Mother Laxmi at the minibus stop

Rush hour and the minibuses fulling up by Bourda market.

I have my three salt bags and a green Bounty bag on my shoulder. I go to stand next to an elderly woman , black woman- green cap, hair in a few long gray braids, green shirt, prominent crucifix on a rosary, two carrier bags.. dingy like my salt bags. She muttering to who would listen, as some of us do.. about being independent and things like that.

We start gaffing. She tell me she like my green Bounty bag. I say, I would love to give you but it got some stuff in it I cannot transfer. She says she was a nurse, now living in Barbados. She come home for a few deads. We talk about health.. gall stones. I know someone with gall stones. She tell me that 'you indians have to stop eating so much curry.. curry gives you gall stones'


She said she is part of a prayer group and she will offer some prayers for the person I know. She ask if I am Christian. I say no Hindu, but all prayers good. I said that would be nice. We gaff about hospitals. The buses taking long to come and her bags look heavy. She said she is heading to the prayer meeting now. She needs a 100 dollar more for a taxi fare. I say no problem, please take a gift from me.

She said she would like to give me a gift too. She said "I usually collect these calendars every year from my friend. This one has Mother Laxmi on it, i want to give you."
I say no , no.. she says yes yes.. she will get another. She opens one of the dingy bags and unrolls the calendar.. she also has a Muslim one. She tells me she keeps all.


It is one of those years, when we have not bought our Hindu calendar as yet.
I think of the other two elderly Christian people , who had come to the gate to offer God to me because I apparently did not have - even though the jhandhi flags are prominent .  And I think of the blessing today, as another elderly Christian connected me with the God she accepted that I worshipped.