We invented the Karaoke, Fluorescent Lamp, and Moon Buggy. These are pretty innovative and world changing creations even though our Filipino inventors aren’t credited for those technological breakthroughs ‘coz of, you know, corruption, graft, etc, etc. But still, we’ve got like amazing brains and all for thinking of those things right? Yeah well… we may be smart… but I think most of us lack common sense.
For those who live in the Philippines, have you ever been to Commonwealth Avenue? I think most of the stupid idiots in the country live there. I have a lot of friends in Commonwealth and they’re pretty smart and have a lot of common sense so I’m not saying everyone in Commonwealth Ave. is stupid, okay?
So, why are most of the people living in that place big fat idiots? Well… first, I’ll tell you a little bit about the setting of our funny little story. When I say funny, I mean the annoying kind, annoying enough to make you write it in a blog. Anyways, Commonwealth is like a highway. A lot of vehicles—cars, SUV’s, pickups, and big ten-wheeler trucks—pass through this ‘avenue’ every single moment of the day. And since it’s considered a highway, ALL these cars drive pretty fast, probably no less than 40 or 50 kph. BUT! Commonwealth is a residential area. Parallel to the street, on both sides, buildings and subdivisions of houses line the entire stretch of the highway. And of course, in the Philippines, if there’s a space, residential area or not, there are squatters at every nook and cranny, and Commonwealth Avenue is no exception.
I’m telling you, squatters are amazing. They can fit 20, no 30 families in a single lot (about 500 sqm?). Obviously, one will expect an army of people settling in little Commonwealth Avenue. And that is where the problem starts. Wait, my mistake, population can’t possibly the reason here. No effing way! Definitely not! I think it’s just because they’re plain STUPID!
What am I rambling about? Picture this, at every half kilometer or so of the whole Commonwealth Avenue, the government (thank god) made over passes so that people from either sides of the rode can make it safely to the opposite side. This is good since with five lanes each for the road heading north and south (or east and west, I don’t really know), and speeding cars, it’s like dodging arrows. BUT APPARENTLY Filipinos like dodging arrows.
Just today, I saw a family with three kids, THREE KIDS, walking from one side of the road to the opposite side. Guess where they did that, definitely not using the overpass. Nawwww…. They wouldn’t risk tiring their knee walking up those stairs and safely walking over the speeding traffic, no… of course not. They walk UNDER the over pass, barely dodging the traffic, father with TWO children at hand and the mother dragging the other child along. MUCH safer this way! ^^
You: But that’s just one crazy family. They must’ve been in an emergency or whatever. You can’t generalize a whole country with just one family.
Me: Well, okay, I’ll give you another example. I’ll skip the other people I passed by (there were a lot others, not just one family, mind you), there’s one I vividly remember.
About fifty people… yes fifty, as in 50, were crossing the street. They were probably in the early 20’s or so. Now they had a very interesting technique to the art of traffic dodging. In one single moment, as if they were trained synchronized swimmers, ALL of them started brisk walking to the other side of the road! BRILLIANT! That way, SOME of them would survive! Why, with fifty people, the first 20 should be able to block the incoming cars with their bodies! Oh wait, what if there was a truck… hmmm… oh well, their smart. They could have brisk walked themselves out of that situation.
You know what, I think I’m changing what I said earlier. Filipinos are smart! They’re not doing anything about the not-using-the-overpass-issue ‘coz there’s a boom in the population and this is a sure, guilt free way. Wow… amazing O_O
AL: sorring for the typos... AGAIN. to lazy to edit... AGAIN
