Are you a people watcher? Let’s just say, are you aware enough of what some people do in public while you are watching? It was one of those rare times that I have to take a commute going to UST to meet a friend last week. That was Thursday and our old car ends in 7 so there’s no way I could reach the place on time if I don’t take the bus going to Quiapo. So commute I did.
I didn’t want to be late so I hopped in a tricycle with two passengers waiting. Imagine my consternation when the driver turned out to be the one my kids and I always avoid when we take a trike ride. It only takes all of 5 minutes to reach Ortigas Extension from our subdivision but it took me double time to reach it. The driver was wearing eye glasses and he was so old to be driving such, he can barely see the road ahead, with almost half-closed eyes and so slow, oh so slow drive. I was praying hard while I was inside the tricycle. And it was unfortunate that my co-passenger was wearing a sando, that kind of sleeveless shirt guys are better off wearing inside the bedroom. Yucks, I hate it when your arms touch bare sweating arms in a public conveyance. What a bizarre way to dress up in public. There are two things that I think people like that want to project – either their fashion sense has left them or they want people to see those bulging muscles in their arms.
And this is more funny. Or maybe you think it is gross. I caught a bus ten minutes later with plenty of time to spare for my 10am appointment. Seated a few rows from me was this lady in uniform. Imagine my surprise when I saw her comb her hair then put on those hair curlers right in front of everyone – five curlers in all. I was fascinated and slightly annoyed but was so curious what she’ll do next because she might not have realized yet that she was in a public place. “Wow”, I said to myself, “ang lawak naman ng bedroom niya.” She put on her make-up with lipstick to match then fixed her hair before alighting in front of Robinson’s Galleria. Maybe, you could get away with that when you are in a private car with tinted windows and you won’t be seen by many but in a public bus?
This morning, I accompanied Nissa to our brand new Parish to file the marriage bann for her upcoming wedding. On our way home, I asked her to wait a minute because I wanted to go to the comfort room. There were three doors in all (squeaky clean from the outside), one for Men, another for Women and for Disabled. I was about to enter the Women’s CR when a guy came out of it. I almost screamed but just said in a subdued tone, “Di ba pambabae po yan?” He answered, “Pambabae ba?” Wow, this man must surely come from Mars. Wasn’t he aware that there were no male urinals inside? “Yuck”, Nissa exclaimed.
How one acts in public speaks so much of one’s personality. Do you agree?
Dreams And Escapes 