remembered conversations

#1 (On a bus on the way to Cubao)

Pasahero: Magkano po hanggang Farmer’s?
Konduktor: Para sa iyo bente na lang. Ngumiti ka kasi ng maganda.

Passenger hands over a twenty-peso bill and the conductor gives her a ticket.

Konduktor: May lahi ka bang Ruso?
Pasahero: Ano po? (hindi naintindihan ang tinanong ng konduktor)
Konduktor: May lahi ka bang Ruso?
Pasahero: (natawa) Ay, wala po.
Konduktor: Eh ano?
Pasahero: Wala po. (proud na proud!) Pilipino po ako.


#2 (In a school playground while waiting for class to be dismissed)

Older Girl: (standing beside a swing) Don’t you think it’s weird that this children work so hard to learn English.
Younger Girl: (sits on a swing)
Older Girl: I mean, they take extra classes and all.
Younger Girl: (still sitting on the swing)
Older Girl: But the moment you speak to them in Filipino they don’t understand a single word you’re saying.
Younger Girl: (kicks feet off the ground and starts swinging)
Older Girl: (annoyed at being ignored by Younger Girl) Stop swinging!!!
Younger Girl: This is a swing. You’re supposed to swing.
Older Girl: (embarrassed to silence)


#3 (On a street corner with an Ilongga customer buying corn from a Tagalog vendor)

Ilongga: (points to steaming corn)
Tagalog: Ilan?
Ilongga: Isa
Tagalog: (wordlessly wraps the corn in a plastic bag then adding a packet of salt)
Ilongga: Tagpila?
Tagalog: (stares blankly)
Ilongga: (points to coins in the palm of her hand)
Tagalog: Sais
Ilongga: (pays the vendor and wordlessly walks away)