O r t i g a s

 Thousands of salary men

reside in your streets.

 Hundreds of elevators

embed in your buildings.

 You help people get a living

but not a life.

And people never really get to speak.

But not yesterday…

When you are really tired after a day’s work, all you want is an FX that will park in front of you as if saying ‘let’s now go home’.

For a while it’s drizzling, another sleepy afternoon.

I feel that public transportations and elevators have something in common.

Most people have the same destinations but they rather sulk into silence and not speak during the journey.

They don’t speak.

But not yesterday…

Many people like to seat in front, beside the driver seat for different reasons.

I am one of them. I think the aircon is cooler and comfortable.

But not yesterday…

Since I sat beside the middle aged, large-built, deep-tone voiced, hairy driver,

he never stop talking. I think, I made the wrong choice.

          His qualms about the no U-turn slots

          His connections inside the city capitol make him confident

                about not getting arrested should he violate any traffic rule…

          Cursing the passengers who did not pay their fare…

          And even Manny Pacquiao should be a national hero.

What is the only passenger to do?

Nod and smile occasionally.

Taking advantage of this over friendly driver,

I responded to his questions enthusiastically and even challenge him about the things he said.

Anyway, it’s not everyday that you talk to strangers in the streets.

When I am about to go, he now places the “feeling close” card on his forehead.

It felt strange because he sounds like a father.

It freaked me a out a little.

He sounds like a father giving a riddle-like advice to a daughter whom he will not see again.

Out of the topic, out of no where he said:

Kaya ikaw ineng dapat sa mga gagawin mong desisyon wala kang pagsisisihan.

[As for you young girl, make sure that you will never regret any decisions

you will make in your life]

He startled me a little but all I can do is smile.

The rest of the night, I found my self questioning myself about regrets, decisions, my purpose and my destiny.

Now, I found the answer why some people just remain silent.

Somebody needs to listen.

When people speak and somebody is willing to listen,

There will be no such word as a stranger.

Am I too optimistic about it? Probably, yeah?

I did not even ask his name.

I think have no reason to.

Maybe in the next few days of my life in Ortigas we might meet again.

I hope next time the vehicle will be full and I am not the only person inside!

And I hope he will let me pay my fare.