Hot Summer by Judy Powell

Author:Judy Powell
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 9780973859003
Publisher: Lyons Publishing Ltd.
Published: 2005-10-01T21:00:00+00:00

13

By eight thirty next morning Derrick and Summer had left the hotel and found themselves in the middle of a traffic jam in the heart of Ocho Rios.

“God,” Derrick groaned. “I forgot everybody would be heading for work at this time of the morning.”

Summer paid hardly any attention to him as she drank in the sights of the hustle and bustle of the tourist town. The streets were filled with cars and every so often there would be a taxi darting through the traffic with its horn honking, creating even more confusion on the road. They were almost always caught by the police patrol on bicycles because it seemed like the only vehicles moving forward were the ones on two wheels.

“Hey, whatever happened to police cars?” Summer laughed.

“We’ve got those, too,” Derrick replied, laughing with her, “but it’s just that in Ocho Rios we also have a lot of cops who ride bicycles. They get around easier in this congestion, as you can see, and it looks a lot friendlier in a tourist town than having cops driving around in cars all day.”

“I guess you’re right,” she said, “and I don’t mind seeing them in those shorts, either.”

Derrick laughed. “You would say that.”

The morning was already hot and Summer pulled out her sunglasses to soften the glare.

“Music?” Derrick asked.

“Yeah,” she said. “Why not?”

He switched to one of the local stations and the sound of soft rock music filled the car. Summer was glad for the distraction. She was anxious to get to Linstead but this traffic jam would cost her some of her interview time. At least the music kept her mind off the delay.

Some twenty minutes later they were finally on the Fern Gully Road and on their way to Kingston. “This road is so winding,” Summer said.

“Oh, that’s because this used to be a river that dried up. When the Spanish were here they just paved it and turned it into a road. So, of course, it’s winding in the very same way that the river used to flow.”

“That’s interesting, but not very efficient, is it?”

“No, I guess not. But we’ve lived with it for so long I don’t know if they’re ever gonna change it.”

“Well, I should hope not. It’s beautiful.” She looked around. “I never noticed it last night but look at all those ferns hanging over. And it’s so calm and cool under here.”

“It’s okay, I guess,” Derrick replied.

When she looked at him quizzically he continued, “I guess because I’m from here I’m so used to it that it’s not anything that special for me. But I understand what you’re saying.”

Derrick drove along a road which, in Summer’s mind, was way too narrow in some places. Still, it was a pleasant ride. She enjoyed the greenery, and especially going through the small towns where people would be going about their daily business. To Summer the trip was an eye-opener.

When she saw a man riding a donkey with two huge baskets hanging on either side she got excited and Derrick laughed at her all over again.

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