Bus Love Diaries

Well, besides the whole money thing with Orville, we were having some fun on the bus with the conductor, Macias.  He was 20 years old and looked like Pauly D from the Jersey Shore(i.e.  looked like an Italian guido with muscles and chains around his neck and a spiked up hairstyle).  He wore a Qatar Airways futbol jersey and a backwards hat with some pimped out leather shoes.

As I mentioned previously, it was pouring rain outside and I just wanted some peace, but it was not happening on this bus ride. After the food incident, Orville and I broke the silence and started making jokes about the conductor.  There he goes up and down the aisle shouting some Honduran Spanish, which sounded like Mexican-fast and hard to follow. He was definitely trying to get some attention walking up and down the aisles.


Orville began talking to him in Spanish(Orville's Spanish is extremely clear and slow). He is asking him where he grew up and then he introduces me and says I'm from America and her name is Priscilla.  When he looks at me it is more like staring. I can tell where this is going as he gives me the "Honduran bedroom eyes." Whatever those must look like-I clearly just found out. 

He had a brand new phone and we asked him where he got it and he said, "His girlfriend bought it for him." He says  that she is not special rather she just buys him gifts.  We are laughing and cracking up that he has a sugar mama. 

Priscilla, "Well clearly you are not available because you have a girlfriend."
Macias, "Everyone has one, two, three girlfriends, this is normal."
Priscilla, "That is universally normal. " lol
Macias, "I want to be with you."
Priscilla, "Que?"
Macias, "I love you."
Priscilla, "You just met me."

Since we are speaking two different kinds of Spanish, he may be hearing something different. I turn into a shy, 10 year old and try to hide out behind my seat.  I have such a great seat that I can feel the engine right underneath my butt with the stop and go-stop and go.  It's just wonderful.  While the bus is driving slower, the love cries are growing stronger. 

 He keeps staring at me as he walks up and down the aisles turning lights on and off asking ten times where people are going or just being obnoxious with his loud Spanish.
He asks me to close my window and I have no idea what he is saying so I say,"No entiendo." His Spanish seriously sounds like a whole new language.

As Orville is talking with him, Macias has no problem understanding him and Orville's Spanish is very clear like mine. When the lights go out, it is the scariest time as he comes back and just stands there staring at me in the dark.

Since we cannot communicate, he is pulling Orville into the conversation and using him as a translator basically asking where I live and if he could come back with me.  out and he is confessing his love for me to Orville and Orville is translating.   And then Orville is telling me each detail of his words.
"He loves you."
" He really love you."
"He wants you to take him with you to Nicaragua" 
"Each place you go, he will follow you." 
"He can keep you safe when traveling." 

With each response Macias was shouting out loud like an Italian."I love you, I love you, take me take me!"

He does not know any English, but all of a sudden he knows I love you and take me with you.  While he is shouting, the tourist in the middle of the bus is turning around laughing. I am so embarrassed and tell him to please lower his voice.  He walks away and then he comes back and takes my hand, "I love you."
Priscilla, "I have a boyfriend I love and care about."
There he goes walking towards the front of the bus and back again
Macias, " I love you Ricilla. I love you."
Priscilla," I'm getting married and we are going to have children when I arrive home."
Macias looks very sad and he finally gets busy with his actual job. 

What an action packed bus ride. Can we say exhausted as loud as Macias can shout, "I love you."

It was quite the entertainment. It was nice for me to take a break and someone else do the entertaining for a night

 

Blind Side

On the van coming to San Pedro terminal, I spoke with a nice man named Orville. I like to call him, Orville Reddenbacher, after the famous popcorn. Orville reminded me of Michael Jordan, dressed sharp in a clean white polo and navy cargo shorts with white shoes and a black baseball hat. His face and physique was definitely similar to him and I told him that and he was completely flattered. He was sharing with me about his work and recommending all these different hotels, but I already had my specific place in mind.  It was helpful, but a bit annoying at the same time. 

Overall, he seemed kind and innocent so I decided to follow behind him. This is not something I ordinarily do, but he seemed harmless and nice. He was also going to La Ceiba and he mentioned a bus company that he enjoyed.  Therefore, I decided "Why Not?" I will just let it be and follow his lead. We shared some Burger King ice cream cones together and we went on the bus. 

It's important to remember that one person's idea of "good" is different from another. It was the typical bus with old seats with most of them broken.  There was one young, blond tourist amongst a bus of locals.  We sat near the back with two seats empty and both of them not really comfortable. 

Directly next to us, I see the yellow shiny coach bus with the guy cleaning the windows.  I am sitting and staring in "Aww" as I look around me.  Sometimes I can save the money and deal with the average bus and other days I just can't.

