My classes were over, and I needed to do one more thing before I could get home - get a new ID. To get to the cashier, I would have to ride an IKOT jeep. So, I did. I reached my back pocket and grabbed my coins, counted them and reached them to the driver. Bayad po I said. After the gentleman on my right kindly reached my payment to the driver I looked outside the "window".
Para ho, a female voice said. It was coming from my left.
Para ho, she said again. But the jeep kept on going.
Para daw po I said. But then it was no use. It was until the guy right behind the driver poked him gently on the shoulder and said manong, para daw that the jeep finally went to a stop.
The jeep continued on its route. Some passengers got off board and new passengers came in. We passed Kalayaan Residence Hall when a girl said para po. And again, the jeep kept on going. Para ho she said again. No use. The jeep kept on going, but the driver reached his hand back - maybe he heard bayad po instead of para po I thought. That was pretty normal. The girl went to try again. Para ho a final time until this kuya finally shouted Para!!. Kinda mean though. But then again if I was in his place, I would have been feeling the same. It would be definitely irritating to hear para po a couple of times over and over, and it would have been irritating to say para ho over and over but still it wasn't heard by the driver.
When the driver reached his hand, I saw something I really didn't notice before. His hands was wrinkly - prune-y i may say - and were shaking as he stretched it farther. Afterwards he proceeded into gripping the steering wheel. His grip wasn't firm - well wasn't as firm as his grip was year before. He was just unsteady. He looked at the mirror. I glanced at him and it all struck me. He shouldn't be working at that age. He should be enjoying the life he may still have not enjoyed before. But I guess he HAD to. The hardship of living in the Philippines with little to none everyday profit showed in his eyes. He shouldn't be working. He should be enjoying. But then, when obligation comes in, you'd have to forget about enjoying life - even the last few years of it. His grip on the steering wheel showed his determination, perseverance, and his desire for his family to live a healthy life as possible. I couldn't do anything. At least I know that as long as his grip on that steering wheel is as firm as it is now, well I'm sure his family would have someone there taking care of them.
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