On Thursday I was asked where I would go if I could go anywhere. Not wanting to break the air or seriousness in the group I said Australia and tried to make up some interesting reason why. What I was going to say was "I would like to visit the moon in a rocket ship high in the air. Yes I'd like to visit the moon but I don't think I'd like to live there." And the reason is "I would like to look down at the earth from above, though I'd miss all the places and people I love. So although I might stay there for one afternoon I don't want to live on the moon." Honestly, if not the moon, nowhere else matters. I like leaving Barbados and sometimes I yearn for the opportunity to pack my bag and say to my parents and the Bajan life "see you in a few years" but there are days like Saturday that make me say "Dang, I'm glad to be in Bim!"
On Saturday my dad, my brother and I were rushing to town because we were late. I live on the far side of the moon so there's a grace period of about 15 minutes where, if we drive fast enough for long enough we would still be relatively early. The traffic was unusually heavy for a Saturday but we were making good haste. Ten minutes into the journey (which is 15 at the speed limit) we rounded this corner and butt up on a big line of traffic. "Oh man!" my dad said as he slammed the steering wheel. "Don't tell me that man hit that bus!" As usual I was giggling at the whole ordeal because it mean that we had to find a way to turn around and then my dad would drive like a maniac (as vehicles are meant to be driven).
It looked like an accident. There was a line of traffic behind the bus and a line behind the car, facing the bus. Everyone sat in their cars and waited for the drivers to get out. Then the door of the car opened and a man jumped out. But the bus driver didn't move. Then suddenly, from the driver's window, a Styrofoam container wrapped in a plastic bag stood on the plank of the driver's hand like a sailor about to walk the plank. The man ran around the back of the bus to the door and stuck his head through it. Noticing his mistake he ran around to the driver, took the container, ran back in the car and drove off into the sunset.
Ahh! I love being here! Nobody complained, no one cursed. They just put their cars in gear and moved along. There really is never a dull moment in Barbados.
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