Red Bus Ride Home

My college years were very hectic for me.

I was studying for my registered general nursing qualification in Port of Spain, Trinidad. During that period, I was also pursuing a course of study in psychology in Saint Augustine, Trinidad. During that time, I met the director of nursing for the Port of Spain General Hospital, who was also studying for the same qualification. We became buddies and would travel together from evening classes using the public transport service. There were two public transport services for the island. One of the services ran buses that were painted blue and white, and the other used buses that were painted red and white. The blue-and-white buses were less expensive, and they ran until 8:00 P.M. each evening. The red-and-white buses ran until 9:00 P.M. Our classes ended at 7:30 P.M., which allowed us just enough time to catch a blue-and-white bus.

One evening we attended a tutorial that had been scheduled ahead of an upcoming exam. It was lengthy and ended up finishing much later than the regular lecture time. As we left the class, we knew that the bus had already left because it was usually on time.

At the bus stop, we contemplated what to do, as our tickets were only for the earlier, cheaper service. We tried hitching a ride from vehicles passing by, to no avail. We must have been there for more than half an hour with no change in our predicament.

It was getting late, with fewer and fewer vehicles on the road, and we were no closer to getting home. With our anxiety levels getting the better of us, we remembered to pray. The prayer was short and to the point. No sooner had we finished praying when the headlights of a bus appeared in the distance. And it appeared to be the headlights of the blue-and-white bus. But when it got closer to where we were standing, it was a red-and-white bus.

We clambered aboard hurriedly. The driver did not ask for tickets.

Nor did he stop for the many passengers waiting along the bus route.

Our next stop was the Port of Spain bus terminal.

We knew that God was waiting on our call.

He is waiting on your call, too, but you must “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:33, NKJV).

Cheryl-Ann Hudson-Victory