I am walking outside our client’s office right after our two meetings and stopped at the Jeepney Station, where Jeepneys with different routes are parked, for a ride home. But I have to fall in line first to pay for my fare and wait for my turn. There are few people in Line, Great! I am not going to wait long just to take a ride. I don’t know what line it is, and just for me to make sure, I asked a couple in front of me “Is this a line of jeepneys going to Pateros”. They paused for a few seconds. Look at me weirdly and answered a big “YES” in chorus. I looked confused in a minute and there! I snapped and realized why they acted that way. The voice in my head says “Gosh Karen! Why do you have to speak English in a public transport? Seriously? You should say ‘dito po ba yung biyaheng Pateros?’ like what normal people do” (don’t get me wrong, speaking English is good! But some people don’t usually hear it from a Jeepney Passenger, especially from a person who is not a tourist or a foreigner) I patted my forehead imaginatively. I haven’t recovered yet for speaking English for five-hour straight! The couple keeps on glancing at me “as if it’s my first time to ride a jeepney”, I know they’re looking at me, even though I don’t look at them, because I can see it in my peripherals. Can I just melt in embarrassment? A 10-minute ride of embarrassMEnt? I tried to stay calm, not until I am near my destination. I did say “Pull Over” in a low voice. Nobody heard me. Or someone did ‘The Couple’ they grin a bit. But Hello, it’s better than me-saying “PARA” in a slang manner (my friends know how I say that word, and they can laugh at it and mimic it, right friends?) The jeepney driver keeps on driving though. Gladly, the person who sits beside me needs to go to the same destination as mine. So I let her say that word! And I came home with a red cheek. I can’t get over it until now. Lol. I guess next time I should be reminded of my friend’s reminder to me “Huwag mo silang English-in”.
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