels a little crazy especially since he’s a stranger to you. Sitting side by side, feeling very conscious of each other’s movements, only thin clothes separating you from each other. No matter how hard you try to move to avoid such familiarity, it’s just not possible. It’s beyond your control. Your drawn together because of the confined quarters that create such contrived closeness. You can even feel the vibrations of the mobile phone in his jean pocket as it signals an incoming new message…Darn these FX vehicles!!! It is really a tight squeeze to seat four people in the middle. I have a hard time positioning my hands since there is no place to put them. The short ride feels longer because I can’t move any body part without inconveniencing the person beside me and he can’t make even the slightest movement without me getting irritated. FX rides are really an exercise in patience and consideration. It’s also a wake up call to trim down so that those pockets of fats in my middle area that become grossly exaggerated when I sit down won’t make sweet music with the flabs adjacent to me. I wouldn’t mind if it’s the abs of Sang Woo or Pieter but I should be so lucky. I guess these are the hardships that a commuter like me has to endure unless I want to drive myself to bankruptcy by taking a taxi wherever I go.
All in all, tightly squeezed FX rides are far more superior to jam packed MRTs or LRTs. At least I have a modicum of comfort since I’m seating down. I pity those MRT or LRT commuters, especially the women rail users, who brave the rush hour madness, standing so close to each other that you won’t know where you end and the next person begins. It’s more than pockets of fats and flabs getting acquainted. Only souls are not touching during these rides before you can finally get off your station. Just thinking about it makes me grateful that I’m not one of those poor souls who have to go through that hellride everyday. I guess I can make do with my FX rides until I can finally afford a car (like maybe when I retire 40 years from now) or when I will finally win in one of those numerous grocery raffles I get sucked into joining. Until then, my fats will just have to play Miss Congeniality during such encounters.
