Ang Istorya ng Taxi Driver

Catherine Lim

(1)Ayos, Ma’am. Sigurado-Darating kayo sa miting ng mas

Maaga sa t’yempo. Dito tayo dumaan, Ma’am. Konting
Trapik, konting bara ng mga kotse. Medya-ora lang,
Naro’n na tayo. Kaya h’wag kayong mag-alala, Ma’am

(2)Ano yon. Ma’am? Oho, oho. Ha, ha-dalawampung taon

Na ‘kong taxi driver, Ma’am. Panahon pa ng kopong-
Kopong. Di pa ganito ang Singapore-nanikip sa tao,
Bising-bisi. Noon mas tahimik, kokonti pa lang ang taxi
Drivers, at di-masyadong maraming kotse at bus

(3)Oho, Ma’am, kumikita naman. Di malaki pero pwede

Na. Anong mabuti? Para umasenso sa Singapore, sipag
Lang. Sa mga tulad naming no read, no write,w alang
kapital para sa negosyo, kailangang magpatulo ng
pawis nang kumita para sa misis at
mga bata

(4)Oho, Ma’am malaki ang pamilya ko. Walong anak-anim

na lalaki,dalawang babae.Talagang malaki, ha, ha
problema,, no Ma’am? Pero noon, wala naming family
planning sa Singapore. Ang daming mag-anak ng
pamilya;taun-taon. Dalawa,tatlong anak, pigil na. Sabi
ng gobyerno, “tama na.”

(5)Buti na lang, malalaki na ang mga anak ko. Apat sa mga

anak kong lalaki kumakayod na, isang negosyante,
dalawang clerk, ‘yong isa titser sa primary school. Yong
isa namay nasa National Service, at yong isa, nag-aaral
 pa, sa Secondary Four. Yong pinakamatanda kong
babae, beynte anyos na siyang mahigit, sa bahay lang,
tumutulung sa nanay niya

(6)Wala po, wala pa siyang asawa. Masyadong mahiyain

at medyo sakitin pero ang bait, masunurin. Yong isa
kong babe-ay, naku, Ma’am, laking problema sa ama
pag’yong anak na babae’y salbahe at lumalaban sa
magulang. Napakalungkot, parang parusa sa Diyos.

(7)Ngayon, iba ang kabataan, di tulad naming noon

Noon, wala sa amin ang matigas ang ulo. ‘Pag sinabi ng
magulang namin na, h’wag gawin ito, di naming
ginagawa. Kundi, naron ang baston. Nabaston ako ng
tatay ko. Kahit binata na at malapit nang mag-asawa
baston parin. Istriktong masyado ang tatay ko, at
mabuti ‘yon-maging istrikto ang magulang. Kundi,
walang silbi ang labas ng mga bata. Di mag-aaral,
aalpas at magna-night club o magda-drugs o sex. Tama
ba ako, Ma’am? Ngayong, laking sakit ng ulo sa
magulang ang kabataan. Nakita na n’yo yong teenager
d’on sa labas ng coffee shop? Kita nyo na Ma’am? Mga
estudyante palang ‘yon, pero kung umasta ‘kala mo
mga big shot magastos, naninigarilyo na, kung magbihis
sunod sa moda at mahilig na sa sex. Naku, Ma’am,
kabisado ko na yan. Bilang taxi driver, kilala ko ang mga
iyan at mga bisyo nila

(8)Kayo, Ma’am dib a sabi nyo titser kayo? Alam nyo ba

ang mga batang babae na ‘yan-kinse, disisais anyos?
Papasok ng eskwela ang mga ‘yan sa umaga na
nakauniporme. Pagkatapos ng eskwela, di uuwi ang
 mga ‘yan. May dalang damit ang mga ‘yan sa school
magpapalit ng suot, magmemeyk-up. Walang alam ang
mga magulang nila. Sasabihin sa mama nila, may miting
daw, may sports o laro, may gano’n, ganito, pero ang
totoo e naglalakwatsa at kung anu-anong kalokohan ang
pinaggagawa

