Tuesday last I was forced into using public transportation because of the horrors of the previous day due to the Sea Lots situation, (and others like it of late) in and out of Port-of-Spain, and what a revelation the experience has been!
As I parked my old Lancer at Kings Wharf, San Fernando, extremely apprehensive about the typical Trini jostle I was about to experience trying to get on to a bus, I was so pleasantly surprised at the order and efficiency of the ticketing and boarding systems and the politeness of the personnel, so much so that in a few minutes I was on board a luxury coach wending my way to town.
And luxury it was, for not only was the bus spanking new on the inside, but had TV as well as the little controls overhead that you would normally associate with an aircraft, which, of course, the curious Trini in front of me had to dabble in as if he were actually in an aircraft, adding to my enjoyment. And after a smooth, uninterrupted ride, I was in PoS in less than 40 minutes!
Returning home in the afternoon, I was again worried about the prospect of riding the water taxi, but once again, the service and the personnel, almost cosmopolitan in character, announcements and all, were a revelation, and as I looked through the glass of the water taxi on my way home, enjoying the view of the distant coastline and sharing in the serenity of those around me, some with their eyes half-closed, I thought of the horrors on Wrightson Road at precisely that time, until San Fernando Hill would suddenly appear, and in less than 40 minutes was back in my old Lancer completing the journey back home.
This exciting journey to and from PoS which I had initially dreaded, but which turned out to be so beautifully different, made me wax philosophical a little about the many things we are averse to or we take for granted, but which contain their own intrinsic beauty and excitement and are just waiting to be discovered.On another level it made me think also that although there is much ugliness in this land, there is much that people should be thankful for, if only they would look hard enough.
Dr Errol Benjamin
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