Ika 11 ng Pebrero 2009: Chatterbox 2

I guess you know what this post is all about..... sigh..... Yes, I have been subjected to non-stop talk while trying to sleep in the van. I really wanted to sleep because I want to get rid of these eyebags the natural way....... but no, that was not about to happen today.......

I saw my neighbor, also a former colleague, who engages me in non-stop conversation whenever we get to ride the van together, coming as she got off the tricycle as I was about to take a ride in the approaching van ........... she was all smiles....... so I smiled back..... Not the same chatterbox last week. She asked me what's the best way is to go to the MRT station as she would go to East Avenue Medical Center. I said "take a bus at Alabang, take a bus PLEASE!" I tried all means to encourage her to take the bus debunking her notion that it's hard to cross the street. I insisted that it ain't hard because the jeepney goes all the way to the bus terminal. She was also putting up a fight repudiating all my arguments on taking the bus. Finally, she made a decision that she is taking the shuttle service after all my encouragement......I lost the battle..... she didn't budge....sigh.

I have to devise another plan since she is riding with me to Makati. I told her there is no direct route to the MRT. She will have to take a jeepney from Ayala or Buendia. We got in the van. I sat in front of one of the aircon vents. She positioned herself at the end of the van. I thought, "nice!" There was a gap between the two of us which could sit another rider. Then she started the conversation again telling me she is going to the hospital because a nephew of her husband is there because of aneurysm. I could hardly keep up with the details as she slowly moved towards me.......Oh noooooooooo! Again, she was successful..... drats...... In the past, I easily avoided sitting beside her because most of the time, she would be there ahead of me. I could choose where to sit. This time she chose to sit beside me.

For the rest of the trips, I would be regaled with tales of her sick relatives who need cash.........that is why she is coming to the rescue. This she related in a voice loud enough to make the other riders aware of what's going on in her life, more precisely her family's life. Once again, I would be embarassed as I was a party to the disturbance of napping time. I would answer only in few words when asked........most of the time just saying uhmmmmmmmm......hmmmmm........ or just nodding. There will be a lull and I wished she would stop....... but she always came up with another topic. I tried to look sleepy...... I really am..... The aircon vent was softly blowing on my face and my eyes were getting dry wanting to close...... and most of the passengers are asleep..........sigh.......I WANT TO SLEEP, HELP!

She asked me how the office is.... I said what could be new. She continued telling me about her brother who just came out of the hospital with expenses running to a million which is why she does have cash when her SIL called crying because of her sick nephew; the rest of her family with a brother who passed away, I think, for having heart problem; cardio-vascular desease which is slowly affecting women; hospitals that only accept cash; professional fees, yak, yak, yak ...... What is is about medical conditions that makes for interesting topics...... honestly, I don't want to hear about the entire procedure that was done on someone who is sick specially because I don't know the person. There would be brief lulls but always there will be a way to continue the talk...... ahhhhhhhh! I gave up......... I would probably hear more of her relatives' life story as she will be with me till the end of the trip.

As we reached Makati, she suddenly decided to pass by the bank to get more cash for her sick nephew...... YES! She must really be a generous person. It's just that I don't like the scene we create when we talk amidst sleeping people. I asked where her bank is. She said in a sidestreet nearby......YES! There was a bit of a build up caused by a red light. She looked at me asking if she can get off there. I said yes.... traffic is not moving. She got up and went for the door. I helped her giving her a little push.....YES! I breathed a sigh of relief and closed my droopy eyes. I can no longer sleep but at least I could rest my mind......

...... and that was how my sleep was interrupted by another chatterbox this day......

PS: Kagabi sa sasakyan, apat na magkakakasama sa trabaho, tatlong babae at isang lalaki, ang walang pakundangan din na nagkwekwentuhan na parang naniinis ng ibang pasahero na gustong matulog. Nagtatawanan at malakas ang boses ng mga ito. Alam naman nila na nakakaistorbo sila pero tuloy pa rin sila. Gusto ko pagsabihan pero pinigilan ko ang sarili ko at baka mapaaway pa ako. Hindi rin ako masyadong inaantok at me katext ako. Naisip ko na baka ok lang naman dun sa ibang tao at wala naman nagrereklamo. Wala kasi yun mga me edad na medyo matatapang sa ganyan. Kaya kong gawin pero bakit pa hindi naman ako natutulog.

Mula umalis ang van sa terminal hanggang sa makababa ang mga ito, walang tigil ang mga bunganga nila. Malapit-lapit na sa patutunguhan ng ang pasahero sa tabi ko ay sumitsit. Medyo huminto nag-usap ang apat na magkakasama at sinabi pa ng isa sa kanila, "ay me natutulog." Pero tuloy pa rin sila na parang walang pakialam sa amin. Nang bumababa yun dalawa sa kanila, tuloy pa rin ang daldalan ng dalawang bababeng naiwan. Nang makakababa ang mga ito, napailing yun katabi ko. Bakit nga ba me mga taong ganito kabastos?