(9)A, Ma’am, mukhang ayaw ninyong maniniwala. Pero

‘yan ang totoo. Alam ko lahat ang kalokohan nila
Isinisakay ko sila sa taxi ko. Madalas, do’n sila sa bowling
Alley o coffee shop o hotel naghihintay. Tapos
lalapitan ng mga turisting kano o Europeo. Gan’on sila
maglibang at kumita ng extrang pera. Maniniwala ba
kayo, Ma’am, kung sasabihin ko kung ga’no kadami ng
pera nila? Anak ng-! Kagabi, tong batang sakay ko-kyut
na kyut, nakameyk-ap at seksi ang suot. Sabi sa akin,
dalhin ko ra sa Orchid Mansions. Kilalang-kilala ang l
lugar na ‘yon, isang four storey na apartment. Tapos
greenbacks-teg ten dollars lahat. Humugot ito ng isa at
sabi, “keep the change” wala raw s’yang tyempo. Para
sabihin ko sa inyo, Ma’am buwan buway mas malaki
ang kinikita ko sa mga teenager na ito kaysa d’on sa
nakikiapagbargain sa ‘kin na ‘wag na raw ibaba ang
metro pero naghihintay pa ng sukli nilang ten cents.
Pwe! Binubwisit akong talaga ng iba sa kanila. Pero
Itong mga batang ‘to walang tawaran. Bayad lang nang
Bayad. At sobrang makikipagromansa sa taxi, kaya di
bale kung mag-iikot ka nang husto at singilin sila sa
metro!
 (10)Sabihin ko sa inyo, Ma’am, meron dy’an na di
pinoproblema kung magkano ang ginagasta sa taxi.
Ganito yon Ma’am: Paglampas ng ala-una ng umaga,
Mas malaki ang kita. Doon ako paparada sa labas ng
Elory Hotel o Tung Court o Orchid Mansions at sigurado,
Ma’am ayos ang buto-buto. Noong sabado, Ma’am,
walang biro-sa isang araw lang kumita ako ng halos
one hundred fifty dollars! Ang iba ny’on, para sa
serbisyo. May turista kasi na di alam kung saan
pupunta, kaya ako na ang nagsasabi at dinadala ko sila d’on.
Ekstrang kita din ‘yon. Ay, naku, Ma’am, kung
Ikukw’ento ko sa inyo ang lahat, di tayo matatapos

(11)Pero ito ang masasabi ko sa inyo. Kung meron kayong

dalagita at sasabihin sa inyo, “Mommy, may miting
kami sa iskwela ngayon at di ako uuwi,” h’wag n’yonh
sasabihin, “Sige hija” pero usisain nyo ang lahat.
Ngayo’y di ninyo mapagkakatiwalaan ang mga bata,
Di tulad noon. Ay naku, Ma’am nasasabi ko ito dahil
Ako mismo’y may dalagita. Mahal na mahal ko ang
batang ito. Napakabait nya at ang sipag mag-aral.
Nakikita ko ang report cards at ‘yong sinusulat ng
Kanyang titser na “Very Good” o “Excellent”, sa report
Cards nya. Nag-aaral sya sa bahay at tumutulong sa
nanay nya. Pero minsay tinatamad at sasabihin
n’ya, pinababalik daw s’ya ng titser sa iskwela para
makapag-aaral pa, para maturuan pa sa subject na
mahina siya – yon daw Math, Ma’am. At ako naman,
pinayagan ko sya, at araw-araw, gabi na siya umuwi,
tapos mag-aral, tuloy tulog. Isang araw-naku, Ma’am
hanggang ngayoy ginagalit pa ako. Isang araw, nagdadrive
ako ng taksi, parelaks-relaks lang, nang may nakita
 akong dalagita ng nakakahawig ng sa aking Lay Choo,
may kasamang mga batang babae at ilang Europeo sa
labas ng coffee shop. Sabi ko, hindi pwedeng si
Lay Choo at ang isang ito e bihis na bihis, nakameyk-ap
At magaslaw kumilos.Di ganon ang anak ko. Tapos
Pumasok sila sa coffee shop. At ‘yong puso ko sobra ang-
Pa’no nga sabihin ‘yon, Ma’am? Yong puso ko, parang
Binabayo ng kung ano. Sabi ko, mabantyagan nga, at
tingnan ko ang kalokohan nya. Nong sumunod na
araw, nand’yon sa uli. Ipinarada ko ang taxi ko,
Ma’am. Galit na galit ako noon. Sinugod ko ang
Tarantadong anak ko at sinunggaban ko sa balikat at
Leeg at saka pinagsasampal ko at binugbog syang muli.
Estupida! Walang hiya! Pinilit ako ilayo ng asawa ko
at ilang kapitbahay. Palagay ko’y napatay ko ang batang
iyon kung di ako naawat.

(12)Tatlong araw kinulong sa kanyang kwarto. Nahiya

akong sabihin sa kanyang titser kung ano ang nangyari,
kaya sabi ko nalang may sakit si Lay Choo, at kung
p’wede, i-excuse nya sa klase. Ay naku, Ma’am. Anong
nararamdaman ninyo kung nasa lugar ko kayo?
Pinababa n’ya ang kanyang sarili, ganyon ang ama
N’yay maghapong pasada nang pasada ng taksi para
Maipadala sya sa unibersidad.

