MRT is my daily mode of transportation here in Singapore aside from the bus and occasional taxi cab. Whether reporting to work, going to mass on a sunday or just simply moving around. As I am a regular commuter, I get to used to all sort of usual and unusual situations possible in a public transportation's capable of squeezing as many as it can accommodate in a rush hour. Most of the time I have my iPod with me and unmindful of fellow commuters doing. But there are times that there are situations just too hard to ignore. Like when two young lovers public display of affection becomes overboard that you made to think how they can do it hugging tightly and lips-locking unmindful of others. But more interesting is the facial expressions of the people around them. Seeing an old lady's can't paint face reaction is a delight to notice. a drooling face of a guy of the same age with the couple, an old-maid lady's don't care attitude will really made you unmindful of the travel distance.
In one occasion, there is this not so old lady who positioned herself in front of a sitting guy and making face so that the guy will be conscience to give up the seat for her, to no avail. After two stations the guy alighted but the not so old lady was not fast enough to take the seat as another young lady zoomed from behind took the seat. I was having goodtime observing her, imagine her disappointment was all over her face. After the young lady who happens to be pinay settled on her seat, she noticed that she was being watched by the not so old lady with a furious-look. Eventually kabayan sensed what the lady was after and stood up and offered the seat to the not so old lady. Surprised by the move, the not so old lady declined the offer and pretended she don’t need to be seated. Kabayan spoke to her companion saying “kala mo pag-aari nya ang upuhan” with a drool eye look to the not so old lady. I ended up amused.
Another time, I was on my way to Orchard on a Sunday morning the coach I was in have kabayans on their off-day. There were these two kabayan ladies who were seated, when one of them received a phone call from another lady who happens to be on the same train but seated somewhere. The lady appears to be excited and while talking to the phone she was looking for her and eventually stood up and continue talking so the seat was left vacant. There were few who attempted to take the seat but prevented by the other lady. The lady on the phone continue talking with gusto and in high note obviously delighted either because she is talking to her long lost friend or she is just bragging, in my observation it was the latter. Then the trouble came. On the next station, an old man hurriedly approached the vacant seat and eagerly delighted to take it. Just as fast as he took the seat, the lady told him the seat was taken and he can not take the seat. Imagine the disappointment of the old man that he rapidly nagged the lady in a mad manner. He was talking mandarin I supposed. But the lady won’t give in even when almost everybody was looking at them and the lolo continuously nagging her. The lady who supposed to be occupying the seat was having a lively conversation on the phone unmindful of the trouble she just created. I eventually asked the lady to give up the seat and told her that it’s the old man’s privileged to be seated and just give up the seat. After the old man settled, still he continuously lambasting the poor lady and the lady who vacated the seat scolded her companion why she let someone took her seat. That moment I felt embarrassed and pretended they were not my kabayans and slowly moved away.
These are just some of the scenarios you can get while riding on mrt. But the footage below is highly regrettable. I don’t know how you will react to this video, but one thing I can advice you, be very cautious on whatever you do or say while riding in a public transportation. I pity the guy standing just beside the lady, notice his reaction.
