Have you ever taken time to observe what happens in the morning when commuting to work? For those of you driving I guess you have your own drama with other motorists but for those of us who use public transport, we have both the drama from other motorists and that of other passengers in the bus or train.
Some of my best experiences include when people get on the minibus and everyone gives a K500 note to the conductor, the look on his face explains it all. So when he notices the notes in peoples hands he just screams; "ma K50 basi, ndilibe change cha ma K500". The commuters are always furious at this but you know most of the time the conductor gets his way.
Another one is when a conductor tells you this bus will go up to this stop, so you get on the bus, but by the time you reach that particular stop, there is a traffic policeman standing, and then the minibus just cruises past the stop. Passengers start yelling and the driver and the conductor say "you can get off here if you want we dont care" (this is after you have paid them, so they have nothing to lose).
The funny one was when we reached a popular stop, where there is always a number of "call boys" (oyitanira), inviting you to get into whichever bus you want. And on approach something was strange, the stop was silent, everything well organised and no call boy was in sight. Looking closely there were Police men in uniform who were standing by the stop running other duties. Just the presence of the police officers alone managed to get order on the stop. It was so funny that I could not stop laughing. It was the toughest punishment to the minibus industry. It was like "silent torture" hahahahahaah! Anyway the conductor looked at me and smiled. Well one thing you must understand is that call boys are not allowed in town, anyway, it was an interesting experience.
One time I was in a bus heading towards Blantyre so another bus drives past and tell our minibus driver that there are more passengers on the stop in the opposite direction. Our driver makes a U-turn without telling the passengers (typical), then heads off full speed to where his coleague told him to go. The bus keeps going on and on and there are no passengers in sight, after 2km we spot two passengers and we pick them up and turn around heading back to Blantyre. Furious at this we (the passengers who were already on the bus) yell at the conductor and driver who at this time are apologetic. A few minutes later the bus comes to a stop "yatha mafuta"(t the bus has run out of fuel) says the driver... you should have seen the anger on our faces. We then had to get off and catch another bus. But hey that's part of the deal when using public transport.
On the other side of the world, people always look angry in the morning.. everybody rushing to work trying to be there on time. They stop to buy coffee on their way and they walk so fast reading all the information on their connections at the same time concentrating on their coffee in the hand as well as avoiding a head on collision with other on going commuters. Its such a hustle that by the time you get to work its like whew! I made it. When it's time to get back home its just the same thing. Do this everyday you reach a point of just being angry just by the thought of going to work and coming back, I guess that's why everyone seems to be so angry.
On the train people are not talking to each other, passengers either have their nose burried in their books or are listening to their music. The train could be fully packed but everyone is in their own bubble.
Comparing this with the "Warm Heart of Africa", going to work is always the time you gather stories to tell over lunch, about the driver who did this and the passenger who did that and all sorts of things that we see on the road.
When they say home is best I think these are the small little details that make home is best. But trust me there are also reasons why people leave their homes and survive a new environment.
What a life!
