It was a day when I first experienced to drive a jeepney and I’ll never forget. I was four years old then, very young naughty kid.

The sun was dawning and neighborhoods gather at the grocery store for gossips. I was with my mother and my sister, my grandmother and some mothers. The owner of the store was my grandmother, a fat and jolly old woman. They were busy laughing, teasing and talking about new things in our barrio; new clothes, new neighbors, new topics to discuss. While me, I was fascinated with the vehicle parked just outside the gate, near the deep water drainage. The jeepney was owned by my godfather. He was inside the store sipping a cup of hot coffee together with his helper of his. I was always excited every time my godfather visits us to that place for late afternoon break for I can ride the jeepney once again, not as a passenger but a driver.

Without being noticed by the busy women, I jumped up at the driver’s steering wheel and started moving it like a pro driver while making sounds with my mouth, imagining that the jeep was running, racing with other jeepneys at the highway. I was not contented with my vehicle’s speed. I played with the gear changer and to my surprise, I did it! Then being amused with the gadgets at the dashboard, I started stepping at the pedals randomly as if it was running too fast that I needed to stop! Suddenly, the jeepney started moving towards the deep drainage! I was just ok then until my grandmother, saw me and screamed loudly. I started feeling confused as I saw her face blushed and running towards the jeep. All of them run to the rescue and I started crying, for I didn’t know what was happening. I can still remember my grandmother screaming and the funny thing? Pulling the jeep backward alone! As they always recall that experience, I was always asked…”Do you want to become a jeepney driver? At the back of my mind I always had been saying… “Yes.”

And if I can have only a child of mine, like Lazarus‘ father, I would relate my childhood experiences like a pro, a professional driver in life… But I can’t have anymore unless I turn the steering wheel to the other way round. Ate Sash, we’ve chatted about the temptation of children. Seems they’re behind me, but I know they are children whom I want to be with, but not necessary to be mine.