Yesterday I was on the bus and I saw a wild rabbit dash in front of the bus, then off into the jungle. The bus stopped suddenly. Immediately everyone started yelling
“caraio!” “caraio!” Which means “rabbit!” “rabbit!”
I thought, “gee, everyone sure gets excited about rabbits here.” People keep rabbits for pets. I once brought a rabbit back from a village about a two hour walk away. My sister seemed to really dote on the cute little fuzz ball, so I agreed to help take care of it. After only a few days, I came home and my family said the rabbit had run off. We had been letting it run around the garden. I think a cat or dog got to it when they weren’t watching.
About five guys sprang from inside and on top of the bus and ran into the bushes after the rabbit. As they did that, they were picking up stones. Wait, I thought. What would they need stones for if they just want to catch it, take it home and feed it grass?
“Kill it!” They shouted.
Oh.
That made me think 2 things:
a) Do they really think that they can kill a rabbit, which is faster than them, by throwing stones at it?
b) They must be doing it this way because someone, at some point was successful doing it. If so, what a bad way to die. Getting stoned? Hmmmm.
I was rooting for the rabbit.
After about a minute or two everyone on the bus started getting anxious and started shouting to the guys in the jungle that the rabbit had gotten away. I chimed in too
“The rabbit is faster than you are! It’s long gone! Lets go!”
Since I was rooting for the rabbit, I was a little confused by how funny I found the whole situation. Something about watching clumsy people chase animals is funny for some reason. I’ve seen people running around chasing pigs, chickens, and goats, but never rabbits. I think that, combined with the fact that this event was so exciting to them that they stopped the bus (which was crammed full of people) in order to pursue the prize rabbit just made me laugh.
Finally, the boys gave up and ran back onto the bus. The bus driver’s helper boy who collects money from people was boasting
“I hit it on the head! I know I did. But it ran away.”
Sure you did. I smiled to myself.
Later that night, about a half mile from my house the bus broke down. Maybe it was karma for trying to kill the rabbit. It wasn’t strong enough to go up the hill with the heavy load of people, bags of rice, fruit, car engine pieces, etc. Once again, guys started pouring out of the bus at the request of the bus driver. They started walking ahead of the bus. After about their 3rd attempt to get the bus going, I got out too.
“Where are you going?” Asked the bus assistant. It was dark outside and he seemed concerned.
“My home is close.” I said, and took off walking ahead of the bus.
The road was familiar to me since I ran it for my morning walk about twice a week. Even though it was dark, I felt confident walking it. The bus finally passed me up just as I was getting to the top of the hill. It stopped at the top.
I debated getting on, but decided that I’d rather just walk the rest of the quarter mile. It was a long bus ride and I was looking forward to a peaceful walk before getting home.
As I passed up the bus the second time the bus driver yelled “Where are you going?!”
“My home is close.” I repeated, and kept walking.
As I walked home, I felt a little bit like the rabbit. Dashing ahead of the bus with the goal of reaching my house before the bus could pass me up again. I could hear it having engine issues again, and was encouraged. There was lighting in the distance and I was lead home by the constant flashes of light hitting the rocks in the road ahead of me.
Finally, I reached home. My heart was racing from the exhilaration of beating the bus . The power was out and my family was sitting around about to eat. I quietly snuck up to them. My brother was standing up and I jumped towards him and shouted
“haya!”
He jumped. Everyone laughed.
“You got me” He said.
Maybe he wasn’t a rabbit, but it was still fun.
