BEING inside the jeepney oftentimes, feels like being within the microcosm of an entire community where varying individuals portray their different characteristics and behaviors. I know, it’s rather one of the most hassling experiences to be a commuter where we have to rush and mingle with strangers to be able to get to our respective destinations. But undeniably, it is as interesting to deal with the diverse people whom we share these jeepney rides with. In a single trip, one can usually meet some of the following personalities and superheroes (sarcasm inserted).
The Flash. The Flash moves in speed lightning. Being the good citizen that you are, you patiently remain in line. You withstand the heat or the rain while in queue and tolerantly wait for your turn to get seated inside the jeep. But lo! The Flash makes his dramatic entrance and cunningly sneaks inside the vehicle before you can even say “Manong, may pila po.” You have to give it to this guy. With such velocity, it makes one wonder why he hasn’t sped away to wherever it is he’s going. On foot, that is.
The Ninja Mover. I have this nasty habit of observing other people when doing nothing. This always happens when I’m inside the jeepney. Hence I get to see details which are sometimes overlooked by the unsuspecting eyes. The ninja mover is someone who is a master of the 1-2-3 technique, as in 1-2-I’m gone. Since everyone is clumped like sardines inside the vehicle, it is really difficult to monitor who pays and who doesn’t. Obviously, those “God knows Hudas not pay” stickers are useless. The ninja keeps a poker face all throughout the ride and quickly gets off at his destination with the same guilt-free expression. “Manong, sana yumaman ka sa otso singkwenta mo (P8.50).”
Darna. Pasan ni Darna ang mundo, or in this case, pasan niya ang sandamakmak na bayong. She’s the woman who has bought almost half the public market with the quantity of baskets and bulging plastic bags she’s holding. Nothing against people trying to cut costs because I myself am very particular with thriftiness, practicality and all but to put yourself and others to such inconvenience can be quite insensible already. It’s bad enough that we have to pull our legs up to our chins so the jeep could accommodate even more than its maximum carrying capacity but to have all those cabbages and potatoes rolling under our feet, oh boy. “Manang, hehe. Magtaxi nalang po tayo, kahit mag-si-share ako sa bayad.”
Mr. This-is-my-living-room. The jeepney is designed to carry as many passengers as possible. We sit in such a way that our personal bubbles are invaded. By that, I mean we can get as close as arm-to-arm and leg-to-leg with the passengers closest to us (lucky you if you get to sit beside a good-looking person). However, there are just people who are inconsiderate of the other passengers’ ease. Take for example the guy who sits with his legs wide open, mindless of others who are barely seated--painstakingly clinging to the handrail to support their weight. “Uhm, di ko alam kung pansin mo Kuya pero nalalaglag na po ang pwet ko. Pwede umusog konti, or pakandong nalang?”
Aside from the notorious characters who I have mentioned above, there also exist those who don’t seem to realize that they are in a public transportation and that they have ‘duties’ to perform as thoughtful co-passengers. There’s Mr. I’m-temporarily-deaf who pretends that he can’t hear you repeatedly saying, “Paki-abot po” until you shove the coins under his nose. There’s also Miss Pantene who seems to be under the impression that she’s shooting for a shampoo commercial—she stares out the open window as her long hair whips across your face while the jeep speeds on. “Oo na girl, ikaw na ang may pang-rebond.” And the list goes on…
Convenience is not really a perk when opting to ride the jeep instead of the much more expensive cab. A lot of us depend on jeepneys in our daily lives. So despite the uncomfortable and even irksome situations that we get stuck in when we do ride one, we continue patronizing jeepneys for the very obvious reason that it’s very practical (not to mention of course that unfortunately, we can’t afford to have our own Bumblebees).
How one behaves in even the most mundane things that happen in our everyday lives can convey how we are as citizens. Not being able to act decently in even the simplest of situations is just sad. I’m certain that you’ve met one or two of the abovementioned people. If perhaps they behave otherwise, then things can be a lot better. And this doesn’t just apply to jeepney rides.
The Ninja Mover. I have this nasty habit of observing other people when doing nothing. This always happens when I’m inside the jeepney. Hence I get to see details which are sometimes overlooked by the unsuspecting eyes. The ninja mover is someone who is a master of the 1-2-3 technique, as in 1-2-I’m gone. Since everyone is clumped like sardines inside the vehicle, it is really difficult to monitor who pays and who doesn’t. Obviously, those “God knows Hudas not pay” stickers are useless. The ninja keeps a poker face all throughout the ride and quickly gets off at his destination with the same guilt-free expression. “Manong, sana yumaman ka sa otso singkwenta mo (P8.50).”
Darna. Pasan ni Darna ang mundo, or in this case, pasan niya ang sandamakmak na bayong. She’s the woman who has bought almost half the public market with the quantity of baskets and bulging plastic bags she’s holding. Nothing against people trying to cut costs because I myself am very particular with thriftiness, practicality and all but to put yourself and others to such inconvenience can be quite insensible already. It’s bad enough that we have to pull our legs up to our chins so the jeep could accommodate even more than its maximum carrying capacity but to have all those cabbages and potatoes rolling under our feet, oh boy. “Manang, hehe. Magtaxi nalang po tayo, kahit mag-si-share ako sa bayad.”
Mr. This-is-my-living-room. The jeepney is designed to carry as many passengers as possible. We sit in such a way that our personal bubbles are invaded. By that, I mean we can get as close as arm-to-arm and leg-to-leg with the passengers closest to us (lucky you if you get to sit beside a good-looking person). However, there are just people who are inconsiderate of the other passengers’ ease. Take for example the guy who sits with his legs wide open, mindless of others who are barely seated--painstakingly clinging to the handrail to support their weight. “Uhm, di ko alam kung pansin mo Kuya pero nalalaglag na po ang pwet ko. Pwede umusog konti, or pakandong nalang?”
Aside from the notorious characters who I have mentioned above, there also exist those who don’t seem to realize that they are in a public transportation and that they have ‘duties’ to perform as thoughtful co-passengers. There’s Mr. I’m-temporarily-deaf who pretends that he can’t hear you repeatedly saying, “Paki-abot po” until you shove the coins under his nose. There’s also Miss Pantene who seems to be under the impression that she’s shooting for a shampoo commercial—she stares out the open window as her long hair whips across your face while the jeep speeds on. “Oo na girl, ikaw na ang may pang-rebond.” And the list goes on…
Convenience is not really a perk when opting to ride the jeep instead of the much more expensive cab. A lot of us depend on jeepneys in our daily lives. So despite the uncomfortable and even irksome situations that we get stuck in when we do ride one, we continue patronizing jeepneys for the very obvious reason that it’s very practical (not to mention of course that unfortunately, we can’t afford to have our own Bumblebees).
How one behaves in even the most mundane things that happen in our everyday lives can convey how we are as citizens. Not being able to act decently in even the simplest of situations is just sad. I’m certain that you’ve met one or two of the abovementioned people. If perhaps they behave otherwise, then things can be a lot better. And this doesn’t just apply to jeepney rides.