The ugly bus driver
We are here to offload your bags said the two young boys who seemed stoked to by this charge. Seth watched over his bags as much as he did his bus driver who also kept looking at him as he spoke to these very abnormal men who all had big bellies. Seth had never seen such fat people, in fact, it was creepy, some had bellies peeking underneath their t-shirts and hanging below the waist. They were standing huddled in a semicircle some leaning on this huge pretty bus that surpassed the one Seth had arrived with which was a rainbow of different colors and parts. This bus was bigger and better in length and width with soft curves and grove, no sellotaped windows or shuttered rear indicators plus it had a uniform pearl-white color.
Everything and everyone in the congested terminus was foreign to Seth even the atmosphere people shouting, cars hooting hysterically, everyone seemed busy like bees on a honeycomb, some coming some leaving. Yet amidst all this hysteria Seth kept vigil over his bag just as his mother had instructed him, looking at the driver one by one all the men would take sneak peeks at Seth and pretend otherwise.
Now the talk started to drag as the other men were talking and it was Seth’s driver who now kept turning around now and again with anxious eyes. Seth with his bag stood erect and calm, he knew that when adults speak it is rude to listen or look so he found something to occupy his mind. He started looking around at all the busy people who also carried their luggage’s, these were families of different sizes, some had both parents along with their children, but others it was just the mother and child, some went solo. Some people carried fruit baskets and many other things that Seth knew not and all these were exchanged for the button without a hole and the one who receives the button always seemed happier than the one who would get the nourishment of an orange or banana.
This grieved Seth but he held steadfast to the hope of a Brighter Future. Seth noticed that these buses had a similar sound and smoke came out of them except for when they stopped, this he wondered why? Some juxtaposition was how the masses dresses compared to him, his mother’s vintage couture juxtaposed against the massed stood apart from the flamboyant array of colors textures and designs that people wore, from head to toe. Some even had different hair color and textures, unlike his natty afro.
Just as Seth was lost in his new world the bus driver came back to his rescue and told him to follow him to the next bus that would take him straight to his brothers. "Greetings son," said the another bus driver who was so ugly that he also knew it; Seth would probably go awol like a headless chicken should he had not tries to smile. “Hi, sir” replied the downtrodden young boy who had a lot on his plate to melt with fear of an old fat hippopotamus with a sagging belly. “My name is Zwelakhe and I will be your driver to Kimberly,” said the guy who robbed a chimpanzee’s face. “Nice to meet you, I am Seth the son of Mthimkhulu and Nolwandle.” respectful and uncompromising was his tone.
Well then son you can go in and sit here in front, your bags will be loaded on the trailer. “Pardon me, sir, I mean not to be rude but I would like to see and assure that my bags are loaded and safe in obedience my parent's command.” “Then so be it, young man, boys take all those and load them onto the trailer” decreed the fat bus driver and so it was done. Thank you, sir, you have been far too kind said Seth to his former bus driver as he took his tiny little body into the front seat and closed the door.
The men were all evidently shocked at this young boy’s assertive demeanor. While the drivers were awaiting their buses to be full Seth looked and the sun and saw it was lunch time, as usual, so he reached for his leather bag, opened his hatched lunch box made of cane strips. He chose a big piece of his mother’s fat chicken which was cooked to perfection with wild organic herbs and spices then left to dry. Bit by bit passengers came in and the bus was full, the driver came to start the engine and left while passengers were filling the record book. This time Seth had boarded a minibus.
To be continued...
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