Manong Joel

That his cab reeked of dried-up sweat and dust, the seat covers the color of scab, was good enough reason that I wanted to get out of it the moment I settled inside. But there was no turning back or I will miss my flight back to Davao City. It was not the best time for pag-iinarte.

Ang ganda naman ng hotel ninyo, sir. He told me as the cab--that emitted some crackling sound from down under--was welcomed by the busy street.  He asked if I will be mag-a-abrod and sounded pleased when I told him I am returning to Davao.

Bisaya ka pala, sir. Taga-Bohol po ako, pero dugay na ko diri sa Manila. It was, for me, a good sign that this travel to the airport will be just fine, despite the smell and the thought that the vehicle was painfully gnashing its innards.

Pila imong ihatag papuntang airport sir? He asked. There it is, I told myself. I told him that I will pay based on the meter. He was apparently displeased, sadness in his eyes reflected by the rear-view mirror. Before this, he said: payb handred kasi ang ginapangayo namo papuntang airport, sir. But I insisted.

Cabbies in Manila make saints of their counterparts in Davao. They are one of the reasons why the thought of going to Manila is always dreadful, especially when no one is picking me at the airport. They always make me feel like I am a willing victim--a conscious participant--to a crime they are so good at committing every day, so good that one can very well consider them experts in the art of ripping off.

Manong Joel was one of them. Or, maybe, he is not really.

Sir, pwede dagdagan na lang nimo og singkwenta? I agreed.

And from there was an overflow of stories about a man and his family whose lives are trapped inside a shanty in Antipolo--their fate imprisoned in Metro Manila. This is a man who tries to rip off his passengers, particularly those who are probinsyano like himself, just so he will be able to bring food to his wife and children after driving the cab for 24 hours. This is a man who skips meals--makes himself full by drinking bottles and bottles of water after eating boiled bananas, just for his kids to be able to go to school.

He says:

Ang hirap talaga ng buhay dito. Wala rin kasing trabaho ang asawa ko. Hindi na rin sya nakakapaglaba. May mga washing machine na kasi ang mga tao. Hindi naman ako tinatanggap sa mga inaaplayan ko kasi matanda na ako.

Mabuti na lang skolar ang mga anak ko sa PUP. Dalawa sila. Ang panganay ko kumukuha ng kompyuter endyiniring. Mahuman na sya sunod tuig. Baka pwede na siyang makatulong sa amin. Mabait naman kasi sila. 

Pa-eksamin ko sana sa UP ang aking panganay, si Joelboie. Pero hindi sya naka-eksam sir ba kasi gipangitaan man siya og inkam taks retorn. Wala man koy ana uy! Maong sa PUP sya nakaabot. Gikaluy-an pud sa Ginoo, sir.

Silence.

Silang duha, sir, mahiya kumain sa kantin. Kasi wala silang pambili ng ulam. Ang ulam nila, isang itlog lang. Sabay sila kakain magkapatid. Hahatiin nila ang itlog. Mabuti na lang hindi na namin iniisip ang kanilang twisyon. Pero mahal pa rin ang mga libro. Grabe lagi gyud ka-lisud sir uy!

Pero ok pa rin kay taas man din ang mga grade nila, sir.

Silence.

Minsan, sa bahay, bili kami ng isang pakiti ng noodols na manok ang pleybor. Lagyan namin yan ng malunggay. At maraming sabaw. Mura pud mi og nag-sud-an og manok. 

Kataw-anan nga makaguol sir. Kung wala kang lakas ng loob dito sir, kung basta-basta ka lang, mabubuwang ka. O magpapakamatay.

Pero may-awa man Ginoo. Kaluy-an lang gihapon tayo ani, sir.

Made me think, while the plane back to Davao was confronted by turbulence, that dying in a plane crash while your are inside the lavatory because of diarrhea, is more dignifying than living like Manong Joel.