By Jan Vicente B. Pekas
A few weeks have passed now, ever since we started to commute our way to work. The timing of it couldn’t have been any better. The rains in the late afternoon make for a great preparation for a cold shower. Still, it isn’t all that bad, after all you get to see some of your neighbors’ faces for a change. Sometimes, even get to know their stories. Even better, due to our lovely home being located up a hill, the much needed exercise will always be there.
On a gloomy, rainy afternoon, it would have been more than great to have your own car. But, that would have been a boring way of going home then. I never thought our situation would get worse. It was already late afternoon and raining. Yet, we had to wait in line. From my experience, or the lack of it, commuting home, a line was never common.
The earlier hours of the day was actually a fine one. Not too sunny, and not too gloomy. Considering the past days, it was a wonderful weather. Yet, as sudden as it came, the rain did not go away as quickly. I was hoping for a more laid back time going home, but wet hair and clothes urged for a more dynamic way of going back.
So there we were, wet and cold, standing in line. Wasn’t too hungry, but the restaurant in front of us did not help. Especially when it was one with a reputation for food that tastes good. As restless as I was, there was nothing much I could do other than try to look good in the rain.
Though, when it rains in this city, you aren’t the only one having an uneasy time. The popular restaurant in front of us was packed, and people did not seem to stop going in. We watched someone go through the troubles of parking in a spot near a busy intersection. And as someone who was often in the backseat in such situations, I know it can get pretty frustrating for the driver. Still, after some time, the man got to park his car, and hopefully got to enjoy his food.
The clock ticked a bit more, and a bright red jeepney came and raised the mood a little better. Jam packed as it was on the inside, no one was left behind, and we were on our way home.
Sometime later, the old man got home due to work in the city. And from him, we had known about the people who stood in line waiting for a jeepney or taxi, all while the rain poured. While there I was, warm, bathed, and with a full belly.
In these rainy times, it can be easy to complain about our own situation. Yet, sometimes it can blind us to the good things we have, and to the people in more dire situations. Perhaps being grateful for the day can make a rainy afternoon a little bit better.**