If I did not take Orville's suggestion, I would have just spent the extra $7 on the Express bus. It was too late because I made friends with him and I took his suggestion and that's 4 hours to La Ceiba of living with my decision. 

Once you partner up with someone, there is no turning back to be quite and alone.  PRIS

Off we went and Orville, 48, who grew up in Roatan Island, was sharing the beauty of Roatan, which he shared Roatan has the best scuba diving in the world. He said, the amount of fish, fauna, and sea life you see underwater is incredible. He spoke about the world of contracting where he had different jobs back in the day until he injured his back and his opportunities significantly decreased.   

While he was extremely kind, I did realize that he could have a learning disability with his speech and reporting how much he struggled in school.  He does have connections with his family in USA yet he has never traveled there and he resides in his house in La Ceiba. He dressed very nice with a polo shirt, khakis, and loafers. He looked a bit like Michael Jordan with the similar physique and height.   

When on the bus, I was looking for some peace to rest and he was respectful of that as he sat across from me and I had my own seat to get comfortable.  Whenever I did get comfortable, we made a stop.  Our first stop was for soda and chips. He was stretching out near the bus and I bought him a Coca cola and shared my pretzels from my bag. 

The next stop is the "Tourist Food stop." I can't stand these stops because they are full of tourists, full of average food, and high prices. It does not interest me at all, but this was going to be my meal for the night because I would not have any opportunity on arrival. 

So, I asked Orville if he was coming and he said, "No."
I said, " Well you should come inside. You need to stretch out and it's better than sitting on the bus."
Well this was clearly perceived as an invitation to eat. 

I am getting some vegetables and rice in small portion and I see Orville filling up his plate with pork, rice, and all kinds of sides. 

We get to the front of the line and she asks if we are together and I say, "No." Then he says, "Yes."
She rings it together and says, "$16.50.
I barely had anything on my plate, but I did get $2.50 cent can of club soda.. I figure we are just splitting, which is fine-whatever I'm tired. I take out $10 and I look at him. He is just looking at me and I say, " You don't have any money." He opens his wallet where has receipts and pulls some coins out of his pocket.  I just silently pay for it and  go sit on the bus.  I lost my appetite as I am tired and annoyed with his dishonesty. 

Of course, he follows me on the bus and says,
" I'm sorry I thought you invited me."

I say, "That's fine just eat or your food will get cold"

Clearly, I have no interest in talking with him and just want to be left in peace. We do not exchange any words and I am just loving the silence.
 
With God's blessing, we arrive to our destination, I pick up my bag from the bottom of the bus and he does as well.  It's dark out and there is only one cab there.  A lady and her daughter step in the car and then we have Orville and I stuck in the middle of them. 
It's so tight that I am tempted to put my arm out the window, but of course it's raining. The first two are dropped off and then it's just Orville and I. I know the name of my guesthouse and I am dropped off  5 minutes after. I get out and pay the driver for my fare and Orville get out with me. 
"What are you doing?" 
"I need some money to pay the cab."

The driver is not understanding us as he is only Spanish speaking, but he is ready to go and just wants to get paid.  Orville informs me that his destination is another 5 miles away and if I can't pay he has to walk. 

Thankfully, the hotel employee comes outside and asks if everything is okay. I tell him it's not okay because he is asking me to pay his cab fare.

"Do you know him?"
"Well, I met him on the bus," I said. 
 "Don't worry for him just come inside, it's raining."

And that is exactly what I did.  I said, "Good luck" and I walked inside. 

Did I feel bad for him like I should have given him the money? Yes, but where there is a will, there is always a way.
I know that Orville will find his way and learn from this experience. 

What's the point of this whole long story?

When I share my experiences, I try to make them serve a certain kind of topic and analysis whether humor, adventure, love, education, travel, loyalty, honesty, heart, simplicity, corruption, sadness, faith and belief etc. This example is to make one think about the person, the situation, the delivery of the need, expectation, and reaction from participant. 

For my giving, it is usually consistent no matter where I go.  
1. )Those who are honest, good people will receive when they least expect it. 
2.) Those who do not ask for things will receive more. 
3.) Those who are dishonest and set expectations for my giving will receive little to nothing. 
4.) Those who are less fortunate living in extreme poverty will receive the most I am able to give. It is usually my time. 

There was a different way for Orville to approach this situation and it involves communication and asking for help not placing someone in uncomfortable situations.  
Also, making the assumption someone has the money is also a mistake.  I do believe he was a nice person, but a confused one.  I helped feed him(which is always important in my work to make a person's stomach full) and it would be possible for him to catch a ride with someone or call another friend as he did leave in La Ceiba. 

Don't let people take you for a ride, let them take their own ride of self learning and growth. PRIS

Some people are nice, kind people, but they are overpowered  need, want, and desire for money. PRIS