In the Bus

No, this will not be about me being the last person people want to sit with. It’s about other bus experiences.

You know, there are a lot of live entertainments you can have in the bus. Fist, there’s the all classic singer with his guitar. In this type of entertainment, you may find yourself sometimes lucky enough to have a real singer with nice voice. But that chance would be about 1 in 25. The 24 are rather a nuisance: singing off-key, singing too loud, singing not loud enough he looks like someone who is saying his prayer under his breath, or singing religious song. Personally I prefer them not to sing religious songs, it’s rather “provocative” to hear them in such a place as bus. Save those for a more appropriate time and surrounding.

Next, singer with percussions. This could be interesting. Some were armed with used Yakult bottles filled halfway with rice. That would serve as ‘maracas’, I guess. Others resort to Aqua bottle used in a similar fashion. The classic piece of board with flattened-out bottle caps nailed loosely is hard to find nowadays. Some would have rebana or tambourine. In several occasions, I met a whole 4-person band. Yup. One handling the makeshift drum (usually made of stretched plastic or other sheet over round metal frame, sometimes crossed over with chain for more sound effect), one minding the guitar, one would be the leading focal, and the other may be blowing into his harmonica, or simply being backing vocal. Imagine the mightiness of their instruments reverberate in the bus. Rather deafening indeed. Entertaining, nevertheless.

Once, I was ‘honored’ enough to have live violin. What the heck a person with violin-playing ability husking in the bus remains a mystery to me. Here in Jakarta, violin is surely not a common item. And the chance of learning it usually afforded to the haves only. And yet, this young man is playing it in the bus for meager changes.

(to be continued)