Village Buses

At least once a week I ride the village bus into Punta Gorda town usually for groceries... On each village bus (which are 'retired' US school buses) there's the driver and a 'conductor'. The conductor's job is to assist passengers on and off the bus with their loads and the collection of bus fares.

The two conductors on the two village buses that service San Miguel strut identically. There's a certain cocky 'flare' as they walk down the center aisle collecting the fares. I can do an excellent imitation (I think) of their mannerisms but Greg (a fellow PCV in the neighboring village of Silver Creek) does it better. There's good reason for their 'strut'...they are among the few that have jobs with paychecks in Toledo. (The vast majority primarily live off the land) So it's really 'cool' to be a conductor.

I counted the number of stops my bus made this morning--42! The villagers wait at an area closest to their front door and it makes no nevermind if there is another person waiting a mere 15 to 20 feet away. Also, invariably, they wait on the upslope of a hill...I think it might make good mechanical sense if they caught the bus at the top or the downslope?? The bus slips a bit back down the hill until the gears engage and the engine STRAINS...mechanics must have plenty of work here.

There are two people generally to a seat (although I've seen moms with their 5 children all sitting together--6 total!!) I'm usually one of the first ones to load as I am at the beginning of the route (p.s. I wait on the downslope) So there's always a empty seat next to me. That spot is usually the last to fill--clearly, I'm not a desireable seatmate!! Children and some of the younger Mayan ladies are the exception daring to sit with the White Lady.

Today, a beautiful young Mayan lady CHOSE to sit next to me eventhough there were plenty of empty seats. She took her seat without a word, glance lowered, but a hint of a slight smile. After several minutes I asked her where she was going (some get off at neighboring villages) and she answered "PG". A bit later I told her she was a BEAUTIFUL girl. She giggled softly, covering her mouth, and still looking downward...definitely NO eye contact.

Next, I asked her if she was married (appeared to be about 20 or 21 which is old NOT to be married here). She answered, "no", and I blurted out without much thought, "well, good for you!" With that she giggled a little more, hand still covering her smile. A few minutes later, a group of three young Mayan men boarded the bus and I commented that the one was really cute. More giggles...Then one got on that I said was too skinny and another one was too short. By now, she is almost laughing out loud, head raised and looking RIGHT at me!! (I'm sure she was thinking, what a weirdo I was??) but nonetheless, I KNOW she was enjoying her ride to town.

On the rest of our ride to PG, her whole posture had changed...her glance was no longer downward and the smile had become unleashed. Apparently, when it comes to the 'mating game', there are no differences in age, ethnicities, and no borders that divide us...we are ALL sisters...

God bless us all...tracy