Sunday, July 30, 2006
A funny thing happened on the way home tonight. As I would usually commute nowadays because of my car being in near retirement (and that’s just putting it mildly) I’d usually take a tricycle ride home to the subdivision where I live.
A ride in a tricycle would be a total bore if not for the person handling it. Typical of a pinoy driver, people handling tricycles are in everyway the same as those of taxis, jeeps and FXs which, except for the smaller contraption that they are handling, are veterans of the highways; being able to swerve gracefully and run amok along the streets while making sure that their passengers are on the verge of fear and anxiety. They’d be praying to whatever deity they worship that they’ll be able to arrive at their destination safe and sound.
It’s no wonder everyone was hanging on to dear life at the steel bars of the tricycle that we’re riding tonight.
I tell you that guy’s a maniac!
If I were a cop I’d halt him for road rage, and speeding, and swerving and whatever there is there for him to stop. Too bad all the Police I’ve seen tonight are either lolling around in their jobs or getting a drink at the local store. There’s nothing to save us from getting 10 years growth out of our system.
And to think people are wondering why I have a lot of white hair in my head. Go figure.
Alas for our trusty driver his perennial good luck has come to an end. A taxi started to get too close to him for comfort resulting in an angry gesture from our man and a little pat on the hood of the taxi (did I say little? More like a hand slam from the taxi driver’s point of view).
If I’d make a guide to Manila’s driving etiquette the first rule I’d make is that whenever someone tries to challenge you in a drag race you’d be obliged to follow suit. As if on cue, the taxi driver lounged ahead and cut in front of us. Not one to be taken lightly our trusty hero did his best to overtake the taxi but it was like a snail challenging a turtle in a race: No matter what you do you’ll see his big shiny shell in front of you stupid. So our man tried to zigzag across the traffic hoping he can elude Mr. Bigshot in front of him.
Funny thing about being responsible on the road is that you’ll have to be aware of your surroundings especially of other vehicles beside of you. I guess our hero forgot to keep that in mind as he crashed with another motorcycle on his right. With a large thud and a bit of a yelp from the other guy on the motorcycle our man came to a screeching halt in the middle of the street.
It seems that things have come for the worse and I was in the middle of it all. I was thinking this is going to be a loooooong night one which would probably last for a few hours at the least. Sure enough, the two drivers were yelling at each other. All that’s left for them to do was to strangle each others throats.
To top of it all Uzis (a personal term I use for gawkers or uziseros) started to appear and surround the scene of the crime. Traffic began to build because of other drivers looking at us and shaking their heads. Cars were at a standstill for half a mile along the road.
Kids and other tambays were coming from god knows where just to look at us and make comments to each other. With all the commotion around you’d think someone had died. I’d shudder to think if someone did this place would have been in chaos.
I felt like the monkey at the zoo being stared at by everyone who passes by.
Yep, I thought again, it’s going to be another long night.
But miracles of miracles, the tricycle and motorcycle drivers had come to a bitter conclusion. After a few grunts and guffaws from each side they had come to a mutual agreement. One of which they end (surprisingly) with a little bit of brotherly hug. I was flabbergasted at that sight and a little bit touched but mostly shocked (my thoughts were swarming around that of a little brokeback gesture) but I guess all’s well that end’s well. With a little help from the observers we took apart the tricycle and motorcycle from each other and went on with our separate way.
Having arrived at the front gate of Filinvest 2, our man was greeted with assurance from his other tricycle buddies that it really wasn’t his fault (at the least). But we all know he was the cause of it all. But who wants to say that at that time? The guy’s swelling with moral justification at the moment.
Tired and weary the other dazed passengers started to walk away from the tricycle shed and off to their respective homes. I stood there for a little bit thinking that with the entire ruckus that happened I forgot to pay the guy as he sped off the street and into the night.
Oh well, I guess I’ll probably see him again one of these days.
Hopefully after a year or two, that is.
