Bus Rider

Note: This post is dated January 10, 2008. Gosh, it took me half a year to post this?! I don't have dementia or anything but heck JANUARY 10?!

I've been in this situation wherein I ride the bus (I am saving money for piano lessons so I now walk and ride the bus. However, when it is really warm and sunny, I usually think twice if I'll walk), after I got seated, people start to push themselves inside the bus, and then an old woman enters. The bus is a pretty shaky and dangerous (for me) ride, and when the driver is all reckless, he accelerates and stops suddenly. The end result is that the passengers who are standing are thrown back and forth, just like described in Newton's Laws of Motion.

Back to the old woman. She gets to feel the sensation of riding a theme park's roller coaster while riding the bus. Good thing I haven't seen anyone hurl during a ride. No one's offering her a seat. I have this thing that when no one is taking the initiative to do something, I volunteer (I think sometimes I have regretted doing so). So I offered her my seat, and she kept on thanking me. What's strange that after I stood up and gave her my seat, all the men were offering theirs. I am pro-women rights and ok, I like gender equality, so I think even women should (it's not mandatory, though) offer their seats to old people (and the pregnant). C'mon. You don't want your/anyone's grandparents experiencing Enchanted Kingdom's Space Shuttle ride while commuting without the safety devices.

I always have my iPod with me. If there are three things I won't leave home without, these things are my handkerchief (dunno why, but I can't leave without one), iPod/music device/something to listen to, and money. No cellphone. Sometimes it is fun when I don't have my cellphone, but when you get home and check it, it is a dread to see all the people's concern on your phone. Missed calls and unread messages. Nightmare. Bangungot! Anyway, back to the topic (if there's any) about always having an mp3 player, I think I'm becoming insensitive in some ways. Like the bus scene, I cannot hear people, I can't hear it when the guard is calling for me, if the beggars are asking for change, etc. I just can't hear people, but I can see them. So if the old woman was screaming or cursing from being pushed back and forth by inertia, I won't be able to hear her. But the heck, I can SEE her.

I asked my brother what would he do if situated with that. He told me that if he's near his stop, he would offer his seat, otherwise, he would pretend to be sleeping. Great.


MORAL: Offer your seat and don't say, "I also paid my fare." In the LRT, some people really want to stand, so it's ok. Don't follow my brother's style. It is evil in some ways.