The sight of overloaded jeepneys on Philippine roads is such a ubiquitous one, that we do not blink anymore at seeing these vehicles loaded with the occasional live chicken or pig, fresh vegetables and fruits, flowers, assorted appliances, and -- if there is still space amidst all of these -- people.
This picture of a jeepney with a cargo of jackfruits (langka) was taken one Saturday afternoon in Cavite. With the riders hanging on the external rails of the jeepney, one would wonder what they would do if the jeepney suddenly hit a freakishly deep pothole and suddenly send the jackfruits tumbling down -- would they (a) try to catch them in the hopes of making off with an ingredient for homemade halo-halo? (b) be good samaritans and chase after them at the risk of life and limb to hand them back to the owner? (c) avoid being hit on the face for fear of having their pores exponentially enlarged by the nasty-skinned things.
I think that a more probable response would be (d) adopt as nonchalant a face as possible and pretend that the hefty piles of langka were not raining down on them. After all, why let go of their hard-fought places hanging on to the estribo and risk others taking their place?
Leave the jackfruits to the pedestrians. To paraphrase something that Marie Antoinette may not have actually said anyway: Let them eat langka.
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