Alice in Trafficland

Her name's Alice. I heard her mother calling out to her when she wandered a little too far from the FX queue. Alice is about three or four - curly hair, pouting mouth, and very intelligent eyes. She's easily noticeable, not only because she's a very cute kid, but more importantly because she loudly whimpered while she extricated her mother's grip from her hand. Kids - they never want to be held on to. Trust me, I know. And I've been told.

Alice was with her mother, older sister (around six years old), and her grandmother. When we boarded the FX, they occupied the middle seat. And seated on the front, I heard Alice calling out, "Mama? Ate? Lola?" Everyone had to answer her before she settled down. She had to do a roll call, apparently.

When the FX drove out to EDSA, the MRT was incidentally passing through from above. All the passengers were treated to hysterical shrieking of, "TRAIN! TRAIN! TRAIN!" It turns out, our resident toddler has a thing for this form of transportation. When her grandmother told her to stop shouting, she whispered audibly, "Choo-choo... Choo-choo..."

I was so amused with the kid, that from then on, I tuned to all her verbal observations. When we passed the Rivermaya's Bagong Liwanag billboard, she shouted, "Rainbow!" - referring the the band album's logo. And when we turned to Guadix Drive, I had to turn around to see what she referred to as "Castle! Castle!" - It was the facade of Asian Development Bank. Yeah, what a castle indeed. What I would give to be able to work in that fortress. Haha...

Across the street was a launch party or something. With loud music and party treats. "Balloons!" I could feel her pleasure over seeing those inflated orbs. But when we made the u-turn and sped away, she quietly said, "Bye, balloons..." At that moment, I wanted to get off the FX, grab a freaking balloon and give it to Alice. I hoped that the Christmas decorations of the Meralco compound would cheer her up. But when we turned into its street, she was distractedly looking out into the opposite direction. "Look to your left, kid," I said to myself, "Look at the blatant display of extravagance by the power company who charges us with expensive utility rates."

It paid off, because when Alice turned around, she gleefully shouted, "Lights! Lights! Lights!" Yeah, that's what we pay 'em for, kid. =P

This is why I like kids. Because it makes me think about what it was like to be a kid again. To be amazed with the simple things. To be unburdened of the realities of the world. Give them some blinking lights and the world is a great place.

I was snapped out of this reverie when Alice pointed out to: "Cinderella! Castle! Cinderella! Castle!" I'm not kidding, this kid likes repetition. Just to make sure everyone heard her. And the castle? Iglesia ni Cristo church. So what comprises a castle? Imposing facade, I guess. At this point, she was leaning forward on her seat that her face is practically touching my shoulder. I turned to her and said hello. She didn't mind me much, but continued to look out the window, although she touched my hair a few times.

The traffic was stagnant for a while. Alice was seized with a sudden compulsion to count from one to ten again and again. I eventually figured out that she was actually counting the moments when it was the FX turn to move in the traffic. "Ready, go!" And she did it with such good timing that I was so impressed.

Along the way, she also sang her version of "Doe - a deer, a female deer. Ray, a drop of golden sun..." But it sounded like a German version because she still couldn't enunciate every word. What authenticity - sung like an Austrian Von Trapp.

She almost got into a tantrum when she insisted to her mom that the old EMBC bus that drove past us is a "train". She didn't want to say "bus" because for her, it is a "train". So what comprises a train? Long vehicle body, I guess.

When we were heading towards the uphill roads of Antipolo, Alice would yell, "Wheee!" but when we turned to unlit parts, she'd whisper in a low voice, "Mama, it's dark..."

The best part of riding in the FX with Alice was when we reached the plaza. Today is the feast day of the Immaculate Conception and they set of fireworks just when we were nearing the church. Aww, you should've seen her excitement. "Fayerks! Fayerks!" (It's a newly learned word for her, I assume) She was actually standing up and pointing out the window.

I got off the FX and turned to walk away, wishing I could be touched and affected like a kid again. What made me feel worse is that I realized that I had my camera with me and I totally forgot to take pictures of the "fayerks".

Whee.