eclair, etc. : Short stories
"Ride"
Grease and grime covered Toto's hands. He had just finished fixing up his motorcycle. He got a rag and wiped his hands with them. Standing up, he asked a lady who passed by, "Miss, saan kayo?"
The lady who was in her pants suit looked at him, wondering, "Will he actually bring me to the office like that?" She thought that he was very unkempt, very dirty, with all that grease not totally removed from his hands. She looked away and answered, "Sige, manong. Sa ATS lang po."
Toto motioned her to get into the tricycle. The lady got in and sat on the soft cushion in the tricycle. Toto smiled to himself, thinking, "My trike has the softest cushion in this line." He was proud of the way he has been able to maintain the comfortable interior of his tricycle. He looked inside to check if his passenger seemed comfortable and it did seem like she had no complaints.
"Miss, is this going to be a special trip?" Toto asked the lady, wondering if she would still waitfor other passengers to join her or if she was in a hurry.
The lady glanced at her watch and replied, "Yes, manong. I am already late so this is a special trip already."
Toto sat on the bike and revved it up. He started cruising along that area from near the MRT station to Mother Ignacia. He suddenly had a flashback. It was a memory of him as a three-year old kid who was small and thin, and had a shaved head. His father was bringing a passenger to a house somewhere and he was on the tricycle with his father. Toto's father made him grab on to the handles very tightly. He could still remember the wind was rushing to his face. It was exhilirating! It was exciting! It had been a memorable experience for Toto. It was a sensation that he could never stop enjoying. The wind that rushed to his face and body, to the point that it felt like he was being slapped - it signified that he is alive.
Soon, Toto's tricycle was already in front of the Bible school. he lady went out of the tricycle and gave him a twenty peso bill.
"Thank you, manong," the lady said as she was closing her purse. And Toto revved up his bike and sped away, thinking of how many more passengers there will be later.
