story of the burning bus

It was a regular eight hour bus trip. Dubbed action flicks and karaoke DVDs with green mango and coke at the snack stop. On the home stretch, however, it became obvious that something wasn't right...

The driver (blue shirt) told us firmly to get off the bus. Girls panicked. Women with babies in their arms, pushed their way out as if the entire vehicle was about to explode. Lastly, the driver ambled down the steps. He squatted, lit a cigarette, waited ten minutes and told us that everything would be ok if we got on the bus again. It was just rubber, he assured us. Nothing wrong with a bit of burning rubber. We obeyed. We sat in silence, trying not to breathe the acrid smoke. We left the burning bus at the Poipet terminal.