Jay and I take a bus to the office every day. We walk about two blocks to the bus stop, then wait for our bus. We can take one of three buses, but prefer to take the 117 for the best connection to the next bus (405). Sometimes the wait can be rather long and we get a little glassy-eyed just sitting by the street. There is a lot of traffic and we get used to seeing the many taxis and buses and cars and motorcycles passing by.
One morning as we sat, glassy-eyed, a taxi pulled up and stopped for the red light. The front passenger door opened and I was startled as I took notice. The woman passenger leaned over and kissed the driver full on the mouth. Was this a Chilean custom I wasnt aware of? Then she got out, the light turned green and the taxi left. I hope she was the driver's wife. They were about the same age.
There are the Transantiago buses and there are tourist buses and there are the charter buses that come from outside the city. These all pass us at the bus stop. One day a charter bus stopped for the red light. I saw a cute little boy who was probably about four in one of the windows. He was doing what all cute little boys do when bored on the bus. He was leaning on one elbow, looking out the window, and making faces and licking the window. He was so cute and I was missing my grandchildren. With the light change, the bus started. A few windows back, I see a man waving. Then a few windows back from him, I see a whole lot of people, maybe ten, waving wildly, smiling widely, and making eye contact with us. We smiled widely, too, and waved wildly back. As they moved down the street, I watched, and saw the bus maneuver onto the street where we live. This is the street where chartered buses of temple patrons go to enter Temple Square. The passengers had spotted us and recognized that we were LDS missionaries. It made our day.
We have had this same experience two other times. It is so fun to give them a little highlight after a long bus ride. Some come as far away as Argentina because the temple here is closer than one in Argentina. We may be a rather small group as far as the world population, but we are everywhere, and we recognize each other often.
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2 comments:
How special! I can imagine the joy and excitement they bus riders are feeling. Anticipating the closeness of the temple and some no doubt entering for only the first time and what do they see but a tender mercy before entering their temple? Missionaries, reminding them how they come to know such joy as belonging to Christ's true church and just moments away from entering His holy house. Those moments are so special to expirience and to witness and also to help facilitate. That is why I donate to the fund for people to attend the temple.
I agree with Lisa, what a tender mercy. To be a "stranger in a foreign land" and see other "strangers in a foreign land" and know that the two of you have so much in common. If they know that the missionaries live close to the temple they certainly would start getting excited to both, know this part of trip is almost over, and to know the anticipated event is about to begin.
And I certainly hope the passenger was the wife too!
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