My Mummy told me a nice story when she came back from the Craft Market today. She took the ferry from Dockyard to St. George, then made connections for a No I bus at Grotto Bay. She knew it was a wonderful bus as soon as she entered. An exotic scent, not unlike pineapple and flowers, filled the air. A sign displayed the driver’s name, M. Anderson, along with words, “Ladies, Stay Fabulous.” If I were a lady, which of course, I’m not, I would like that sign. Maybe one day, there’ll be a sign reading, “Cats are fabulous.” One can’t say, “stay fabulous,” however, to a cat, because we are fabulous and will always be so.
Well, Mummy said Mr. Anderson’s bus was as fabulous as his sign. He had decorated it in Cup Match colours. For those who don’t know, Cup Match is a game of cricket between the East and West ends that is played over a two day period at the end of July, and is one of the most vibrant, team-supported, celebrations in Bermuda.
A brilliant red Somerset baseball cap sat perched over the coin drop, and Driver Anderson removed it every time someone entered the bus. This caused comment from passengers who supported St. George’s, but their navy cap hung over the sign next to the “Stay Fabulous” bit, so you could call it a trade off.
A miniature cricket bat, a shiny silver cup, ribbons of team colours decorated the short table attached to the coin drop. Two large flags, Somerset’s red and royal, St. George’s navy and blue, hung on either side of the table’s railings next to the window. Anyone standing at a bus stop would surely know this was a very special Cup Match bus. Alarmingly, the red showed up in the traveling bus window far sooner than the navy, and why would a bus fly a red flag in the East End, St. George’s territory? It all comes together when one boards the bus.
Bus driver Anderson, took very special care to create the jovial ambiance on his bus. It captured a “ come-into-my-parlour” atmosphere, decorated for the occasion, and not unlike one decorates for Christmas. He warmly greeted new passengers and said especially said nice things to the ladies. I think Mr. Anderson achieves more good will than all the expensive advertising about Bermuda done abroad. Don’t you? A tourist meeting Mr. Anderson, bus-driver-supreme, ambassador for Bermuda, would never forget him.
Magic spread by Mr. Anderson will travel a long way…just like I do in my books, promoting Bermuda’s magic. Today, Mummy signed my Shoo Cat Shoo book for Hannah and Samantha who live in New York and I will live with them now in my book. I also live in Europe and Australia.
Maybe one day, my Mummy will write a book about Mr. Anderson’s Bermuda bus. I’ll be along for the ride. I can see another adventure stirring in my soul.
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