Rode the San Agustin bus to Tagaytay last Saturday. Wanted to have one day all to myself before the family joined me a day later. That would give me time to finish all sorts of papers with deadlines I had already missed.
I caught the trip leaving the terminal a few minutes past 10 AM. The bus seemed road-worthy and the interiors were neat and clean. The thinly-cushioned seats covered in thick plastic were comfy even if a bit narrow for my generous behind. But that wasn't much of a problem as I had 3 empty seats all to myself. I settled in for what I imagined would be a pleasant and comfortable ride. By noontime, I should be taking lunch in Tagaytay, I predicted.
From Cubao to Roxas Blvd, the ride was uneventful. After that, the colorful balloons in my unrealistic mind started to pop one by one. I had to eventually give up the luxury of the 2 seats beside me. No problem, I thought, it's just less a little over an hour to my destination anyway. Of course I didn't anticipate the horrible traffic in Imus and Dasmarinas which kept us moving in a turtle-in-a-stupor pace. Again, that would have been tolerable if the bus didn't stop for any passenger that cared to squeeze his or way inside and stand in the aisle in the now very full bus. The ordeal lasted until fresh air started to stream inside the bus as it approached Silang. By 12:35, I got off the bus terminal and boarded a low-slung tricycle (in which I practically had to kneel to get into) that took me on a bumpy ride to DAP.
Almost 3 hours after I boarded the bus, I was finally at the front desk claiming my reservation. It would take another hour before I could finally rest in the comfort of a nice, big room which I had all to myself!
Which brings me to the point of this story... This trip brought me to the realization that my definition of personal space might be different from those of many. Might the dimensions of my personal space be much bigger than others, I wondered.
Even as a child, I have always been in dread of crowds. I have never cherished being boxed in by a sea of humanity, of feeling the sweat of complete strangers, of being elbowed and stepped upon mindlessly by people. I have been upset on airplanes when the limbs of seatmates have transgressed the boundaries set by armrests. So all the more was I a little flabbergasted that I seemed to be the only one who minded that we were packed shoulder-to-shoulder and knee-to-knee in that bus.
Why was I silently protesting in my seat? Could it be due to the fact that a space normally adequate for a regular-sized Filipino woman was a bit too confining for my bigger-than-average frame and size? Or Is it because my upper middle class lifestyle has afforded me the luxury of traveling in comfort too often that I suffer when I have to travel sardine-style? Maybe both. I don't know,
In the meantime, I am imagining that sometime soon the bus companies plying the Cavite-Tagaytay-Batangas route will, in a flash of genius and inspiration, come up with Express buses to Tagaytay. They will charge much more than the P104 fare, of course, but if that means a speedier and less claustrophobic ride to my fave destination, let it be! This personal space-challenged person can dream, can't she ?
Damn,you're right! You've been spoiled. I remember going to school and had to transfer rides three times before I get the "ikot" trip to UP. Pero, there's one story I can't forget when I was in college on my way home. I don't know if you still have the 'konduktor' who pounds on the side of the bus at least twice as a signal to the driver that everything is all set and ready to go. Are you aware of that?
ReplyDeleteAnyway that afternoon, I just got in a fully loaded bus at Katipunan and someone pounded the side of the bus and the driver move on. The problem was that some crazy guy did the pounding that left the 'konduktor' behind at the bus stop. Somehow the 'konduktor' caught up with us in Cubao which was not good 'cuz I have to pay the fare. People who boarded the bus from Katipunan to Cubao got a free ride though.
Those were the days when I still remember jumping out of the bus while it was slowly moving to a stop or running to catch the 'estribo' while the bus was moving forward. It was even crazier riding a jeepney as the guy who was calling passengers always said the seats are 'pitohan' or 'sampuan' when it could really only accommodate four or five comfortably. Usually, it's only the cheek of your ass that's barely touching the seat. You have to hold your grip firmly on the rails, especially when there are pot holes (and there's plenty) or you'll fall from your seat. Nakuw, djahe. And when you're sitting in front beside the driver, you have to sit at an angle as the stick shift is right by you. You also feel the engine heat....imagine when it's summer.
Maybe you should try the 'karitela' and experience the ride.
Happy Birthday, Joanne!!!
Lest people think I've been a spoiled brat all my life, let me recount my bus-riding days too! Ayan, bistuhan na ng edad ito (Wala na kasing bus na pumapasok sa UP ngayon!) ... I had to take the bus to UP from home too (The Beetle that you remember came in only in my senior year). Mas payat nga lang ako noon kaya maluwag pa yung upuan at matagal na ang 30 minutes na biyahe galing Pantranco. At parang di ko naalala na siksikan sobra!
ReplyDeleteWhen I started working, I had to take the bus to Makati. Love Bus nga lang na aircon at tag-isa kayo ng upuan unless napuno na at natitira na lang yung mga upuan sa likod. Diyan nangyari din yung upuan para sa 6, nagiging pampito! Lugi ka kasi mahal ang pamasahe pero feeling mo upong jeepney ka rin! Pero puede nang pagpapasensyahan dahil payat pa rin ako noon!
Then later I had to ride buses to La Union, Baguio, Ilocos Sur, and Abra. Kaya lang reserved seats kaya di siksikan. I think the first time I had to stand up in a bus for a provincial trip was when I worked for a few months in San Fernando, Pampanga. Nakatayo pero maluwag sa estribo. At oo, payat pa rin ako noon!
Nang nagtrabaho na ako sa Padre Faura, bus pa rin ang sinasakyan ko. Pero wala pang isang oras ang biyahe galing sa amin. At oo, oo, oo payat pa rin ako noon!
So, kailan kaya ako nagsimulang maging spoiled? Nang nagtrabaho rin ang tatay ko at pagkatapos ang BF ko (na naging asawa ko) sa Manila. Siempre, hatid-sundo ako. Nang di sila puede, kinuha naman ako ng driver. At dahil diyan, unti-unti sigurong naglaho ang kapayatan ko!!!
Palagay ko tama ang isang haka-haka ko na may kinalaman ang paglapad ng personal space ko sa paglapad ng balakang ko! What do you think, Jun? Hehehe!
I enjoyed your bus stories. Brought me back to our college days when even in most challenging situations, we still found something to laugh about! Well, I think both of us still have that gift!
Thanks for remembering my birthday! Wanted to go up to Tagaytay for my usual Alone Time on my birthday but the thought that I had to take that bus trip again made me rethink my plan. Ended up in Pampanga, in the company of husband & in-laws, and of course, riding in a comfy, spacious car!