Traffic Jam

Rosita now has to be picked up between 2:30 and 2:45. I try to be there at the bus stop by 2:30. The days I have errands, I try to plan everything where I can get to the bus stop no later than 2:30. If I have to wait, I keep a book in my backpack.

Today, I came out of PriceSmart, loaded the groceries in the car and it was 1:20. A lot of time before I had to meet the bus, but not really enough to park and go in some other store. I slowly headed to the bus stop.

Thankfully, I had that extra time.

I soon saw traffic backed up and realized it was backed up at the exit to the bus stop and ultimately home. Things are not like they are in the states. Where I live, there is no alternate route home. I sat there and sat there and once in a while would move one car length. I was watching the minutes tick away. When I finally got on the Choluteca highway at 2:30, I was hoping I was ahead of the bus. It took me twenty minutes to inch along the next two blocks. I fought my way into the proper lane so I could make a left turn to the bus stop. I was already dreading trying to make a left turn back into that mess. I got to the bus stop and the bus came almost immediately. He did not come from the normal direction. He came a street further down and came backing up the street. I guess, being a Honduran, once he got into the mess, he at least knew a way around it. Even if it did not put him where he needed to be.

Rosita jumped out of the bus letting me know she was hot. Weren't we all. If I were made of sugar, I would have surely dissolved. Safely in and buckled, I made a uturn in the middle of the street and easily made a left back into the mess. I knew I had to stop for gas, especially if I was going to be sitting in traffic much longer. Rosita went to sleep. It took me another 30 minutes to get the short distance to the gas station. Rosita woke up as soon I pulled into the gas station. After I bought my gas, I ran into the station and bought Rosita some cookies. She is always hungry and I had no idea how long we would be before we got home. Cookies brought a big smile to her face. She pulled the cookies apart and ate the middle.

Shortly after I pulled away from the station, traffic began to move steadily. Not fast, just steadily. Constant slow movement is better than no movement. I thought we would be going that slow all the way up the mountain. I was glad, after several kilometers, that traffic began moving at a somewhat normal speed.

I usually get home with Rosy around 3:15. At 4:20, Karen called to see where we were. Thankfully, I was just a few feet from the gate.

I was hot and tired. It had been a much longer day than I planned. The groceries still had to be unloaded. One thing for sure, that Country Crock soft butter was much softer when we unloaded it than when I put it in the cart at PriceSmart.

Terri