Passenger archetypes

One of the most popular modes of transportation in the Philippines is the landrover commonly known as the jeepney/jeep. Wherever you look, especially in the metro, you would always see a jeep carrying heavy loads of passengers from all walks of life. Save for the driver and the jeepney aide, the most crucial person in this industry is the passenger. It is the passenger that enables the driver and the aide to bring food and money home. Through paying the appropriate fare, the passenger can help one father (or two) sustain the needs of his family.

There is a myriad of passengers as much as there are a hundred kinds of jeepneys. As an individual who travels two to four times a week, I have already met different faces inside the not-so-cozy vehicle. Observing passenger's demeanor is my business aside from eavesdropping over various topics ranging from school problems to national issues. I certainly hate the idea but on the brighter side, it keeps me awake until I've reached my destination. More often than not, I end up secretly making offensive and ridiculous remarks about people's behavior inside the jeepney.

Meanwhile, from the many personalities I have in mind, I choose to select five that are unforgettable and omnipresent in most of my rides, perhaps even in yours. One of my favorites is Mr. Droopy. He's either that student who is so tired after a long hour of lecture, or that middle-aged man who wants to find a terminal respite from the fuss he had at work. He usually sits at the back of the front seats - a suitable corner where he can lean his worn-out body on. I like Mr. Droopy because he's very quiet. He doesn't disturb me or any of the other passengers. But his buddy Mr. Fall is the most contemptible. He is that guy who suddenly nudges his head over your shoulder again and again until you get off.

The Chatterbox is among the many passengers I don't want to meet again. She is that high-spirited jeune fille with a relatively earsplitting voice. Often in the company of her fellow magpies who are equally loud and brassy, she relentlessly babbles about the activities she recently had. The Chatterbox doesn't give a damn about what the other passengers would think about her. Rather, she deliriously talks as if she has her own radio program. Together with her charged up friends, the whole ride turns into a cacophonous turkey orchestra.

If other couples look for secluded places to have intimacy and privacy, there are those partners, meanwhile, who explicitly express their affection for each other inside the jeepney. I call them the Lovebirds. They are not celebrities but they have the audacity to act like they're the star-crossed lovers Katniss and Peeta whom everybody loves to watch. They can be irritating too especially if they are just right in front of you cuddling at each other. The next time I share a ride with them, I'd tell the driver to stop at the nearest motel and shoo those couples off. But not all Lovebirds behave the same way. A few of them are sensitive enough to just be contented in embracing each other until they fall asleep.

The last and absolutely the most frequent is the Earphone Maniac. There is no specific age for this solitary fellow who escapes the noise of the metropolis by listening to either pop or classic music in perfect ecstasy. The Earphone Maniac is one of the passengers whom I admire the most. Almost motionless, he/she just simply pays his/her fare ahead and nods repeatedly for as long as nobody notices him/her. Sometimes I wonder what kind of music this lad or beau listens to. Nevertheless, the Earphone Maniac entertains me a lot especially if he/she starts playing his/her invisible drum or guitar.

So the next time you'll ride a jeepney, beware of those passengers. The Chatterbox or Mr. Fall might suddenly come and sit right beside you. But don't you wince too much. They'll offer you the same degree of enjoyment (or annoyance) you get from watching movies or TV shows. With these companions, the jeepney drastically turns into one mobile theatre complete with all kinds of characters playing and talking at once. Will they please you, or will they piss you off? It depends. But I'm pretty sure that you will only have two options. Either you stay in the company of those fellows, or escape the adventure inside the jeepney. There is no middle ground.

Bryle Ian Mendaros

USC student