habal-habal bloopers

I’ve just gotten off a jeepney from downtown-Davao after buying stuffs at a mall. The boarding house I’m staying at is only about more than a hundred-meter away from Mintal market. It follows then that from the highway, I needed to pass through the market road before I reach the B-house. Right now, I’m at the market road – the area that had always irritated my a** ever since I conceived the drab but fussy kolehiyala life at UP Mindanao.

And the reason…it goes this way:

[commotion through the habal-habal drivers (motorcycle drivers, a.k.a “H-H drivers” / ”Habal’ers” – courtesy of UPMin students) with their vehicles parked idly at all spaces of the sidewalk.]

Habal’er A: “Psst! Psssst…psssst!”

Habal’er B: “Asa ka, gah?” (Saan ka, ga?)

Krung: [umiiling ng ulo, diretso sa paglakad] Shet, eto na naman…

Habal’er C: “Oh UP, yupee! UP ka day?”

Habal’er D: “Asa ka, UP…dorm?” (Saan ka, UP-dorm?)

Habal’er E: “UP! UP?”

Krung: “Hindi. )<”

Habal’er F: “Gwapa, singgol ka?” [I don’t know if this supposed to mean “Gwapa, single ka?” (the marital status thing), or if I wanted to ride the single motorcycle.]

Krung: “Dili. ”

Habal’er F: [shouting at her back] “Ay, dili diay ka singgol?” (Ay, hindi ka pala single?)

Krung: [clutches her shoulder bag and strides quickly]

Habal’er G: “Idol, taga-asa ka Idol? Mag-habal mo?” (Idol, taga-saan ka Idol? Mag-motor ka?)

Krung: “Dili po. )>”

Habal’er G: “Libre lang po para sa imo Idol, tag-jis lang.” (Libre lang po para sa ‘yo Idol, tag-P10 lang.)

Krung: [faking a smile] “Sige lang kuya.”

Habal’er G: “Okey ate.” [clearing a wide, dirty grin]

Krung: [hissing while striding more quickly] “Bullshit you.”

Habal’er H: “Hi miss. Asa ka? ” (Hi miss. Saan ka?)

Krung: [sighing] “Secret.”

Habal’er H: “Asa gani yang secret ma’am?” (Saan na nga yang secret, ma’am?)

Krung: [sigh. Sigh. Sigh!]

Then again, life at Baranggay Mintal gets going…that very pleasing way.