The Unsung Heroes of the Night

I've been wanting to write this blog for a long time but didn't get the chance to really sit down and write my thoughts. This article dawned upon me when I go home late at night and get to see the tired and weary workers shuffle in and out of buildings and vehicles. So who are these unsung heroes of the night?

1. Bus conductors

Yes driving can drain the energy from you but being a bus conductor, I think, drains energy the HELL OUT OF YOU. They're the ones who call out to people, "'yala lalim, 'yala lalim (Ayala ilalim)" and "'rtigas krosing, 'rtigas krosing (Ortigas Crossings)", "o marami pa, marami pa". And yes, they have to shout it at the top of their lungs, multiple times at pedestrians and commuters to get their attention. They risk their lives by jumping on and off the bus while it's still moving. Ang hirap kaya nun! When I tried to jump in the bus as it was starting to speed up, I slipped on the ledge and my shin landed right smack on the edge of the stairs! ARAY talaga! It left an ugly scar and dark mark on my once-beautiful (ching!) legs. Kader-der ang hitsura!

Kinakabahan nga ako every time the conductors will do that feat. Another difficult thing is giving and receiving passengers' money and ticket. You have to be an EXPERT in arithmetic. Bawal ang babagal-bagal todits. Also in tearing the ticket from the roll, dapat mabilis at malinis, you should know where the ticket per amount is located in your roll. Just thinking about it makes me uneasy kasi iniisip ko kung ako yun, oh no! OH NO TALAGA! Kaboom! Pandemonium na sa loob ng bus! Another malupit feat is that the conductor should memorize, more or less, who has paid or not. Ang hirap diba??? And you have to reach your quota for the day! Each bus has a quota, and the money they earn on top of that, goes to their pockets. Kaya dapat kayod ng OA so they can bring home enough money. Nakatayo pa sila most of the time inside the bus.

E pa'no kung gabi na, like 12mn? Isn't this task just too taxing and wearisome??? When you could have been at home resting by 8pm and having dinner with your family. Juggling arithmetic, memorization, dexterity skills, voice modulation and physical stress all at the same time is just a mean feat. Mabuhay ang mga konduktor ng bus!

2. Late shift fast food/restaurant crew
After feeling satisfied with your delicious food, you stand up, leave your table and plates uncleaned, get your things, and head for the car. A maitre d' then approaches your table and cleans the mess you've done. What if you decided to eat at around 9pm and eat for an hour? Can you imagine the hassle for the restaurant crew to be cleaning at 10pm whereas some people, as early as 8pm, are already sleeping? I've seen these men and women work hard, trying to utter a smile and produce a cheerful aura even if they're tired. If the restaurant closes at 10pm, makakauwi pa sila around 11pm or 12mn because they still have to clean the place and ready it for the next day. Just thinking about their job makes me tired.

3. Late shift mall/school/office maintenance/staff
After everyone has gone home at around 9 or 10pm, the mall maintenance/staff stay up late and check if everything is in shape. Sigh. How would you feel if everyone's going home already and you have to stay and fix things and everything that surrounds you seem dark and desolate...

4. Jeepney drivers/tricycle drivers working the late shift

'nuff said. You be the one to imagine this.

5. Vendors during late nights
That's what I always think about when I see these unsung night heroes. Why are they out here cleaning/working at this late hour when they should be at home resting, sleeping? I guess that's just how it goes to earn a living. But shouldn't these people deserve a decent salary? Compared to the politicians who, after JUST signing some legal papers, meron silang mga "lagay" na tinatawag. Mga leche sila! Corrupting taxpayers' money! Hayop yang mga pulitiko na yan, ang dami-daming naghihirap ngunit eto sila, taking more than what they should receive! At the end of the line, marginalized people get shortchanged and end up breaking their back to work! CORRUPT POLITICIANS MAKE ME SO ANGRY!

I've started writing this way back in August 2010 and it's only now that I've completed it. I wasn't actually able to add more, except for a few lines perhaps. This is it.

So people, next time you go home late, if you feel tired and weary and you feel like lashing out at someone, let's say the late night restaurant crew or the tindera sa kanto or the bus conductor, think twice.