BUS MOMENTS

Her Majesty, Mount Balatucan as seen from Balingasag, Misamis Oriental

As seen from Gingoog City

I was on the move over the weekend and that means a lot of time spent sitting on a transport. With a hundred kilometers to cover from one end of Mindanao to the other, expect a 7-10 hours ride.

It was of one these bus rides that I encounter some not so pleasant experiences. I was carrying my bulky bag at my back and holding a small backpack when I ride a bus somewhere in Misamis Oriental. With that get up, you look so heavy and awkward. As I scout for seats, the only one available was that occupied by a lady. A not so pretty but still an attractive lady.  Beside her was a bag placed at the window side of the bus. I then asked her, “Is the seat taken?” She responded with a pout, conveying to me, that she does not like to share the seat with me.

She then gently transferred to the window seat from the aisle seat which surprises me because I thought she would give me that seat. I settled quietly in my aisle seat which honestly I don’t like because I prefer the window side to see the sights. Anyway, I cant do anything about her uneasiness with me. What can I do? I can’t be there at the backseat. I easily feel dizzy especially so if the bus will negotiate sharp curves like those in the vicinity of Binuangan, Misamis Oriental. I realized that she may have prepared to offer that seat to a Sam Milby or Piolo Pascual look alike and hope to start a romance in the bus. Or she was hoping to share the seat with someone wholesome to talk with until her destination. She was hoping for a prince charming, she ended up with a frog instead. I sympathized with her.

Well, to change her rough impression on me, I took out my not so expensive digital camera and just starting to scan my pictures. Well, just to show her I am not a shady caharacter (tourists carry cameras). Then when the bus stopped at a refreshment spot, I bought some bottled tea drink, actually C2 apple flavor. You know pag C2 ininom mo, at least mukha kang may class di ba? I made it sure she actually saw me drinking (para naman masabi niya me taste naman pala ang lokong to’).

I occasionally glanced at her. She had a soft, tanned but silky skin.  She was wearing a backless tube, sort of and she is quite big for an average.  I saw some other passengers occasionally glancing at her. I thought she might be a beauty titlist or at least a veteran of beauty pageants. i was wondering, where she is studying? Liceo? Maybe Xavier.  Those are the thoughts alternating in my mind at that time.

As the trip moved on, I hold on to the arm of my seat, to make it sure that I will not tilt to her side when the bus maneuver sharp curves and touch my skin with her nivea lotioned delicate skin. Medyo maarte kasi siya so I think she’s afraid to be contaminated with my virus. (di joke lang)

As we approached near Balingasag, I was itching to swap seat with her to get a good look at Mount Balatucan and take a picture. It was a perfect opportunity to ask for a swap because exactly at the same time, I noticed that she kept on adjusting the window blinds to protect herself from the sunlight. And so I got an idea to offer her to swap seats with her. I cleared my throat. “Eherm, a miss if you like, I like to change places with you medyo naiinitan ka kasi.” She gently said, “No, its just okay.” I dont know but I wanted to insist but I find it difficult for a word to come from me after she responded. Anyway, I just forget about it and quietly pretended to be asleep.

As if my “ordeal’ was not enough, not long afterwards, a couple of colegialas ride the bus in Balingasag. Since all seats were occupied, the bus conductor find them extension seats. I don’t know what hit me that day,but the conductor put one of the extension seats just right beside me. One of the sweet smelling colegiala sat beside me. And so, I was sandwiched between these beautiful and sweet smelling God’s creations.

Well, the trip went on smoothly and I tried not to “intrude” their small spaces the rest of the journey. When people initially are not comfortable with you, you have to respect their privacy and not make it harder for them. The least that you can do is not to to aggravate the uneasiness. I made sure I send the message that I am still a gentleman, despite my not so pleasant appearance. Make them comfortable to the point that they should feel lucky that its you whom they are sharing spaces with and not with some punks or dorks out there that will surely make there trip disgusting and terrible.