smile and ride

A few comments today about public transportation:

• To all the Community Transit bus drivers on route 415: Thank you for getting me to and fro, in rain, hail, snow, solid ice, or beautiful sun-shiney weather. I can always count on you. (Do I sound like a UPS commerical?) Sometimes you seem cranky, sometimes you seem happy, but regardless, I am grateful for you. I hope your job gives you some sense of satisfaction, because you make me happy every single day. Even on the worst commute days, it's nice to know we're getting through it together.

• To the guy who I sat by yesterday morning: you’re a freaking weirdo. The scenario: he got on the bus first, sitting on the outside seat and putting his backpack on the inside seat. Ha ha ha little grasshopp-a, don’t you know these buses fill up and fill up fast? I wanted to sit on the inside seat, so I asked him, “Can I sit there?” Of course, courtesy prevailed, and he let me sit there. After letting me in, he sat back down for a few minutes, then moved to another two-seater that was empty. And of course, once we hit the park and ride, people filed on in droves, and someone sat by him. Personally, I suspect I smell better than the other dude who sat by him, but whatever.

• To people in general who think they are entitled to two seats on the bus: I dislike you very much. Did you pay double? I don’t think so. I once witnessed someone ask to sit on the inside seat when the person on the outside seat was all sprawled out reading her newspaper, and Outside Lady was quite rude to Inside Lady throughout the whole bus ride. Can you believe the nerve? I sometimes take the early early 5:30 a.m. bus to go to the gym, and there are a lot of people who get away with their “take up two seats” strategies on the early bus. Oh dang you, you make me so mad. At least let the seat remain available while people are boarding, then if no one sits near you feel free to sprawl. I think that’s just general common courtesy. How can you sleep at night???

• To people who smoke immediately before getting on the bus: please don’t. Oh my heavens, please don’t. If you sit by me, I will get up and move. I cannot breathe. If you are offended, I can’t help that. If you need to feed your addiction, at least give yourself a few minutes to “air out” before loading an enclosed space and subjecting the rest of us to your smell. I don't think this is intolerant... I'm thinking of my baby!

• To people who don’t realize everyone else can hear your music through your headphones: Turn it down, dear, or you will lose your hearing someday (gosh, I sound like my mother). I plea to everyone reading these words that if you can ever hear my music through my headphones, please hit me over the top of the head and say “Woman! Tone it down a notch!” One gal who used to sit by me a lot listened to Latina salsa music first thing in the morning. I just wanted to snooze but was instead wishing I was eating lobster tacos in Puerto Nuevo.

• To people jabbering jabbering jabbering on their cell phones: Too Much Information. Please know when I get home, I will tell my husband all about you and we'll laugh gleefully.

• To the girl who gets off the bus behind me every day, yet Nascar races to get in front of me for the walk home: Where's the fire? You creep me out! One time, I turned around and stopped to look behind me for cars coming, since I wanted to cross the street, and you ran into me! Do you remember that? Hold your horses, your house will still be there if you get there 1 minute later than if I wasn't in your way. Sidenote: now that I'm pregnant I walk even slower. I suppose I could try to speed up, but a nice leisurely walk home from the bus stop never killed anyone. However, darting in front of a car because of an intimidating speed walker lady in the rear may have. So, who will be walking as slow as she wants? Me.

• To the people who handle the customer service emails at communitytransit.org: Thanks for always replying to me when I feel the need to complain. I always get a personal reply. How nice is that? I think I should start writing some happy notes to counteract all my complaints over the years.

I guess that's all for now. Ahh the beauty of public transportation.