Wednesday, July 26, 2006

Bus rider....

(If you've heard that take off on "cab driver" you'll be humming it in your head right now. If not..that's okay).

Today on my bus ride home, the bus was quite empty - only about 5 or 6 people on it when we left university. Included in the bunch was an elderly lady, and several UVic-ites. There was one student type fellow sitting in front of me. When he got on the bus and sat down in front of me I somehow knew I'd have something to blog about tonight. I'm not sure why...just something about the way he carried himself. So...we pull out away from the stop...it's silent, everyone is looking out their windows, dutifully avoiding eye contact with anyone else (myself included). Suddenly, fellow in front of me just yells "holy _ _ _ _ " (the one that REALLY gets your mouth washed out with soap). He continues reading his newspaper without looking up. Everyone looks at him. He looks up...says "Oh, sorry, but you won't beLIEVE this!!" And proceeds to describe to the 5 or so of us how some developer wants to put in condos in the old Bay building downtown I think it was. He tried very hard to engage everyone...eye contact, holding up the paper, waving it around, madly gesturing towards it. It was funny to watch all of us squirming...no one wanted to talk, but it couldn't be avoided, he clearly needed a response involving outrage comparable to his. So gradually...quietly the elderly lady said "has it been approved?" and immediately looked down again. It was so funny!! He also, unfortunately was wearing a sweater and scarf in 30 degree weather, and had his arm up and wrapped around the seat infront of me...positioned just so the air conditioning blew underneath it towards me. Nice. You can imaging sweater+scarf+30degree weather does not = smell of roses. Anyhoo..he was an interesting guy, and I was appreciateive of the bus ride adventure.

I was laughing to myself on the bus and thinking of all the mini-adventures I've had and people I've met, while riding transit.

I remember once discussing theories about a mysterious coffee shop on my old bus route with a couple I'd never met before (the shop has been closed for years, but things move around inside it, the florescent light is always on). We started discussing the coffee shop, but ended up being "those" people on the bus laughing hysterically about I can't remember what the whole bus ride. It was like I'd known them for years. Then it was awkward though - when we'd see each other on the bus after that I'd be thinking things like "I won't say hi unless they say hi to me," and wonder "do we know each other well enough to go for coffee, or is that weird." It was like I was trying to date them. LOL!

Then the man that I see all the time. He looks a bit intimidating...very rough around the edges, older. He always likes to talk to people, and I admit I'd always avoided standing next to him. Then one day I couldn't avoid it, and ended up talking with him. He was so nice...I really enjoyed the conversation. I kind of look forward to bumping into him now. Regardless of how many times things like this happen...I still seem to avoid interaction with people who I don't know. I'm a chicken.

Then the old lady who has crazy teased hair, bright pink blush, hot pink lipstick, excellent 80's clothes too hip for most her age, and an awsume attitude. I DID want to talk with her. I got an opportunity to one day, and she told me that she was 22 (she is at least 65/70 I think), and was going to meet her boyfriend...and told me about graduation and all kinds of things.

And the tiny lady in all red, with cowboy boots and a giant cowboy hat (both also red).

And so many more. That doesn't even cover the adventures...just the neat people! That is the one thing I'll miss about being a bus rider... getting to talk with and meet people I never normally would.

What's your best bus rider story?

2 comments:

Kassianni said...

actually, it's not my story, but a friend of mine from Toronto. She's got tons of good bus stories.
the funniest one was in Chilliwack.
She was getting on the bus, and noticed two other familiar faces: two special needs teenagers who were/are frequent transit riders. Everyone knows them. Both redheads, he's of a slight build, farsighted, so he's got those crazy thick glasses that are thick in the middle, making your eyes look unnaturally large.
His girlfriend we call the big-head girl (for obvious reasons, I should think) and also a red-head, though much taller and bigger than him.
anyway...to make a long story longer...
My friend was getting on the bus and wearing clogs. The heel of her clogs scraped across the ridgey floor at the front of the bus and made a farting sound (as clogs are wont to do, no?).
The two kids immediately started to snicker quite loudly, whereupon my friend began to protest,'no, no! it was my clog, see?'. she tried in vain to reproduce the sound, and this only caused them greater mirth and outright laughter. She tried a few more times before slumping to the back of the bus, regretting that she'd even made the attempt. she was so humiliated.

that story still makes me laugh.

Magdalen said...

Mine wasn't actually with someone on the bus. I was on the bus, he was not.
I was getting on at the stop right off the bridge, to take me home from Save-On (you know the one.)
Just as the bus arrived, and I'm loading my many grocery bags on to the bus, a gentleman rides by on a bike.
This man was the most fantastic picture. He was wearing a big overcoat, and bright red galoshes, and a big black motorcycle helmet. His bike is the little old squeaky thing that he's trying very hard to get up the slight incline that we're on. And he rides by:
"squeak... squeak... squeak... squeak...", in his galoshes and his motorcycle helmet. And the bus driver and I just looked at each other with this look, this "trying really hard not to laugh" look. He looks at me and says "...... wow."
And I replied "...... yeah."

Ah, good times.

When can I come over?