writing exercise #2: the taxi challenge.

the taxi driver in his oversized white shirt is pissing me off.
"ma'am kudeng po ako eh."
"talo po ako sa trapek sa idsa."
"ano pong gagawin naten?"
"lahat po ng nakapila duon sa malapit nakatira, pwera kayo."

the name of his cab is "johdyan". the extra h's don't make the name coohler; they mhake it lhook fuhcking dhumb.

"ma'am, dagdagan nyo na lang ng pipty."
i ignore him.
"dagdagan nyo ng pipty para di ako talo."

THWAP! we hit a guy! or he hits us! he walks away. the taxi driver can't stand it, he rolls down the window and shouts "mandadamay ka pa ng ibang tao sa kagaguhan mo!"
the guy who got hit runs back to the cab. he's angry.
"ikaw na nga yung nakatama, ikaw pa yung galit! tangina ka ah!"
he smacks the driver upside the head. there's more shouting. the guy pulls out a gun and shoves it into the taxi driver's neck. "o ano ngayon, hah? ano?"

the guy looks at me. he has a round face, shaved head, facial hair. the only time i stop being an observer is when he looks me in the eyes. they're clear. they see me.

i get scared. he notices, he stops. he leaves. the taxi driver breathes and rolls up his window. we continue in silence and i give him his extra "pipty" bucks.