OBLIQUE ANGLE : On daladala issues, morality

Life aboard a daladala can be very interesting at times. Frequent outbursts between passengers and a bus conductor are not uncommon. Sometimes this happens even for no apparent reason. There is this aspect, which you just can’t help avoiding—eavesdropping on phone calls by fellow passengers.

With economic crunch biting, some of us are increasingly using public transport. On a positive note, there are hidden benefits—cost saving and for those, who love reading, then there is plenty of time for that. This is, of course, when you secure a seat and there is enough lighting.

One of the typical conversations goes:

Passenger: Hey, bus conductor! Why do you disturb me? You keep barking orders, ‘move, move, move’, why?

Bus conduct: Can’t you see that open space over there? This is our office, this is our work, you must respect us!

Passenger: No way. You’re disturbing us. Can’t you see some of us are making some serious thinking? We’ve too many things to think about. Now, when you come around making noise and shoving us around, you interfere with our thoughts.

BC: Did I ask you to board this bus? I make orders here. So, cover that space over there, and turn towards that side.

Passenger: Remember, we’re not like any other load. We are human beings!

It can go on and on.

Meanwhile, a passenger is on the phone. He speaks so loudly that someone seated a number of rows from where he is can hear everything!

Passenger: You know what, I had to call that ‘dame’.

His contact: What did you tell her?

Passenger: That she should mind her own business and stop following me! I told her that she is married and I’m also married. As a married man, I know the pain of having your wife having an affair with another man.

His contact: Really? What did she say?

Passenger: What could she say? And, I ordered her to delete my number from her phone. I told her point blank that I didn’t want to have anything to do with her, much less having an affair with her!

His contact: Man, you must be brave!

Passenger: Just wait, I’ll look for you tomorrow and tell you everything!

Sure enough. As a passenger, I just couldn’t stop wondering why this passenger decided to have this sort of conversation in public. After all, he was planning to meet his contact the next day, why couldn’t he wait?

What goes on in our public transport system very much reflects what happening in our society. There are people, who are good at just barking orders. There is no human face to how they relate to others. Questions on moral issues are also abound. Tundu Lissu, praying for you brother!