VIGNETTES ON A BUS

The definition of a vignette is a short impressionistic scene that focuses on one moment or gives a trenchant impression about a character, idea, setting, or object.

I am never bored. Quite the opposite, the world and all that is in it, is wonderful and interesting. When Tina was a patient in the Bristol Royal Infirmary and the only way to get there was a bus ride and then I could take in all that is happening around me. [Driving a car takes full concentration.] I have already given you one encounter , Beetlejuice and his lovely dog, and here are some more vignettes on bus journeys to/from Weston-super-Mare to my beloved Tina every day.

Anne from Kenya. I met Anne, a widow from Kenya, who was waiting to board the W1 departing 2100hrs one dark autumn evening. She was a care worker going on shift a home for "vulnerable young persons" in Weston. In other words a home for recovering addicts. Anne is one of those African women becoming an intense threatening granny that scares the life out of African lads. Great character who had a lot of experience of Africa including teaching in Swaziland. She was incensed with the King there who married one of her pupils who was 15 years old! The journey passed quickly and everyone was bemused by our exchanges on various issues.

Tobias from Guinea-Bissau. Tobias is an African from one of that continent's poorest nations. He was thrilled to know that I had visited his country albeit when it was still a Portuguese colony. Actually Portugal did not have "colonies" per se each of those places were considered part of Portugal so in all probability Tobias holds a Portuguese passport. By the way, Portugal did not practice racial prejudice, it functioned under merit, those who were qualified and competent ruled. Unfortunately socialism replaced that system. Tobias speaks fluent English, French, and Portuguese, and is university educated. His job? assisting Alzheimers UK raise desperately needed funds to counter that dreaded scourge in this nation.

Ironic isn't it? Africans from poor nations helping this rich country?

Trees in the mist. Trees are so wonderful and en route to Bristol there are many wonderful old oaks.

Some mornings the weather was autumnal and I am reminded of this poem:

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness

Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun

Conspiring with him how to load and bless

With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eves run;

To bend with apples the moss'd cottage-trees,

And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;

I was fortunate with the weather and only once did the wind blow from the sea and the tide that night was in so spray was in the air. It was cold - it was lonely.

The birthday girl.  One evening there were four young teenagers at the Bristol Terminus, two boys and two girls, happy and chattering with the memories of doing nice things that day. The mother was there, smiled, and said hello, she said it was her daughter's 14th birthday. She was lovely and vivacious like Grace. I told them the story of the polar bear that boarded the German tug/supply ship in Hudson Bay, they were intrigued and entertained. The bus came, we parted with smiles, they hastened upstairs on the bus. Then I noticed, the birthday girl's long hair was arranged to hide hair loss. My heart was heavy, I thought Dear God, please no .......

Isambard Kingdom Brunel. Voted the second Greatest Briton of all time, after Winston Churchill, Isambard Kingdom Brunel was one of the 19th century engineering giants. His achievements, many of which are still part of our everyday lives and landscape, are there every time you take a bus trip from Weston to Bristol. The railway at Yatton, then the glory of the Clifton Suspension Bridge in the distance, and as the bus comes into the city we pass the S/S "Great Britain" and then I would phone my darling Tina and tell her " I am nearly there to see you."