Shelly-Ann Thompson, Freelance Reporter
TRAVELLING BY bus to St. Thomas to Kingston is traumatic. There is no way that I can sugar-coat travelling on the coaster buses to my hometown. I love my parish and have living there since 1989, it is beautiful and peaceful. But, the five in a row seating arrangements and the pot-hole riddled roads sometimes makes me consider changing address.
On an average, the drivers of the St. Thomas buses do not speed. Compared to stories I have heard about buses taking 10 minutes to get to May Pen, Clarendon and drivers going 100 miles per hour, they are good. But the uncomfortable seats, rude conductors and loud music make up for a terrible ride.
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At the the buse park downtown on East Queen Street, you are greeted with shouts of, "Morant Bay!" by back-up men and conductors. They scramble for Morant Bay passengers as it pays more, ($150), than the route to Yallahs, ($100). If you are not strong they will grab your bag or even your child and take them to the bus they want you to take.
If all the window seats are taken, you may be forced to sit beside another passenger on the middle seat. During the journey, the loud music is made worse by passengers who sound like contestants at a karaoke session. Add to that, conversations about people's private lives or cellphone discussions that will either amuse or disgust you.
One bus conversation that has stayed in my mind is that which happened last year the same night of the Digicel Rising Stars finals. The passengers constantly yelled about who is best - Christopher Martin or Noddy Virtue. "Anybody whey sey Noddy can't sing dem a eiddiat," said one passenger. The driver too was involved in the conversation, "Only one type a tune alone Noddy can sing. As a matter of fact Chris can't sing either him sound like girl." The conversation became violent and the passengers came close to fighting physically.
Just yesterday I overheard a conversation about someone who "blows up" her $20,000 monthly salary on clothes, "instead of banking some or going back to school." And, a few weeks ago, I heard a passenger telling her friend about her extravagant shopping for a funeral. "Mi a go a 'town ya now go buy mi clothes fi go a funeral Saturday; $4,000 mi a go spend pan mi dress because mi want something whey look good, as a pure gal from Canada and England a go di deh and mi affi look good too, a what do you man."
Despite these experiences, the ride on the bus to St. Thomas teaches you many things about the sociological aspects of Jamaica and the life experiences of others. Anyhow, I know of two couples who met on the bus to St. Thomas who are now married. But that's for another story.
