I don't even remember the last time I rode a jeep. I always take a cab wherever I go, for convenience and faster travel. Never did I thought that I will be bothered in riding one, until now.
I know a few people who does not want to ride a taxi alone, but my philosophy, "kung malas ka, malas ka" - with regards to holdappers and whatnot.
For more than a year now, I've been taking a cab in going to work and going home. The longest time it took me to travel from my house to Tiendesitas was 45minutes because of the holiday traffic and the shortest one was 10minutes. So, on average it will take me 12 to 15 minutes. Which I really love because I'm not stressed; I could leave the house 30 minutes before logging in and still have time to lit a cig. And going home is not a problem either. No traffic, no hassle, no stress.
Taxi drivers.... Well, kung malas ka, malas ka talaga. Hahaha!
Most of them are silent during the ride. A few will start telling stories (may it be their life or how they feel about the government) or engage me in a conversation because most of the time I look half asleep, disinterested, or I would just laugh or say nothing at all. I'm not very keen in conversing with them unless they are half asleep! Some of them would sing (this one I love, especially when I still have a Tues to Sat shift and I would go home Sunday morning and they have oldies but goodies playing in the background), some would ask personal questions like how old I was, or if I'm married already. Conversation will stop with the third question. Some would start to flirt with me and usually it will end me saying that I already have three kids and is happily married.
But, yesterday was a different story.
I left for work a little early because I was meeting Love at Tiendesitas, we wanted to have dinner before going to work. By the time I was hailing a cab, he was already there waiting for me.
So, just a typical taxi, typical taxi driver. Two minutes of travel, I could feel him looking at me from his rear-view mirror and when I caught his eyes, he smiled. I averted my eyes as if I didn't see anything.
Then the questions begun.
Taxi Driver: "mam ilang taon na po kayo"
Me: "30"
Taxi Driver: "mother nyo po ba yung kasama nyo maghintay?"
Me: "lola"
TD: "mam, may asawa na po ba kayo?"
Silence. Usually conversation stops here. I do my disinterested look and they usually stop asking question.
TD: "mam! ano mam, may asawa na po ba kayo?"
Me: "oo kuya!"
TD: "may anak na po ba kayo?"
Me: "magkakaron palang!"
TD: "mam, swerte ng asawa nyo...."
Me: "at bakit naman?"
TD: "kasi ang ganda-ganda nyo po eh"
Me: "ah okay salamat kuya"
Silence. I was not smiling throughout this conversation, I was looking at my watch and kept looking at the window. But, he was really persistent. And I notice that he was driving really slow and some cars were overtaking us. Hhhmm.... He was taking his time!
And I could still feel him looking at me. God! I was thinking of going down and hail another cab but then I was really running a little late. So I did my best to ignore him.
TD: "mam pano kung may magkagusto sa inyo, ok lang po ba?"
Silence.
TD: "mam ano ho? pano kung may magkagusto sa inyo? ok lang po ba?"
Silence.
TD: "mam..."
He turned to look at me while driving with his manyak grin. This is along Eastwood Libis already, as if waiting for my reply. I was scared we would hit something I quickly answered.
Me: "di na pwede kuya may asawa na ako, seloso un."
TD: "pwede naman nyang di malaman eh. mam, pwede po bang mahingi ang number nyo?"
Silence.
At this time I was feeling really really really scared. I was even thinking to jump off the cab. I was praying he would hurry up but he was even going slower by the minute. We were along Hinduja and approaching the intersection of C5 and Ortigas and he was driving 20miles per minute! God! I wanted to scream. My feet started to feel so cold and I was shaking. I wanted to call Love but I felt numb, I couldn't move. I was frozen.
TD: "mam number ko nalang po kunin nyo tapos text text tayo. ano mam? sige na mam. kunin nyo na."
He was really persistent and I was thinking if I won't get his number maybe he won't let me off his taxi, and I was paranoid that he will kidnap me or rape me! I was in the verge of crying.
Me: "ako nalang po kukuha ng number mo kuya."
I quickly wrote it down in a piece of tissue paper and almost missed my turn.
Me: "kuya kanan tayo dyan!"
Me: "kuya sa tabi nalang."
I quickly got my money and paid him, almost dropping the money cause I was in a hurry to go down. I didn't want our hands to touch.
He turned to me and said...
TD: "mam text mo ako ha tapos kita tayo ha."
Eeeeww!!!! Imagine him saying that with a sultry voice! He wanted to grab my hand but I quickly went down from the taxi, crossed the street from Transcom to Tiendesitas. But I could still feel his eyes on me and I could see him from my peripheral that he did not drove away but waited where I was going.
Finally I was able to see Love from the distance and I finally released the tears I was holding back. I was scared. I felt trapped. I felt the world grew very small inside that taxi, with that 20minute ride. I felt stupid that I did not handled the situation well. I felt I made him feel comfortable conversing with me, which is a big NO NO NO.
~to be continued~
