Lessons on spirituality from a cab driver

FADE IN:

EXT. MAKATI AVE, NORTH PARK- DAY

Sheena tries to hail cabs in front of North Park, bids her bosses goodbye. She flags down a cab, rides.

INT. TAXI- DAY

Sheena plops down the back seat. Manong driver, a guy with glasses and salt-and-pepper hair, maneuvers the cab quietly.

SHEENA

(chirps happily) Manong, sa Pandacan po.

MANONG DRIVER

Magkano ang binabayad mo don?

SHEENA

(hesitant) Uh, usually pag galing dito, eighty pesos po.

MANONG DRIVER

Eighty??? Huh eh, dagdagan mo na lang, mga benteng patong.

SHEENA

(pissed but smiles) Ok po.

Manong driver covering the meter with goodmorning towel. yes this is a stolen shot by me.

Manong driver covers TAXI METER with white "GoodMorning" towel, does not bother to press the "Start" button, like what's usually done by every cab driver.

MANONG DRIVER

So, sister, born-again ka na ba?

SHEENA (V.O.)

What the #$@!? MATAPOS MO MANGHINGI NG DAGDAG, NGAYON MAGTATANONG KA IF

BORN-AGAIN AKO?!

SHEENA

Opo, sa ___________ church pa nga ako nagsisimba.

MANONG DRIVER

So nakatanggap ka na sa Panginoon? Kelan ang Spiritual Birthday mo?

SHEENA (V.O.)

Oh.....my......GOD. Why the hell do I have to tell?!

SHEENA

October __, 19___ po.

MANONG DRIVER

Ah ako, Feb ___, 1993. Sinecelebrate mo ba?

Manong driver launches a full sermon about celebrating spiritual births, how he spends all of his sweldo to celebrate every year, HOW GOD TALKS STRAIGHT TO HIM. 

MANONG DRIVER

Ah, alam mo sister, pagpapalain ka ng Panginoon kung babasahin mo ang Bible ng 3 to 4 times, saka ka

lang talaga pagpapalain ng Panginoon, gagamitin ka nya sa kanyang mga gawa. Nabasa mo na ba

ang Bible?

SHEENA

Manong laking Christian school ako, malamang!

MANONG DRIVER

Walang patid? As in tuloy-tuloy na Genesis to Revelation?

SHEENA (V.O.)

IKAW NA! IKAW NA MANONG!

SHEENA

Hindi po. (Suddenly feels REALLY, REALLY GUILTY)

MANONG DRIVER

Ah kasi ako, 3-4 times, at ginagamit ako ng Panginoon, binibigyan nya ko ng mga prophecy!

SHEENA

Pano nyo nalalaman na Diyos talaga ang kausap mo?

MANONG DRIVER

Alam mo, pag puspos ka ng Holy Spirit, malalaman mo. Alam mo sister, advise ko talaga sayo magbasa ka ng Bible. Advise ko din talaga sayo eh mag-practice ka mag-speak-in-tongues, magmemorize ka ng verses.

Thats manong driver.

SHEENA (V.O.)

Eh @!#!@%#$^$%&%^*&(*^% Holy Spirit-Talk ito!!!!! Pano ako maniniwala sa mga pinagsasasabi mo if

NAGDADAYA KA SA METRO NG TAXI MO! OH DO NOT DARE LECTURE ME

ON HOW TO BE @#@%#$%#$^%$ SPIRITUAL!

SHEENA

Manong, dito na lang ho sa tabi. (hands out P100)

MANONG DRIVER

Thank you sister, GodBless you, take my advise.

Sheena steps out of cab, slams the cab door. Manong driver speeds away.

FADE OUT.

THE END.

Talk about hypocrisy.