Going to Civilization

My travel going to the office everyday takes about an hour to an hour and 30 minutes. I usually leave the house past 11 at night so I can try and get to the office before midnight. I like the night ride. I fool myself that at night the breeze being whipped around me has the ability to dissipate all the grime that might stick to my face. (That is until I wipe my face and see the tell-tale signs of pollution in Manila.)

The image above is called the jeepney. We locals call it "jeep". Nag-jeep ako, naka-jeep ako, mag-je-jeep ako. This is what I ride every night. But it doesn’t' stop there. I can only get by jeep halfway. I would have to go down and ride a bus to complete the journey.

Riding the jeep is comparable to the stories of riding the subway in New York at night time. You get all types of nocturnal creatures with you. From the weirdoes, who keeps staring at you like you've grown two heads, to the potential hold-upper who makes furtive glances at you, checking out your "valuables" and "assets". There’s the "hospitality girls" going to and from their assignations. The couple who can't stop publicly displaying their affection for each other that you sometimes want to tell them quietly "to get a room". And of course let's not forget the bordering-on-insanity folks. Who talks to themselves and eats their hair. The great thing about the recent proliferation of call centers, you now also get the co-night time employees traveling with you. It makes you feel somewhat safe. Somewhat.

I pass by three major thoroughfares. I pass by Coastal Road and Roxas Boulevard. And then into Makati, THE business district where my office is. The contrast between these three areas is overwhelming. While Coastal Road, is just that, a long stretch of highway near a coast, Roxas Boulevard is well lighted with a row of night clubs (for the politician with the big belly) and restaurants. The biggest attraction is the beautiful Redemptorist Church. (Which I’ve only been inside twice, even if I pass it by everyday) and there’s one white house that has been my dream property since I was a kid.

Makati at Night

Makati is really different. It’s the business district. All the sky scrapers and the condominiums line up the streets. It’s a small labyrinth for cab drivers. I always breathe a loud sound of release whenever I get to this area. Here I feel I’m safe. (Not that it’s really true, there are a lot of bad wolves out there) But here, the folks are all dressed to start their shifts and are just taking their breaks by willing their lungs away.

Still, the experience of riding the jeepney at night time is something I look forward to every night. I feel dread and exhilaration whenever I hail one and board it. It’s like an adventure in a roller coaster. You pray for the Lord to keep you safe, you scream a lot inside when you have no choice but to sit beside a not-too-friendly-looking block. You feel like you’re such an easy target. (Not that riding the bus is any different.) But it's one of the things that as a Filipino, I need to experience and I could be proud of. But still, playing with the hang man is one thing I wanna avoid. I don’t like courting trouble.

That’s why when I have extra money, I take the cab instead. I can be proud from afar. That’s ok.