Saturday, April 13, 2019

Picture of the Week: Hang in There

For many Filipinos work and home are synonymous. None more so than construction workers who generally live onsite for the duration of the project which could be several months. For others it could be just a weekend away from home.



It seems these guys are returning back to the shop after a weekend of working the sound system at a fiesta. A close look near their heads reveals a rice cooker and the top of the ever ubiquitous 5 gallon water jug. Perhaps there are also blankets rolled up and tossed onto the speakers and cases. Likely they slept in the truck in shifts with one keeping a watchful eye on the equipment. In the Philippines the party does go all night long.

But why are they riding like this? Why has the equipment been arranged in such a manner that these men cannot comfortably sit down? For that mater why don't they ride home on a motorcycle? Surely one of the men hanging on the back or sitting in the cab have a motorcycle? Why not make arrangements to transport everyone safely if the cab is full? Why drive with the doors open and have two men hanging on the back for dear life risking both the equipment and the men? One quick swerve and all those expensive speakers and soundboards will fall out into the road making quite a mess. Why? Why? Why? Why!?

Well you know what Alfred Lord Tennyson says:
Theirs not to make reply,
Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to do and die
https://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poem/charge-light-brigade 

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