A little game I liked to play as I went up the school bus at the end of each day involved choosing which window side I should sit at this time. The left and driver’s side offered me an overhead view the cars’ roofs and where one can spy on their passengers as our bus meets with incoming traffic. Meanwhile, the opposite and right window side of the bus gives one a closer vantage of the sidewalk, the houses that zip by and if one were lucky, a minute conversation with acquaintances who might just happen to be at the curb. When someone alights from your vehicle at full stop, you guys, not only can chat away but exchange goodies as well. The left and right window sides of our school bus, always a tie in my choice for the day’s ride.
As for the middle and aisle seats, I avoid them if I can. There is practically nothing to see except what’s in front of you. Not unless one is deep in conversation with a seatmate who’s not annoying, the middle seats makes one feel that you’re only there for transport reasons, not for enjoying the ride. So, in the day-to-day, there is for me, some kind of excitement while I patiently wait in front of our house each morning for the school bus to come…which side will I favor this time.
That little game I unconsciously carried on past the school years. Whether it be on buses, planes, boats and trains, I find myself unconsciously playing my secret little game. I remember one time on a trip to Butuan, our rural transit, at one time offered a magnificent view of the coastline and a wide stretch of beautiful beaches. Unfortunately, the left side where I was seated, only had for me, a close-up of steep mountainside and endless shrubbery passing us by. Though in any of my trips, I try to plan ahead where I should sit, if one were not familiar with the route, it’s like a game of chance each time and like Forrest Gump’s box of chocolates, you don’t know what one is going to get. The possibility of getting the middle seats also makes my little game more appealing, as the years went on. Even then, they were still my last options.
It’s quite amusing I think of window on the bus at this time. I realize, in almost any part of everyday these days, people act as though required to choose a side. In the realm of social media, marketing has become so sophisticated, a selection of which shoes, soap, vacation spot or anything under the sun is always offered non-stop, one would think you’re left with no other choice but to participate. In the past, I use to tease my partner as being the perfectly-gullible consumer; easily giving in to sales talk. Then I realized, I too have become one in a way, seeking out bargains on things I fancy at the moment and often, not what I really need. In politics, choosing sides has become so dense lately, it has become identity-politics. With people’ criteria based on denomination, sexual orientation, social class or popularity. Whatever happened to social issues, one might ask. I think back to my little game, whatever happened to the beach view and the steep mountainside? I might consider the middle seats this time.
