Taxi Short Story
This a short story when I'm applying a Job in Eastwood, Quezon City. I was in 
Mandaluyong when I need a taxi to went for my interview in Eastwood. When the taxi came I 
sat in front at the passenger seat at side of the taxi driver. He said " Ma'am Good Morning" in a 
lively way then asking me " Ma'am pasan po kayo"(where will you go?), and my reply is " sa 
may Eastwood po sa may McKinley building"( in Eastwood at McKinley Building). The truth is I 
rent a Taxi because I didn’t know how to travel using bus and jeepney going to this area. Badly 
the Taxi driver is also no knowledge about the building that I said to him, so I told him that I will 
used google Map to assist him. 
And the story starts here...
The taxi driver surprise me by saying "ma'am alam mo! ba na dati akong drug addict" (You 
know ma'am! that I'm drug addict before?". "Oh my God" I told to myself then thinking "please 
I wanna go down!, but we are in the middle of the highway... I just crying inside and pray Lord 
please take care of me...So I reply " Totoo ba Kuya? Pano nangyari ?" (Really Kuya? What 
happened?) but you will never see in his face that he is a drug addict, he looks so healthy and 
kind. that's why I calmly listen to his story. 
Taxi Driver: "Ma'am alam kong nabigla ka pero totoo po iyun dati akong drug addict, huwag po 
sana kayong matakot. Tumigil na ako mula noon natapos ko ung rehab ko ngayon 2019, 
kasama ako nahuli nung nagsimula Oplan Tokhang ni Duterte nung 2016." Alam mo po ba 
ma'am two years akong nasa rehabilitation center nun. Akala ko talaga hinding hindi na ko 
makakalabas dun." 
(Ma’am I know that you are surprise but that is the truth I was a drug addict before, please 
don’t be afraid of me. I stop since I finish my rehabilitation this 2019 and I was caught during 
the OPLAN TOKHANG on 2016 by Duterte administration. You know ma’am I been there in 
rehabilitation center almost two years. I thought I will never free in that place.)
Me: Kuya paano kayo nakalaya at bakit nyo naman po naisip na hindi po kayo makakaalis dun?
(Kuya how did you get free and why did you think you couldn't get out of there?) 
Taxi Driver: Alam mo ma’am ang hirap kasi dun at saka po hindi po kasi kami nakakakita ng 
Liwanag, tapos alam mo po ma;am araw araw sinasabuyan kami ng tubig na may yelo! sobrang 
lamig. Sa bawat araw na lumilipas talagang napagsisihan ko bakit pa ako ng drugs.
(You know, ma'am, it's so difficult to be there and we can't see the Light, then you know,
ma'am, every day we get sprayed with ice water! it's freezing. Every day that passed I really 
regretted why I was still on drugs.)
Me: Mahirap talaga yun Kuya, kasi kahit saan naman po tignan mali po talaga ang mag drugs at
walang mabuting idudulot! papanget ka lang dun, (biro ko sa kanya). Mabuti na lang po nakaalis 
na kayo sa rehabilitation. 
That’s really thoughts Kuya! If you can see, drugs never bring goods to us! I just make you ugly ( 
I joked to him).The good things that you are out of rehabilitation center.)
Taxi Driver: Ay ou! “Praise the Lord”. Sa wakas makalalabas na ko tuwang tuwa ako dun pati 
ung mga kasabayan ko. Paglabas naming silaw na silaw kami sa araw nung nakalabas kami sa 
rehabilitation, ang sakit sa mata grabeh. Tas naalala ko nung nahuli ako buti na lang hindi ko 
ginawa… (natahimik syang bigla)
(Oh Yes! “praised the Lord” Finally I’m free! I’m really happy and also my companions who 
ended rehabilitation. When we went outside rehabilitation, we are dazzled by the sun and its 
really hurt in our eyes. I also remember when the time I caught by police… (he became silent)
Me: Ang alin? Kuya. Ang magdrugs?
(What is that Kuya? Being Drug User?)
Taxi Driver: Bukod dyan Ma’am…Kasi nagkaroon ng buy bust operation sa lugar naming nun at 
doon ako nahuli hehehe… tapos nung nakadapa na kami ung pulis nag baba ng baril sa harapan 
ko! Ito ma’am ung pinagpapasalamat ko hindi ko ginawa. Alam ko sa sarili ko nun if pinulot ko 
ung baril magiging katapusan na ng buhay ko. Kasi may iba pang pulis ang nakapaligid sa amin. 
Kung pinulot ko un hindi ko na mararanasan itong ginhawa ng buhay tinatamasan ko ngayon…. 
Kasi patay na ko kung magkaganun.
