Traffic

Slow-moving traffic is nothing but part of the Metropolitan Manila life! I think both patience and impatience are developed in this everyday commuting ordeal. To pass time, commuters do the following:

a. they listen to the in-house music which the driver has carefully chosen for his and his passengers' listening pleasure
b. those who don't want the driver's selection or those who don't want silence, listen to their own music
c. some chat with companions and even with strangers; the topic of discussion can even be a source of entertainment and irritation to the rest of the passengers. this brings me to letter d:
d. they eavesdrop, a Filipino pastime
e. cellphones keep most of the commuters company
f. they engage in people or passenger watching
g. they do sight-seeing of similar landscapes and scenes
h. those who are new or unfamiliar in the area watch with eagle eyes for landmarks and street signs in hopes of not missing their destination
i. some remain in silence and are usually in deep thought
j. a favorite of many: they sleep
k. students harm their eyes by reading their notes
l. lovers engage in 'loverly activities'
m. the unlucky ones become victims of robbery and sexual harrassment

There are other behaviors exhibited by commuters that are observable at anytime in a trip. Another observation worth looking into is the relief seen when the road opens for an uninterrupted journey after a long halt. When that happens, it's road heaven!