the man in the bus

Though sometimes inconvenient when commuting to the office, I like riding buses. I like observing people (not to mention that I'm on the sharp lookout for pickpockets and bad men), so I don't really mind being caught in traffic.

I rode a bus to work yesterday morning because I missed the shuttle again (woke up early but took my time dressing up). I sat beside a man who probably thought he was a hunk. He was wearing muscle tee and jeans, and he had his cap fastened to the backpack strap. Must be some fashion statement, as I usually see caps on heads. He must be in his mid-thirties, and he sports an extremely short haircut.

At some point I noticed that he was holding a piece of paper. What was curious was that he did not seem to be reading it, he just seemed to scan it over and over. And he must have been farsighted, because he was holding it almost at arm's length, enough for me to see 'Philippine National Police' on the top line, and 'Payee's Name' on the left side, then all these numbers with peso signs. After a while he put it back in his wallet, then he took it out again. After doing this three times, he then proceeded to inspect his wallet's content, taking out various cards and putting them back again, then... ah! He extracted one card with care. It was an official ID card, similar to a driver's license, and it had 'Philippine National Police' on top. He did his routine again, smoothing the ID (perhaps to remove specks of dirt), turning it this way and that (perhaps to see if it reflects light), and holding it closer to me than to his face (perhaps to determined if he was cross-eyed).

From the corner of my eye I could see him taking quick glances at me. I pretended to doze off, but by that time I was thoroughly amused. I waited to see what he would bring out for exhibit next.

He did not disappoint. Next he took out his mobile phone, a shiny thin Samsung. It must have been a source of infinite wonder for him, because he started to check all the features of the phone. The top part slides up, and it had a camera, and he even decided to see if the FM radio works! Oh, golly, it did!

But since I, the audience, did not have any remarkable reaction to this display of credentials, the man pocketed the phone and... took out the police ID again.

Thank heavens the bus was already in Megamall. Five more minutes and I would have burst laughing.

I then asked the driver if he would stop at Building A or at MRT Ortigas Station. He said no, sorry, but I would have to get off at the Mega bus stop or at Robinsons Galleria. Whereupon this ID-laden, shiny-cellphone-carrying male specimen decided it's time to strike a conversation to show his mastery of bus routes.

"Naku, sa Ortigas ka na nyan... dun ka na lang bumaba," he said with a rueful shake of his head.

"Malayo na yun sa Mega, dun ka na lang. San ka ba papunta nyan?" he added in a tone that suggested I was helpless and lost and needed guidance on navigating the Ortigas Center.

At that point I really did begin to wonder if he was desperately seeking attention. Well, I also wondered if I looked like someone who would bat my eyelashes at the sight of a police trainee's ID.