Many, Many Cousins and the Night Bus #3

On Saturday after our adventure near Haiti, we wanted to relax, do laundry, and see his aunt before Wil had to go to work. We packed up our laundry and went to his aunt's house. She was not checked out of the hospital yet. Some of her friends were cleaning the house and yard. All of the furniture was moved, floors were being mopped, shelves dusted, clothes washed, beds made, etc. It was really quite a cool thing to witness.

Then we started doing our laundry. Then the electricity went off. Wil was called to help at the hospital. He left. When he arrived back about an hour later, he came in a car with his aunt, mom, and some cousins. I had not met these cousins before, and the one wanted to know why I hadn't been to his house yet. Wil went to work.

A couple of hours later, Michael (Wil's brother who is my tour guide and interpreter) said we were going to Punta to visit the cousins. I thought that sounded great. We got in one car and less than a block later we were out. That car wasn't going to Punta after all. Then we got on a bus. We drove for a few minutes, maybe 5 or 10 and then we got off the bus. Michael looked around the intersection. I think he was looking for a car. Then there were several motorcycle taxi drivers asking him if he wanted a ride. He looked at me. I said it was okay. Michael looked surprised but motioned me to get on. I did. Then he got on behind me. Then we were off. Umm, yeah, those of you that are wondering, there were no helmets involved and there were three people on a small motorcycle. We were dropped off a few minutes later at a small street that appeared to go into palm and banana trees.

We walked up that lane and then went down another. We approached a house. We went in. A woman was surprised by us, but welcomed me to sit down. It was Wil's cousin's house. His name is Wilkins. He was sleeping in the bedroom. Michael called to him. The woman called to him. She went in and roused him. By then, a little boy was all over me. He was talking with me, and laughing, and trying to touch my hair. I found out that the little boy was Wilkins' son, Wilby (age 4), and the woman his wife, Juliessa. There was also a little girl, Walky (age 8). Walky was dispatched to go get something at the store. Wilby was entertained by, and entertaining me. He went and got a hairbrush to brush my hair. I didn't let him brush the hair on my head, but he brushed the hair on my arm. Then he taught me words that I didn't know. When I would say that I didn't know the word for something like 'nose' or 'chin,' he would giggle and then tell me the word. We had a great time. Unfortunately, I didn't take my camera with me that day since I thought we were just doing laundry and hanging out with the family.

Another cousin stopped by to visit. Then Juliessa had made blender drinks; a delicious banana smoothie of sorts. Then we were on our way. Michael took me through the trees where we visited four sisters (more cousins) who live together there, then we stopped at another cousin's and then headed to an uncle's fry shack, where we met some more cousins. Finally, we went to a barber shop, where we met another cousin. Later that night when I was trying to describe them to Wil, he said that I must not have understood. He didn't think he had that many cousins living in that area. But, when he asked his aunt, she explained that I had met that many cousins!

Michael and I headed back toward the road to catch some transport to his mom's area. We got on a bus and began a hilarious journey. We were going through a little patch of streets with businesses mostly. We were about to turn onto a bigger street. Here, when a vehicle wants to enter a crowded street, they just go out and honk the whole way. Usually it works out. So, our bus did that. He hadn't got out onto the street too far when there was a loud noise and everyone started yelling, "stop, stop!" He stopped. I looked up and saw that an electric line was wound over the bus vent. Hmm...The bus driver decided to keep going. He pulled forward, the electric line got tighter. Again the passengers yelled. Again he stopped. The conductor was off the bus trying to guide the driver. They decided he would back up. He did. That didn't really work. So, the driver decided to just go for it. He pulled forward, the cable snapped and hit the side of the bus opposite me. Everyone on that side jumped. Then we were on our way!

We got closer to Wilman's mom's area and were on a major street. Soon, there was another bus next to us. They would stop, we would stop. Then, the other bus conductor started yelling things and taunting, it appeared, our driver. A competition for passengers was begun. This ride became the Night Bus #3. The two buses were racing back and forth. At one point a child was crossing the street and we slammed to not hit her. Everyone on the bus shifted forward. I looked at Michael. We talked a little about the buses in The DR always being an adventure. Then it came time for us to get off the bus. My second foot was not even off of the step when the driver took off!