(That’s another thing… There was buy bust operation in our place and that’s the time I was 
caught by the police hahaha. Then when we were on our knees, the police put the gun in my 
front! This, ma'am, is what I'm thankful for, I didn't do it. I knew that if I picked up the gun it 
would be the end of my life. If I picked it up, I would not be able to experience the comfort of life 
that I am enjoying now.... Because I'm already dead then.
Me: Ahhh!!! ( namangha ako kay kuya kasi naman nakapagisip pa sya). Mabuti na lang kuya 
nasa matinong pag-iisip ka nung oras na iyon, kung hindi… iyon na nga talaga final day mo.
(Ahhh!!! (I was amazed to him because he was still able to think in that situation). It's a good 
thing Kuya that you are in your right mind that time, if it's not… that will be your final day.
Taxi Driver: Ou ma’am! Laki pasasalamat ko talaga nun. Kaya pagkalabas ko ng rehabilitation 
una ko hinanap ung asawa ko at nagsorry ako sa kanya. Alam mo ba ma’am hindi nya pa rin ako 
pinapansin ng dalawang araw tapos ginawa ko inabangan ko sya sa banyo….( Medyo sensor na 
sa part na to hindi ko na lagay kasi personal na kasiyahan na ni kuya). Tapos nun ko din 
napatunayan sa sarili ko na mahal talaga ako ng asawa. Sa dami ng ginawa kong mali at tagal ko 
sa pagkakarehab, hindi nya ako pinagpalit… At ako pa rind aw ung inintay nya.
(Yes ma'am! I'm really thankful for that. When I’m out on rehabilitation, I first looked for my 
wife and apologized to her. Do you know, ma'am, she still didn't pay attention to me for two 
days and then I did, I waited for her in the bathroom.... (It's a bit of a sensor in this part, I don't 
put it anymore because it's his personal pleasure). Then I also proved to myself that my wife 
really loves me. With the number of mistakes, I made and the time I spent in rehabilitation, he 
didn't look for another man... And he still waited for me!!!
Me: Wow Kuya! ang ganda po ng story ninyo about life changing…. Wag na po kayo mag drugs 
ha…(biro ko sa kanya, pero madami talaga kwento si Kuya). 
(Wow Kuya! Your story about life changing is beautiful... Don't do drugs anymore ha!... (I was 
joking with him, but Kuya really has a lot of stories)
Taxi Driver: Noon ma’am madinig ko lang ang drugs natatakot na ko. Nagtatago na ko agad sa 
kwarto. Syempre ngayon kailangan kong maghanap buhay kaya medyo kabado pa rin ako pag 
nakakarinig ako ng drugs. Tapos ma’am alam mo po ba ngpusher din ako dati ung mga 
pinagkukuhanan ko ng drugs noon wala na. Hindi ko na alam balita sa kanila. Tapos ma’am 
lumipat na rin kami ng tirahan malayo sa kanila, kasi nga ayoko na talagang mag drugs at 
bumalik sa rehabilitation center. Salamat Ma’am sa pakikinig.
(Back then, ma'am, I was scared when I heard about drugs. I immediately hid in the room. Of 
course now I have to work to live, so I'm still a little nervous when I hear about drugs. Then 
ma'am, do you know that I used to be a pusher too, the people I used to get drugs from back 
then are no longer there. I don't know have any news about them. Then, ma'am, we moved 
away from them, because I really don't want to do drugs and to go back to the rehabilitation 
center. Thank you Ma'am for listening.)
Me: Walang ano man Kuya, nakakainspired din naman ung kwento nyo… Kuya malapit na po 
ung Building dito isang liko na lang sa kaliwa.
(No problem Kuya, your story is also inspiring... Kuya, the Building is near here, just a turn to the 
left.)
Taxi Driver: Ah ganun ba sige sige ma’am… Ayun na ma’am ung Mckinley ibaba ko na po kayo 
sa may harap ng Building.
(Ah, okay ma'am... Well, ma'am, Mckinley is there, I'll drop you off in front of the Building.)
Me: Sige Kuya maraming salamat!..Bye Bye Kuya… See you around po.
(Okay Kuya, Thank you very much!... Bye Bye Kuya See you around)
Taxi Driver: Sige Ma’am! Good luck din sa interview nyo!!!
(Okay Ma’am! Goodluck to you interview!)
Most of the time when I arrived in the place, I won’t say good bye to taxi driver except to the 
taxi driver like Kuya that has good vibe and talk nicely to their customer. Even though I listen to 
his story four years ago still reminiscing in my mind his story about changing life and 
appreciation to the person who love you the most even in your worst. You can never change 
the past but you can make change for your future. Hope I meet him again and he is alright. 
Thank you for reading to my short story.