COURTESY

Metro Manila, with the impersonal behavior of its residents and where the cliché "dog eats dog" is a common occurrence, one of act kindness and one act of courtesy would surely brighten your rather gloomy Thursday morning.

Having not enough sleep, since I have to take care of my aunt, who fractured the bones of her right shoulder after she fell from the stairs in on of the building in De La Salle, I woke up this morning a little bit tired. Apparently, the five-hour sleep did not give me enough rest. I was able to get out from the house at 8:00 a.m. Knowing that I would be late if will take the bus, I decided to hail the cab.

Tropical storm Chedeng may have left the country already, but the rain did not. I was already assuming that I won't be able to call a cab that easy (for those who don't know, taxicabs will suddenly be in demand in Metro Manila when it rains). After waiting for ten minutes or so, I was finally able to find an empty cab.

Automatically I took the back seat and told the driver to bring me to Legaspi Village in Makati and to take the Finlandia-Dela Rosa-Salcedo route. Noticing probably my hurried pace and the usual snobbish look on my face, the driver, apparently in his fifties, greeted my "Good Morning Sir" and turned on the taxi meter. I did not respond. Deep inside me I was saying "aba, ano naman kaya ang gimik ng driver na to at my pa good morning, good morning pa!"

While traversing those side streets in Makati, the taxi driver was very solicitous and was just laughing off my harsh criticism against one radio commentator (the taxi's radio was tuned to DZ double B). Never really bothered to argue nor comment, but he was listening.

In ten minutes time, I was already outside Greenbelt One (my usual routine in the morning is to buy some pan de sal at Basta Hot Pan de Sal bakery in Greenbelt then proceed to my office in Corinthian Plaza which is just across the street). After giving my fare and saying, "thank you" to the driver (it was my self impose habit as a sign of courtesy to say "thank you" to taxi drivers, except when the driver is terribly rude and terribly reckless in driving). I was surprise when the he answered back, "thank you din sir, and have a nice day!"

Despite the gloomy weather, I got out from the taxi smiling and thinking, "may ganoon rin palang taxi driver dito sa Manila."

With this weather and with the people rushing to their offices, taxi drivers would suddenly become demanding and would refuse to use their taxi meters but would ask a totally outrageous fare. It was really a surprise and pleasing to note that such driver exist who did not take advantage and was in fact very courteous.

I wish all drivers were like him. So that people would start their day rather good. Unlike the drivers of the buses who are more concern with their commissions rather than the comfort and safety of their passengers. But that is another story. I do not want to destroy my happy aura today by telling how irritating the bus rides in Metro Manila can be.

Have a nice day!