What happened after the Battle of the Bands

Last Tuesday I was invited by Gela, a good friend of mine to judge a battle of the bands in the school where she teaches. Originally, it was me and another friend named Lala who were invited to judge. We both refused for the lack of credentials in doing the task (we listen to music a lot but we're not musically gifted kids). So, anyway, since Gela can't find anyone else to do it, and she still lacks one more judge, I finally agreed to do it.

The battle of the bands was not that bad. There were some really good bands who have potentials and some others that are so-so.

The story is not really about the battle of the bands but about what happened to me on my way home. The school where Gela teaches is located at the Ortigas Avenue (beside The Medical City). It's not easy to find any mode of transportation you can ride in to get home around that area. The buses are always exaggeratedly full and the jeepneys only pass you by but don't pick up passengers for they seem to be like in a race or in some Tokyo Drift movie. The most feasible thing for commuters to do is to ride a jeepney to Robinson's Galleria and to patiently wait and strategize on how they can ride the buses there because some of the passengers drop off there.

So after Gela and I parted ways, I saw a Cainta-bound bus and immediately ran for my life and grabbed my chances of getting in. Of course, it was a standing ovation. You can't expect to obtain a seat when these buses hailing from Quiapo are at Robinson's Galleria already. The passengers have been compiled before they even arrive at Galleria.

I was standing near the door holding on to the vessel where the TV was secured. The bus driver and conductor kept on letting passengers to hop in the bus even though there were full of people near the door already. Standing there was a struggle. It was difficult to find something you can hold on to to maintain your balance. Then this one lady in her late 20's or early 30's clutch me by the abdomen or waist area because she had trouble finding her balance. Her boobs sometimes even touched my back which felt kind of awkward. It happened for a long time and I felt quite weird. I was about to ask her to hold me by the arm instead but I got too embarrassed to say it.

When little by little passengers drop off to unloading terminals and it was not quite crowded anymore, the woman who was holding me finally let go off me as if nothing happened. It was awkward and she didn't even ask my permission if she can cling to me. But anyway, I'm not really deadly mad about it. It was just awkward.