Riding the Metal Horse

A cold and cloudy morning welcomed me as I quench my hunger by smelling the newly cooked delicious Pork Adobo. Combining my hair was the last thing I did in our messy living room while watching the morning talk show.

The loud horns were the first thing I heard while waiting for a jeep together with other busy - looking passengers carrying their luggage and briefcases. Smoke was everywhere and people covered their nose.

It was nine in the morning when I took a glance on the watch of a little girl ready for school standing beside me. After a few minutes, red AC jeep with a metal horse placed in the hood stopped in front of us and loaded as much as passengers as it can.

I sat at the far end of the left side at the back near the driver's seat. It was almost full when it started to move. There were five students sitting near the entrance, an old lady in a nursing suit in front of the students, a guy with his big black pack bag in front of me, and some little kids busy checking their bags were sitting next to me. Many paid their fare by passing it from one person to another before the driver.

I looked at the busy street where traffic was heavy. Private cars, public jeepneys, big buses, some motorcycles were building up until the road was crowded.

Not far from where I was a wet market. Some people were shouting, "Palit na mo, barato lang". Some were choosing the fresh vegetables spread on a big sack where people passed by. Beside these busy sellers and buyers were sleeping street children in a connected dirty cartons coverd by tattered and crumpled newspapers. They slept as if they weer apart from the world.

The jeep continued to move. We passed a tall building where people entered and went out, wearing their professional and office attires. They were pleasant to the eyes largely different from the street children that I saw in the market.

I checked my phone and it was almost ten. The jeep was almost empty that I haven't noticed. After a while, I step out of the jeep and walked to the school. Riding the metal horse was great.