LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT

Mi amore, there is ‘love’ in my love-hate and bittersweet relationship with LRT. Nevertheless, ours isn’t a quid pro quo relationship. I believe it is one-sided for how could you be loved by a quite inoperative train with usually malfunctioning ventilation that I always have to carry my portable fan with me. There even are times I think the tramway is not that welcoming and from this traumatic experience, I would like to slightly debunk the allegedly “higher capacity” LRT. I am always upset by the longest queue during 8AM and 5PM and sometimes, the non-working WIFI or a connection that is too slow that I would rather fall asleep while waiting for the train. You would also hate the shivers given to you by the repeating advertisements of an online shop.

Sometimes, you’ll get too lucky. Imagine yourself running late to a 7AM class, with a quite cruel professor that gives you an everyday-meeting quiz, and the train suddenly stopped for an unknown reason on the middle of the rolling stock. And, your co-naggers inside the train would not even get surprised by you suddenly crying the name of your professor. Believe me, in this not so awe-inspiring commitment with the LRT, suddenly an atheist would learn to pray. But again, let me reiterate my position. There is ‘love’ in my love-hate and bittersweet relationship with LRT.

Have you ever been called out by a guard using his megaphone because you were either beyond the red or yellow line and one more step, you’ll definitely fall on the railings? I remembered the guard loudly calling me a “girl wearing stripes.” There were like three to five persons there waiting for the train and I was the only one wearing stripes. I also had this Php. 20 bet with my friend about which train, the North or the South, will go first. I won but until now the Php. 20 is on the loose.

Believe me, I love LRT for a number of reasons that I even memorized the stations from North to South. One superficial reason is speed, which only takes me half an hour to go through miles. Nevertheless, we are not doing math here. The remaining reasons are rather metaphorical. LRT has been my constant comrade during my drunk episodes. I couldn’t count the times I made myself too drunk but then I had sworn to myself I needed to get home before it closes. However, the trains do not truly make me sober. LRT also introduced me a good companion that would go for extra stations just to make sure I got home safely. After then, the stations are not just stations and the trains are not just trains.

LRT homes my wasted self, the little chitchats and bonding with pals, and wavered confessions. Sometimes it would give you the warmth you never expected and suddenly you’d wish the trains are a bit slower or they get stuck somewhere along oblivion. Sometimes you’d wish there are infinite stations for infinite talks. Or, there might be moments you’d choose to hang on the stations and just ignore the approaching train. LRT is even best at night with the city lights waving hi to you and your favorite companion behind.

Isn’t what beautiful in the LRT are rather implied? Neither it is about the sea of flexible people trying to fit in nor about the mishaps and delays. Perhaps it is about the stories being drafted in a 30-minute ride. It is about the foolish game you play with friends whenever the trains are too slow to arrive. It is about the little talks about college, your counts of tardiness, and the quizzes you missed. It is about the foggy view of city lights that consoles your tipsiness. Or, it is about that one person you are with in a crowded space that makes you forget the poor ventilation, noise pollution and congestion, and the abrupt interruption. Indeed, every story is a hell of a ride.