(13)Ano ‘yon Ma’am? Oho, oho – okey na ho ang lahat

Salamat. Di sya pwedeng lumabas ng bahay, liban kung
Papasok sa iskwela at bilin ko sa ina nya, check-in lagi
Ang ginagawa nyan at ‘yong mga kabarkada nya, kung
anong klaseng mga ito. Ay, naku Ma’am ang kabataan
ngayon – anong sakit ng ulo.
 (14)Ano ‘yon Ma’am? A, sorry ho, Ma’am di ko kayo
Mahihintay matapos ang inyong miting. Kailangan
kong lumarga, kaya pasensya na ho. Nagmamadali ako
Ma’am, papuntang Hotel Elory. Maraming mga batang
Maisasakay. Kaya sorry nalang, Ma’am at maraming
salamat.
I. Characterization
 The Taxi Driver – he is the main character in the story and was born Singaporean
who’s been residing in Singapore since birth and been a taxi cab driver for almost
twenty years that has many things to be discuss like prostitution in Singapore.
 The Passenger (Teacher) –
 Lay Choo –she is the secondary character in the story, she was the daughter of
the taxi men, as described, she was the youngest in the story, and his favorite
among his eight children because she was able to study in a University and a
scholar, she was one of the school girls that turned to be a prostitute.

II. Setting
 Place – Singapore
 Main Setting – Inside the Taxi

Place:
 Taxi as the setting in the story is brilliant to point out irony as to its privacy yet being
public. When riding on a taxi, it suggests the long way you will travel together with the
Taxi man to reach your destination. This may mean our life is a very long way of trials
and afflictions that we must endure first until we reach our destination. On the way, we
meet different people with different stories and personalities from whom we learn a lot
of things from. These experiences are one way that we can learn about the realities
happening in our life.

Language

 Looking at the speaker in the story, the taxi driver has been consistent with his use of
the language. It seems that the conversation has been repeatedly told to most of his
passengers as the details were relentlessly poured out, logically arranged and sounded
straightforwardly told. 
  The Taxi Driver spoke things about Singapore from his time to present time, he said
Singapore used to be simple and peaceful, not much crowded with cars and buses and
many changes took place, but the main element that rises in the story is about
prostitution which focuses on teenage prostitution, he has seen teenage girl doing this,
he has become an instrument for the prostitutes to bring them to the place where they
sell their body.

Theme
 In the story, it is the taxi men who is dominates the story, he is the main character and
the one who narrates his story, his story is all about teenage prostitutes which later in
the story, he learned that her daughter Lay Choo was one of them.
 III. Conflict

External Conflict
 The teenagers now a days as very trouble persons specially school boys and school girls,
they seem to outgrow them self, they spend money, smoking, wearing latest fashion
and doing things that old people do.

Internal Conflict
 While the Taxi Men is driving, he saw a girl that looks like her daughter Lay Choo, she
was with other school girls that are dressed up and very bold.

Interpersonal Conflict
 Lay Choo was fooling them in saying that she has to return to the University to cope up
with her math lesson, he realized that her daughter was so week that she was let herself
be one of the girl that sells themselves just for they vises and leisure’s.
 He followed Lay Choo as they entered a coffee shop where he used to pick a customer
who’s going for a good time so when he got to grab her.
 He slap Lay Choo and almost kill her daughter he locked Lay Choo to a room for three
days, and never let her out.

IV. Plot

A taxi driver rides with a

female teacher passenger

V. Classification (Point of View)

 First Person – The Taxi Driver (main character) is the one who narrates his own story
and experiences in life. He is the protagonist, observer and also the writer of himself.

VI. Symbolism
The Taxi – We know that Taxi Cab is a PUV (Public Utility Vehicle) for public use. The
setup of the story is perfect for the issues being tackled and it speaks of personal things under
public or societal circumstances.

Lay Choo was locked in her room for 3 days – Why 3 days? We think it symbolizes
about our Jesus Christ because he have woken up on the third day because of our sins. Just like
Lay Choo, she was locked in her room for 3 days to woken her up from the mistakes she did and
decides to change.

VII. Theme
 Singapore from time to present time, used to be simple and peaceful, not much
crowded with cars and buses and many changes took place, but the main element
that rises in the story is about prostitution which focuses on teenage prostitution.
 School girls bring clothes in their school bags so that they could change their
uniforms after school, they fool their parents telling that they have extra things to
do at school which make their parents believe and permit them to go.
 Parents must be strict and must identify/recognize the friends of their children in
school.
 Youths must be the role model of the society in implementing good morals and
ethics in countries.
 As a child, we must follow all the counselling and teachings of our parents because
when we comply with them for us to have a good and successful life.