April 8 2014 'the only constant is change'

Today, is the first day of the new season of chronicles without the faithful Comp in the first row. It was indeed  a day of transitions as it is also the first week of the school vacation, so that the road is much clearer, the trip much faster and many of the regulars being absent.

Yesterday, at the stop we met AC, the other faithful who takes the SLC. When she arrived I asked Comp to give me her fare to make change and she demanded that I ask more politely and also say 'please'. We both reminded her that according to her custom, taking the fare without asking was the norm and she was only getting a taste of her own medicine. AC remarked that since she had given me her fare last Friday, she had paid in advance and so had no problem. 

Of interest both yesterday and today was the revised seating arrangements. R2R  and R2L are now sitting on the same side of the bus on the left, side by side, but still no interactions between them. Yesterday Comp and I sat in front of them, today it was the same but of course Comp was absent so I sat in front of R2L, Comp's seat being taken by an unknown traveller. 

Of special interest was the fact that the bus driver yesterday, was the assumed father of BDD, the father of the bus driver's daughter. This was the first time for the year that he had been seen on the route, Comp had spotted him immediately as he passed up in the bus to turn and make the trip to town. It took me much longer to bring the face back to memory but the recollection eventually returned. To confirm that he was indeed whom we assumed, as he passed the area where BDD normally boards the bus, he tooted  the horn of the bus as if to salute someone in a house nearby. Comp believes she was able to identify the house he was signaling, such superpowers I however, have not been able to master.

Since I was delegated with the responsibility of custodian of the'black bag', it was my responsibility to distribute the booty. Yesterday, I handed a mint and mini chocolate to R2L  with a comment that I was trying to empty the bag, which elicited the inquiry 'why' and gave the opportunity to explain that Comp would be missing for a little while. Me and Comp both had our provision and the bag returned to safekeeping for another day. Today, the mint bag remained safely in its storeroom, I did not have the heart to bring it out.

At the stop  this morning, I was discussing with AC, the apparent changes coming to the transportation system. From this morning I noticed for the first time, the new Well House to Warrens cross country bus. This came down at 6.15 and has apparently replaced the Bridgetown bus. This was bitterly critised  by a commuter  at the stop, who said it was an ill timed and bad decision, the action was also critised by AC. Then we discussed the changes in the terminal with the erection of monitors at each of the departure gates. It was mooted, that these electronic monitors would probably give  departure information on the various routes and might replace the announcements made on the public address system. 

The trip today, without Comp was quiet and dreary  with me taking the time to write this chronicles whilst on the way. This change will signal an evolution in the future of the chronicles. To me it is either evolution or extinction, for it will not be the same. The process of time will tell which, but as the popular cliche goes, 'the only thing constant  in life is change'.

¡Dios te bendiga!