Alright, I didn’t mean to… but I think a chicken may have met its fate under the weight of my 42-pound backpack.
I loaded my pack on the back of the brightly painted bus, hopped onto the bumper, and in. I put my bag in the only spot left it would fit, on top of a few boxes and a giant tire, same as I had done all week. At this point, this was our 5th or 6th bus while in Belize, it was becoming routine.
We never seem to time it right to catch the express bus, so passengers are constantly loading and unloading. Midway through the trip the bus driver helps unload another passenger that had some luggage in the back. He pulls our packs off the cardboard boxes I stacked them on.
I knew that there were actually chickens on chicken buses, but who puts a chicken in a closed cardboard box. Seriously…
The driver looks at me, doesn’t say anything, but he knows… He knows there is now a smashed chicken in a box, but he helps me out and stacks my bag away from the chicken box.
Now I just hope my stop is before the chicken’s owner exits and attempts to claim his now crushed chicken.
Of course, the broken bird’s owner got off a few stops before me. He had a look on his face like someone had just killed his dog. As he lifts the box it utters one feeble cluck. The man then starts a half-hearted argument with the driver before walking off less than happy.
Maybe he was planning on eating it that night… well that’s what I am going tell myself anyway.
Pinge and Wang
Wednesday 13th of April 2016
Well up until now I was raging that I didn't get to see a chicken despite getting on about five chicken buses per day but your story has made me glad that I didn't! Poor chicken but in your defence an easy mistake for the council to make.
Hayley Griffiths
Monday 30th of March 2015
Hahahahaha! That is plucking hilarious! Poor little chicklet xx
Tiffany
Thursday 12th of December 2013
I haven't had such a good laugh in weeks. I was actually in tears! Thank you so much for making my day :D
Hannah
Thursday 12th of December 2013
That is so great to hear! It's making me laugh to now that I look back to this day!
Nisha
Friday 25th of October 2013
Tch Tch... Poor chicken, had it known its fate, it would have flown away. ;)
I also have travelled with chickens in the bus, but the owner had it in his hands and sat beside me.
Hannah
Sunday 27th of October 2013
Poor chicken is right.....We wish the owner and the bus driver would have been a little more careful with the fragile cargo!
Heather
Friday 11th of October 2013
Soooo... 'Chicken bus' is not just a clever name. I rode the chicken bus in Guatemala, but it mostly had people on it, I dont' recall squishing any livestock. Then again, if they're hidden in boxes how can you tell?!? Maye I did and I'll never know it?
Adam
Friday 11th of October 2013
You quite possible did some squishing of your own! They pack these chicken buses full of people/bags/animals/etc! Oh chicken bus so full of entertainment!