There's always room

One aspect that fascinated me when I lived in Europe was the time table of public transport - 6:03, 7:33, 10:17 etc. Coming from a place where one didn't see a bus in sight for long intervals and then two appear together, such sensitivity to time impressed me no end. And so when my folks paid me a visit, I couldn't help but point to my watch when the bus left on the minute. "Do you think this would happen back home?", I asked my father. He took one look at the half empty bus and said wryly, "Back home, this bus would not move if it were only half full". It reminded me that life in the developing world was not so black and white, it was a constant struggle between making time and maximizing resources.

If one got a bus driver from the developing world into such a setting, would the driver be able to adjust to such precise schedules? Of course. Who doesn't want such organized efficiency.

On the other hand, how would the developed world driver fare in a developing world setting? If the driver sees a family running desperately towards the bus, and knowing that this was the only bus till evening - would the driver wait a few more minutes? Metaphorically speaking, some drivers would not wait because that's the structure they are used to. You can easily spot them, their annoyed body language easily gives it away. Whereas some drivers would wait, because they are more empathetic to circumstances and are conscious of life beyond a time table. And perhaps also learn something for themselves when they see people staying sane despite limited resources.

Hotel Rwanda is an extraordinary tale of Paul Rusesabagina (Don Cheadle) who housed over a thousand Tutsi refugees in his hotel during their struggle against the Hutu militia in Rwanda. In the final scene, as they were all walking towards the bus, Paul's Red Cross friend Pat said she was told that there was not enough room in the bus. To which Paul smiled and replied -

"There's always room".