Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Constriction

I am stuck in traffic. I have been sitting on this bus seat since more than 2 hours ago. I left the office 3 hours ago... What could have caused this very heavy traffic jam?! Now, I again appreciate my mobile phone. I seldom use this for texting, neither for calls but I usually use this for free net surfing, and other time-wasting stuff like this.

Thank God the bus has moved fast this time but my oxygen requirement does not go along with it. My trachea is constricted. I have difficulty breathing! High air pressure is required to give my lungs enough air and to supply my blood with enough oxygen.

I have been feeling this since last week but it worsen today. I do not know what happened but it seems that something made my situation worse. I can't stand the difficulty in breathing and so I went to the doctor to have her evaluate my situation. Again, a dose of medicine should alleviate everything.

Trying to get a full rest from a physically, mentally and emotionally stressful day, I left the office early. Unexpecting this traffic jam, I thought I could rest early today. However, everything is not going in the right direction. Here goes the traffc again. My lungs are struggling. My heart tries to catch up and I hope it could carry on until I reach home...the only home where I can do everything to ease this suffering of mine...

-maron-
19:55 hrs
somewhere between coastal tollgate and zapote
28july2009

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Alliance

I again witnessed a suspicion which I later on realized as a true crime.

I was on my way to the office this morning. I was riding on a bus and was seated on the 3rd row, very near the exit door. Midway the bus route, somewhere between Buendia and Quirino Avenue, a crowd seemed to be formed across the aisle where I was seated. A few passengers were about to alight the bus but somebody seemed to delay them just before the step down the exit door.

The bus stopped and waited for the passengers to alight. However, a few seconds had already passed but not even one passenger alighted from the bus. There was a man in front trying to pick-up something from the floor and would not move at all, while 2 other men at the latter part of the queue seem to be pushing and exchanging places, left and right. Two young students (from La Salle [?]---they were not wearing uniforms) were sandwiched in the middle and seemed to have a 'point of no return'. It happened for about a minute that these people lumped in the middle of the aisle. As I was watching the two men who kept on exchanging places, as I thought they need to alight the bus and positioned just opposite the aisle where I was seated. Suddenly talked, sat opposite each other---one beside me and the other on the opposite side of the aisle. This time, the man in front of the queue already went off the bus.

At first I was annoyed why these two men stood up but yet they were not going to get off the bus. Suddenly, one of the students who was sandwiched by the men attempted to go back to his seat, as if looking for something. He suddenly asked, "Nakita nyo po yung cellphone ko?" This time, the two men were already seated. The man seated on the opposite side answered, "Kinuha nung bumababa! Ayun o! (pointing at the man outside). Yung naka-blue. Habulin mo!" And so, the poor boy hurriedly get off the bus to chase the other student who was also in the middle of the men.

This time, I had a suspicion that the two men were also snatchers. They looked so concerned but I was really not comfortable with they acts a while ago, especially that one man was seated right beside me. I hugged my backpack so tight and tried to remember where I placed my mobile phone. After a few minutes, the two men alighted at Quirino Avenue. I then checked my mobile phone and it was still there in the pocket inside my bag.

After all the men went off, all the other passengers, the bus conductor and driver discussed and shared what they have experienced. They discussed where these men rode the bus, their strange acts, the poor La Salle student victims, etc. The bus driver kept o saying to the passengers, "dapat nung nakita nyo, sinabi nyo agad para ipaharang natin sa mga pulis!"

Now, I have confirmed it. There was really something fishy about what I have witnessed. There are lots of modus operandi happening. Is it really due to poverty? Nobody knows! There may be other deeper reason behind it!

Let's just always make sure that we always be carefule wherever we are---be it in public or private vehicles. Crimes are everywhere! Let's just be cautious and aware of our surroundings. And never, never show anything that could entice crimes as such!

-maron-
09july2009
12:43 hrs