Little Car in a Big City.

"Firsts" are always an adventure. In a new country you'll find many of them, and these are my thoughts on my first ride in a public car, a "publico."

                I needed to go across town to teach my new English class. I walked the two blocks to the main street and waited. Lisa had given me a verbal rundown on what to expect so I kept an eye out for the little cars with the green signs on the top. Once you know what to look for, they're everywhere. The first three I saw zipped by, already full. The next one stopped and a young lady and I both got in, she in the front and I in the back. The cars are all the same. The smallest 4-doors you can buy, beat up inside and out from countless stops and passengers. They comfortably seat four adults, and uncomfortably seat seven.

                The driver takes off the moment we get in and I hand him 50 pesos ($1.25 approx). All the windows are rolled down which aids in airflow and heat control. As I'll discover, depending on who's sitting next to you, the airflow can be quite important.

                We dart through traffic, the driver's left arm resting on the open window, he gestures with his hand. I discover that waiving his left hand is how he signals he has room for more.  Or not. He pulls over suddenly and a pretty girl gets in and sits by me in the back. I'm wedged in the middle now, with a well-dressed young man in dress pants and long sleeves on the other side. Two girls share the lone bucket seat in front next to the driver.

                We're off again and the new passengers hand money to the driver. I don't know why there aren't more accidents. Horns honk constantly and we cruise through lanes and around other cars, trucks, and sidewalk stands with seemingly only inches to spare.

                One eye is always on the sidewalk, and our driver sees a girl wave her hand. He quickly stops. We cram over to the left for her, and now the pretty girl is almost on my lap. Twenty years ago, this would have been a major milestone in my dating life. Should I introduce myself? Or maybe apologize to the guy on my left for the sudden intimacy. No one says much of anything so I just sit there.

                He needs to get out; the guy on my left. He's next to the door, of course, but no one exits on the street side because doing so would imperil your life. We all pile out of the back seat so he can get out and then pile back in. By the time we get to my street, I'm the only one left in the cab. In a few more blocks, he'll turn around and head back the way we came.

                Later on the way home, I'm in the front seat, but sharing it with another guy. I literally hang my head and right arm out the window to create a little more space, making sure to duck in quickly when we pass a tree limb or a vendor's parked cart. On my next ride, I was the one next to the driver while another guy got the window. The driver asked me to scoot over because he was having a hard time steering with my knee against the steering wheel. I thought about mentioning that it could be because he has two guys crammed into the front seat of his car; but I bit my tongue and shifted over an inch.

                It's a crowded ride with constant stops and starts, but pretty cheap and it works if your trip involves the main streets. And it helps if you're little.