Monday, April 13, 2009
The day after Easter Sunday
Cars flocked Manila today. Add in the inconveniences of the water pipe construction along Dapitan street, it's a automobile driver's worst nightmare. Actually, these nightmares frequent the roadsters of Manila. Worst time to hurry for class would be 7 to 9 in the morning. Same old jeepney, same travel route, same faceless commuters, this day would have been an ordinary day except that today is the day after Easter Sunday.
And just before you begin to read the entire blog entry, I wish to make it clear that this is not a religious commentary on the lenten season.
As I have said, this day would have been an ordinary day. From the moment I woke up, I intended this day to be nothing extraordinary. So I went over my morning routine and rode the jeepney to UP manila campus, which, by the way, is still part of my morning routine.
I thought that my diabolical plan to make the day ordinary met opposition when I saw the water pipe work along Dapitan street causing traffic congestion that seemed worst than constipation. The jeepney driver was clever though, he managed to avoid the traffic by taking another route - the route brimming with people in a neighborhood. They didn't mind, I think. The driver was indifferent, I think. The ordinary day prevailed, I think, but did it?
When we finally reached Lawton, across the church of Quiapo, A woman called the attention of the jeepney I am aboard, seemingly interested to ride. The jeepney did stopped to let the woman in but she sat on the jeepney's rear entrance instead of the seats for passengers. It seemed that the woman was an almswoman after all!
The woman started to ask for alms from the passengers of the jeepney. An old lady did gave her loose coins but the woman seemed to want more so she asked the other passengers. None of them gave her a peso. To the driver's indignation, he took a few coins from his coin box and stretched his arms to give the coins to the woman. He did this hoping that the woman would go away but he was abashed when the woman haggled: " kuya, piso pa." This infuriated the driver, calling her names that are rated thirteen. The woman left but the old woman who gave her alms earlier started talking in favor of the almswoman. The driver was still mad and he couldn't help but to answer back. What followed is a well orchestrated symphony of cuss words so disturbing that even the non-involved passengers joined in the trouble.
I think I heard them invoke Christ.
OLD WOMAN: Ano ba yan! kakatapos lang ng Semana Santa eh ipinapako muli si Kristo!
DRIVER: Baka gusto mo ikaw ipako ko!
What a scene to mark my day after Easter Sunday.
And just before you begin to read the entire blog entry, I wish to make it clear that this is not a religious commentary on the lenten season.
As I have said, this day would have been an ordinary day. From the moment I woke up, I intended this day to be nothing extraordinary. So I went over my morning routine and rode the jeepney to UP manila campus, which, by the way, is still part of my morning routine.
I thought that my diabolical plan to make the day ordinary met opposition when I saw the water pipe work along Dapitan street causing traffic congestion that seemed worst than constipation. The jeepney driver was clever though, he managed to avoid the traffic by taking another route - the route brimming with people in a neighborhood. They didn't mind, I think. The driver was indifferent, I think. The ordinary day prevailed, I think, but did it?
When we finally reached Lawton, across the church of Quiapo, A woman called the attention of the jeepney I am aboard, seemingly interested to ride. The jeepney did stopped to let the woman in but she sat on the jeepney's rear entrance instead of the seats for passengers. It seemed that the woman was an almswoman after all!
The woman started to ask for alms from the passengers of the jeepney. An old lady did gave her loose coins but the woman seemed to want more so she asked the other passengers. None of them gave her a peso. To the driver's indignation, he took a few coins from his coin box and stretched his arms to give the coins to the woman. He did this hoping that the woman would go away but he was abashed when the woman haggled: " kuya, piso pa." This infuriated the driver, calling her names that are rated thirteen. The woman left but the old woman who gave her alms earlier started talking in favor of the almswoman. The driver was still mad and he couldn't help but to answer back. What followed is a well orchestrated symphony of cuss words so disturbing that even the non-involved passengers joined in the trouble.
I think I heard them invoke Christ.
OLD WOMAN: Ano ba yan! kakatapos lang ng Semana Santa eh ipinapako muli si Kristo!
DRIVER: Baka gusto mo ikaw ipako ko!
What a scene to mark my day after Easter Sunday.
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