This morning I was picked up by the Grenada bus, not a bus in the Greyhound fashion but more in a hippie VW motif. Not occupied by peace loving beatniks with stringy hair and bad breath heading to a Phish show, but with thuggish looking black fellows adorned with long nails. Immediately overwhelmed with the overpowering beats pulsating from the deep bass subwoffers and tweeters throughout-"sesame street sesame street sesame street yeah yeah" fills the bus from the local guerrilla radio station. Mid beat the DJ lowers the volume enough so he can be heard with the music in the background and his deep Rasta voice says "a car accident has dampened the spirit mon of this mornings show, the car....injuries unknown has hit a pole." The Rasta Rap beat "sesame street sesame street" continues as a subdued gasp from the riders acknowledges this news. Suddenly the bus pulls over to pick up a large jolly black women. She piles in and sits next to me on the bench that has room for two of me but not one of me and one of her. She looks at me and says "y'all gonna be squished, but I'm sure you like that" other riders looking on and nodding to see how the white boy may handle the situation. I acknowledge that in fact I may enjoy it and she starts whooping with laughter and then she says "did ya all hear about the car hittin da pole?" News travels fast with such a collectively concerned society. The driver with his white nylon hosiery over his head with a hole in the top and a fro sticking out the top reminding me of a Dairy Queen sugar cone with vanilla ice cream and chocolate jimmies, gracefully using is inch long index finger nail pumps up the volume after embarking the Jolly women....the deep Rasta voice continues "we pray for the occupants or lone occupant of the vehicle that has struck the pole and hope this dark mood that has been cast over us all will be lifted." Jolly lady gives us all an Amen! The Rasta DJ then feels that Ziggy Marley's "One Bright Day" might serve to remove the shadow the wreck has cast. Ziggy's voice permeates "one bright day we get togetha" as my stop rapidly approaches, I rap on the roof to signal the Ice Cream cone to pull over, Jolly women gets off my lap and everyone wishes me a nice day.
This is how I started my day. A slice of sailors life amongst a different people. Small snippets like this sustain me.
Capt Chris
PS: The photo is a typical bus and driver......full of color and banter
1 comment:
Captain Chris,
I had a hard time containing the sound of my laughter as I was reading your "Bus Story" (in a place that an impromptu outburst would be inappropriate and likely result in requests for an explanation that I was not at liberty to provide). However, your story and the accompanying tickle in my stomach were exactly what I needed at that moment. So, once again, thank you for sharing your experiences, and we hope to keep in touch with you!
All the best,
Debbie Stone in Vermont
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