Grumble. Mumble. Tumble.

Although the recent increase in prices left me grumbling and whiny, I never really let it get to me. I mean, que sera sera. Until last night. Last night, the bus charged me more that it charged me in the morning, and when I asked the ticket guy for an explanation, he gave me lip, the bastard!

TG: Eh bakit nyo pa pinakuha ang fare matrix, yun lang pala itatanong nyo. Napunit tuloy! [He was so loud and rude! As in!]

TPS: Kasalanan KONG napunit MO?

Then he gave me a lame-ass explanation.

TG: Magkaiba ho ang singil sa Carolina at sa Magsaysay Avenue.

TPS: Alam ko. Ang tinatanong ko eh bakit ako china-charge ng full distance till the terminal eh bumababa ako 3 km before.

Then came his "almost-lightbulb" moment.

TG: Eh yun ho ang utos ng LTFRB.
TPS: Utos ng LTFRB? Eh binasa mo ba ang fare matrix na ito na galing sa LTFRB? Sabi dito, fixed ang price ng first 5 km, then additional fee for each kilometer. So bakit mo ako sisingilan for 25 km eh 22 km lang ang isinasakay ko.

Then came the hand-washing.

TG: Eh ganon ho ang sabi nung nag-orient sa amin.

TPS: So bakit mas mababa ang charge kaninang umaga na ayon dun sa kunduktor eh per kilometer na ang charging? Magkaiba kayo ng orientation? Ganon?

Then came the palusot moment. By this time, he was already scratching his head and eating his humble pie.

TG: Bago lang ho kasi ako dito.

TPS: So? Sige, kung hindi mo maipaliwanag, sabihin mo sa driver na siya ang magpaliwanag sa akin.

TG: Nagda-drive po eh.

TPS: Di ko sinabing now na. Sige, pagdating ng inspektor, papuntahin mo dito at ipaliwanag nya sa akin.

TG: Sige po. Sasabihin ko po. [Hurriedly left. As in hurriedly, di tuloy nabigay ang sukli nung iba.]

So the ticket guy told the inspector, but the oh-so-brave inspector tried to pass me by, not acknowledging my question and I had to call him and make him explain, but apparently, he couldn't explain it either. It's quite funny, in a mean kind of way, to see an astig-looking guy mumbling excuses and looking all fidgety and dodgy. However, by this time, I was already bothered by my conscience for bitching on the now-hapless guys. It's like picking on the weak. And it's a no, no! Never pick on the weak. But then, they had it coming. I really don't know what ticked me off more, the rudeness, the "cheating," or the incompetence.

On a happier note, I've been on Ebay Addictus maximus mode recently, and just yesterday, I got myself a brand new pair of Tony Bianco shoes. So why am I making all this fuss? Well, as I said, it's brand new, and it's patent leather (so shiny!) and in my favorite style (peeptoe wedge) and color (light blue green), and the clincher? Its SRP is 40 euros (~2800 pesos), and I got it for 305 pesos! Score! Happy much? You betcha! Whoever said money can't buy happiness doesn't know Ebay. *Pipe in some blissful music please*