Hop On Board

It was a beautiful Spring afternoon in Dallas. Glorious 74 degree weather with fluffy white clouds, deep blue sky, and perfect amount of wind... one might think they were back in San Diego. I was enjoying the drive to an appointment, window rolled down, listening to my local NPR station (KERA) when a story came on about Haiti and Bus Drivers. Yes, Bus Drivers.

Apparently, these Haitian Bus Drivers need to spend thousands of dollars to keep the exterior of their transportation fresh and lively. Murals of the city, paintings of religious figures, depictions of celebrities or just random chaotic color to attract the eye, these buses are not only a focal feature of the town, but also an absolute-must for the citizens. But how can this impoverished nation and its citizens afford to spend such money on decorating the exterior of a Bus?

The attractiveness of the Bus was a subtle cue to the pending rider, "Look! I spend money on my Bus! Therefore, I must spend money on the general upkeep of this vehicle and I can transport you safely!" The rider would then choose to pay for transportation on the brightly displayed Bus, versus taking a chance on the unpainted, undecorated Bus nearby. (There is no official inspection of Buses in Haiti. Riders beware.)

I thought about this story quite a bit over the past few days. When determining which fruit to select at Tom Thumb, is the pure attractiveness of this apple mean that it will be more ripe and tasty? Watching the 'Women Who Lunch' meet at La Madeleine, hair coiffed and nails painted, wearing the latest slingback shoe, is that how they were able to secure the bright shiny bauble on their left hand?

How important is the exterior, when the engine and brakes are really what is most important to successfully arrive at your destination?

As I am about to embark on my own journey, this story will stay with me and hopefully be my litmus test for future endeavors. And with the resurrection of this blog I hope that you will travel along with me. I'll try to work on the bright, shiny colorful exterior... but feel confident you believe I've been maintaining the engine.


You can find the related story here:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=125350863