This morning had been a busy one with me being accompanied by my dad to Paco and meet his long-time friend optometrist to have my glasses and contacts upgraded. As much as I would prefer the comforts of a mall optical shops rather than the hot, hustle and bustle crowds of congested Manila, the call of serious budgeting has taken its toll especially with upcoming Christmas expenses.
I’ve been to Paco but I’ve never really had taken the initiative to explore every nook and corner. Despite the heat, smell, smoke, noise and tired muscles from lugging three (3) thick big pillows, food and being a good escort to my dad while dodging people, pedicabs, jeepneys and the likes, there is still fun in finding cheap, quality goods within stalls, wet markets, and street vendors. Yes, even if I don’t look like it (people say I look like a socialite only made for malls), I do enjoy these kind of trips as long as I have a companion to share it with and my companion knows the way. I’m bad with remembering streets and finding my way around. (meep!)
After getting off the jeepney at an intersection, we were able to finally hail a cab. I refuse to continuously lug the goods further via jeep or walking and I don’t want my dad to further walk under the heat. I have this tendency to abruptly talk to taxi drivers if I’m in the mood, if just only to pass the time before I reach my destination. But when I’m tired I’d rather watch the passing scene. I believe I got this attitude from my dad, who immediately went into a conversation with the driver after closing the taxi door. My dad likes it if the driver is of his age or older, because it would mean a conversation of “days gone by”.
I swear I got a lot just by listening to them. I like this better than reading snippets from books of how life were before during our parents’ days. Maybe it’s the voice of elders and their nostalgic atmosphere, which makes these kind of topics much more interesting.
So here are snippets of conversations I got from listening to them.
Dad: Musta pasada ngayon? Marami ka ng naisakay? (How’s today? Have you been getting a lot of passengers?)
Driver: Ok lang naman. Medyo mahina lang dahil sa traffic. (A bit okay. A bit slow because of the traffic.)
Dad: Ah, kasi malapit na Pasko ano? (Because Christmas is coming?)
Driver: Hindi naman. Siguro dahil Sabado. Hindi tulad pag Lunes at Biyernes. Pero oo, pag malapit na Pasko tiyak dadami na. (Not really. Probably because it’s Saturday. It’s unlike Monday and Fridays. But yet, definitely a lot of passengers come Christmas).
Dad: Kaso ang tindi ng trapik non. (But traffic would be a head-ache then).
Driver: Ay totoo. Kung iisipin may magagawa ang mga tao para di ganon ka-trapik pag malapit na mag Pasko. Wag na silang lalayo sa mga lugar nila. Kung may na malapit ng mall sa kanila, wag na sila mag Trinoma o kung saan man. Tingnan mo, kung ganon ang mangyayari, mas marami kaming makukuhang pasahero sa loob ng isang oras at hindi rin mahihirapan mga pasahero sa kakahintay. Hindi sa pinagbabawal ko sila, sinasabi ko lang. (True. If you think about it, there is a way people can help avoid making traffic when Christmas is near. If there is a mall near their place, they should just go there and not go somewhere else. If that could happen, us taxi drivers will get more passengers and people won’t have to wait for so long to hail a cab. I’m not telling them what to do, I’m just stating a good possible fact.)
Dad: Pero syempre, nagsasawa na sila sa mga pinupuntahan nila eh. Kaya dumadayo. (But of course people get tired of nearby malls so they’d rather go somewhere else for a different environment.)
Driver: Eh yun lang. (Well that’s that).
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Driver: Ser, anong lahi nyo? Espanol? Instik? (Sir, what heritage do you have? Spanish? Indian?)
Dad: Spanish at Indian. (Spanish and Indian) (NOTE: We really don’t have Indian heritage. My dad is only playing because he’s often mistaken as one.)
Driver: Kaya pala mestiza ang anak nyo. (No wonder your daughter is a mestiza.) (NOTE: Referring to me sitting at the backseat.) May anak pa kayo? (You have other kids?)
Dad: Meron. Dalawa yan. Babae din isa. (I have. Two of them. The other is also a girl.)
Driver: Maganda din? (Beautiful too?)
Dad: Oo naman. Mana sa akin e. (Of course, they took after me.)
Driver: Oo nga ser. Mestisong Indian kayo. (Of course. You are a mestizo India too).
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Dad: Grabe mga sasakyan ngayon. Mahihilo ka sa dami at usok. (There are so many cars these days. You’ll get dizzy from their numbers and smoke).
Driver: Oo nga po ser. Kahit sa presyo. Naalala ko non din na pamasahe ko lang beintsinko lang. (True. Even with the price. I do remember having a .50 cents jeep fare.)
Dad: Tapos ngayon pitong piso na. (And now, its seven pesos).
Driver: Tapos dati pwede mo lakarin ang mga lugar dito. Ngayon di ka na makakatagal dahil sa init at usok. (Before you could walk streets. Nowadays, you can’t walk far from the heat and smoke.)
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(while passing St. Andrews Church)
Driver: Bakit kaya di na nila ginagawa yon? (How come they don’t do that anymore?)
Dad: Ang alin? (Which?)
Driver: Yung pagtunog ng kampana ng sabay sabay sa lahat ng simbahan pag ala-sais. Dati ganon ang ginagawa ng lahat. Ngayon di lahat ng simbahan ginagawa yon. Dati tinanong ko isang pari bakit tinigil nila gawin yon, sabi ny pari para daw di makaabala sa business ng iba. (Ringing church bells at the same hour. They used to do that. I once asked a priest why they stopped doing that and he replied that they might disturb business of other people.)
Dad: Sa simbahan sa amin pinapatunog ang kampana. Hindi ko nga lang alam sa ibang simbahan. (The church near us do that. I’m not sure of other churches.)
Driver: Isipin nyo ser, makakatulong din yan ng malaki. Isipin nyo, pag may taong gagawa ng masama at biglang marinig ang tunog ng kampana, may tsansang matakot ang taong yon dahil maalala nya mali ang gagawin nya. O di ba? (Just think of it sir. Let’s say, if a person is about to do a bad deed, then suddenly hears the church bells, he might get some conscience and not go through the deed at all.)
Dad: At pwedeng alarm na rin ang pagtunog ng kampana. (And the church bells can also serve as an alarm.)
Driver: Yun na rin. (That too.)
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Interesting conversations right? :D
