Reasons to Hate the Commute

#197 Sutsot ~ anonymous

The doors of the LRT line 2 sometimes don't open at Mabulo station. And sometimes they don't open at Pinagbuhatan station.

As anyone who gets off at either station can tell you, the two stations look EXACTLY the same. So when the train doors open and the passengers pour out, I'm sure you can understand the confusion.

There are signs everywhere saying what station it is - it doesn't help. When you're in a hurry to get out and get home or to your place of work or wherever, you just go with what your eyes tell you the first time and don't pay any further attention. Also, when you're tired or pressed for time, you take a chance and stop at the station that's nearest to where you're going, in spite of the train driver's recorded warnings not to get off at that station if you're in a hurry.

When you get off at Pinagbuhatan when you're supposed to go to Mabulo, or vice versa, you need to take the train again. That's the only way back. And you're probably going to be late waiting for the next train, because not all train doors open at Pinagbuhatan or Mabulo, which sucks.

Here's another thing that sucks: there's no way to get to Mabulo from Pinagbuhatan and vice versa. You're probably asking: what's the big deal? Even if I get off at the wrong station, I can just take a bus or something to the right one.

Well...no. This would work if you got off at ANY OTHER station. Not at Mabulo or Pinagbuhatan.

The people outside Pinagbuhatan station are just plain weird. They won't answer until you make "sutsot" to the person you wish to speak to, in particular. They speak in gibberish, they look you right in the eyes, but it feels like they're talking THROUGH you, not TO you per se.

And when you try to talk, to ask if they know how to speak English or Tagalog or Cebuano or any other language, they'll look at you blankly, then walk away.

You'll also know you're in Pinagbuhatan when people on the street greet each other by touching palms. And it seems people greet each other randomly, ALL THE TIME. They touch palms, converse a bit in their made-up language, and leave. Does everyone at Pinagbuhatan know each other?

I don't know how obvious it is to others when I mistakenly exit through Pinagbuhatan, because people there generally don't look at you until you try to make "sutsot" to specific people first. Luckily, the LRT crew at the station can understand English, they saved my bacon (and my sanity) a number of times.

On the other hand, you'll know from a glance if a person mistakenly arrived at Mabulo station, but expected to get out at Pinagbuhatan. They stand at a corner very straight and stiff, trying to make "sutsot" at every passer-by, one hand in the air, as if they're waiting for someone to give them a high-five.

The LRT staff at Mabulo know what to do to help, but first you have to make "sutsot" at them and call their attention to the poor person standing outside the station.

If anyone from the Sinauna Group is reading this - this system has got to stop. Warning signs are not enough: your trains have to open their doors at ALL stops. Those poor lost souls from Pinagbuhatan need a break.

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[Ed's note for non-Filipino readers: * - "sutsot" is a Pinoy way of calling to each other using a loud "sst" sound with pursed lips, as if kissing the air. No one knows when this took root, but some speculate that it's been around since prehistoric times.

There are also stories from great-grandparents about mystical creatures making "sutsot" at passers-by to call them over, with the intent of kidnapping them, playing a trick on them, or eating them whole.

It's fine as a good-humored gesture between friends. However, it's generally considered rude, so don't make a habit of it. If you do it to strangers, prepare to be mauled or ignored.]