Drivers and Conversations

"Magkano ang bayad galing Southland pa-ATC?"
"Ocho," the driver at my side said.
"Dies po ang pera ko, " I said wanting of my change since I was near ATC.
"Anong probinsya mo?" he inquired.
"Zamboanga po, " I responded.
"Sa amin sa Leyte, Jis ang sampu."
I smiled and said "Thank you" holding my two pesos as I got off at ATC.

I had a feeling that our conversation would have gone further if I went farther. This was not the first time I got to converse with drivers while sitting beside one. I forgot how many times this had happened. But too bad for them, I am not much of a talker. I usually just do two things when they talk to me -- I either agree by nodding my head or say something like "Oo nga po," or I just simply say '"Ahh..." for statements I don't agree with or for the lack of anything to say. It doesn't surprise me that drivers can talk about a lot of topics. They listen to a lot of DZRH, DZMM or DZBB and other four-letter initials. On top of that, they seem to be the keeping many tabloid publishing houses afloat. However, their topics are mostly on the following (not in any particular order):

1. Politics

2. Oil Prices

3. Road Accidents

4. History (narratives that usually start with "Dati.... with allusions to Martial Law and the bygone eras)

5. More politics

I remember a driver who was passionate about Erap, and I was not; he was talking about how great Erap was and how many achievements the former president had. I managed not to say anything incriminating and critical since my only purpose that day was to get to my destination unscathed.

In instances when they can't establish conversations with their passengers, they talk to their fellow drivers on the road. I'd hear them say, "Mamaya ha...Magdala ka kahit isang lapad...Birthday ni Dong. Papainon daw. Punta ka!... Naka-ilan ka na? May boundary na ba?...Ang hina ngayon. Walang pasok eh."

The street is their workplace. Yeah, like you and me, they've got social lives, too.