My story happened when I was going to Vincent's houseparty. It ain’t much of a story but heck, this would be good for a start. It was a hot sunshine-y afternoon and I was boarding a jeepney routed “Pasig – Quiapo”, on the way to Shangri-La at Crossing. I was kinda getting late for the meet-up time.
Wait. Let’s backtrack for a moment to the time I was waiting for that peculiar jeepney. I was waiting for the jeeps at Stop and Shop, Sta. Mesa. The afternoon was getting hot by the minute, I was pretty annoyed that I can’t even see one jeepney with “Pasig” as signboard. I lit up a cigarette while listening to my walkman phone.
After a while I finally saw one I can board. I threw the half-consumed cancer stick and waved to the jeep. Unfortunately, the jeep was jam-packed with passengers and it careened past our isle. I was a bit disappointed that I actually threw my cigarette that I looked back to the ground, and I saw some guy in tattered clothes, dirty feet, messy hair, you name it. He was picking up my cig (which was still lit at the ground) by his right hand. It was like, he picks it up with index and opposing thumb, then it drops. Picks it up, then it drops. It went for 3-4 tries, before he used his left hand and by-golly ! He picked it up, woo-hooo.
Alright, enough with the sidetracking. So I boarded a jeep after that incident above. Earphones still slapped inside both of my ears. It would be a fact that I don’t put my money in a wallet, unless the value would be Php 100 or so. I fiddled with my right pocket for paper money and paid my fair of Php 10 pesos to Crossing. I was really sure I gave 50 pesos to the driver. The jeep was nearing Kalentong and I got my change of 10 pesos, at least 30 pesos short of what my change should be. Meanwhile a guy in uniform gave the same amount of 50 pesos and he got his change.
I gave effort to a deep thought. Maybe I bought the half-pack of cigarette for 50 pesos by mistake, and I actually handed a 20 peso bill to the driver without me knowing. I was busy soundtripping that I may have not notice. Still, I consulted the driver and asked if I gave him a 50 peso bill. He got a bit angry, which was unnecessary. He became confused since two passengers (me and the guy in uniform) claimed we both gave 50 pesos, but the driver was pinning me down saying I only gave 20 pesos.
A middle-aged woman then gave intrusion to our little debate, saying she remembered handing out two 50 peso bills. The driver blurted out to the woman, saying “Walang kasing mangengeelam sa usapan” or something like that. Of course, the woman retaliated and said he should check again. Sure enough, I think the driver saw a 50 peso bill right in the 20 peso container he has. He came into a hush and handed me my 30 peso additional change. Almost all the passengers looked at me strangely, perhaps they didn’t expect an afternoon debate like that, let alone in a jeepney. I just slapped back my earphones and listened the whole journey to alleviate myself for what had happened.
-Sauriel
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