I don't want to see a dead frog. This was a lady who go on the bus and told the bus driver 'I got a new frog today!', to which he responded 'Is it alive?' and she said 'No, I got tired of killing them. I don't know how I killed them but they would die' (personally, my guess is crack smoke). She then started rummaging around in her pack to show the driver her 'new frog', 'Oh God, oh God, please don't let her pull out a dead frog in a little baggie out of her purse. I could go through my whole life happy without seeing a dead frog!!' I was lucky, it was a stuffed frog. 'Isn't it cute!' she exclaimed as she showed it to the driver. His noncommital response of 'Sure' invited further viewings of calendar pictures at every stop light... poor bus driver!
Every day is a new adventure on the bus, it's a special place. Perhaps this is caused by the 'ride free zone' within Seattle, but all the homeless druggies decide they need to ride with you. The old lady who gets on and informs the bus multiple times 'I need to go to the next stop because it's covered' and then, after complaining rather loudly the whole four blocks, exclaims 'I just want to die'. Oh, it makes you feel sad... except I was pretty sure she was crazy and just wanted some sympathy. The bus driver who announces the next stop is 'Dead in Columbia' and, as you are thinking that doesn't sound like much fun, you realize that he said 'THIRD AND Colombia'. The bus driver who shares the 'clean' Michael Jackson joke every time you take his route (it isn't funny so please don't worry about it) or, worse yet, the driver who thinks it's fun to annouce the bus stop for The Lusty Lady because it was declared a historical landmark. (I'm pretty sure you don't need me to explain what the establishment is.) The person sitting next to you who insists on throwing elbows, drinking loudly, shaking their umbrella on you, or talking to themselves... or worse yet talking to you. Ahhhhh... public transport.
I think I'll drive in tomorrow...
Posted by 10lees at December 12, 2006 07:19 PMI am so thankful for cheap parking and a short commute. I would have a hard time riding the bus with crazy folks.
Posted by: jeff at December 13, 2006 05:22 AMi love hearing public transit stories! mostly cuz i'm jealous that i dont have that option.
45 minutes in the car (on a good day) isnt that great either. i almost got run into by a cabbie, who proceeded to flick ME off, even though it was his fault. i actually called the cab company about that one. city of big shoulders... sheesh...
Posted by: dr gonzo at December 13, 2006 09:22 AMHm. That would be rather interesting... who knew that busses also doubled as exhibits for recently deceased pets?
Also, it was cool to hear you and I share personality types. :) Being us is fun, no?
Posted by: babada at December 13, 2006 10:55 AMMy favorite experience on the public transit system in NYC was the way that you could never hear anything the subway operator said. It would be "CZzzzkkkkzzzz kzzzkkkkzzz Pleasestandclear oftheclosingdoors."
Posted by: Lo at December 13, 2006 07:01 PMIn Portland we called it "The Great Bus Adventure!"
Posted by: rhett at December 13, 2006 07:11 PMjeff, it isn't all crazy people, and it does make life interesting.
adabab: I can't see it now Pet Cemetary: Bus Edition! And it is fun to be us :-)
lo: I have to say one of my favorite drivers here says 'liberry' when ever she announces the stop for the library. It's so cute! I can hear most drivers, but there are a few that are fuzzy or don't announce. I definetly hate the static noises though, they drive me nuts!
Posted by: 10lees at December 14, 2006 07:51 AMSo these are all new reasons to pray for the crazy people that Reagan thru out of the insane asylums in the 80's - smart guy huh??? It's our economy too - how many pay checks would I be away from being homeless? All that credit card debt. Well that doesn't really apply to me - but it applies to alot of people.
Well Reagan thru them out and then put them on drugs - no the prescription type - it seemed like a good idea at the time. And now it's harder than ever to get someone into a 48 hour lock down - just for a few hours of peace. Believe me my mom and dad struggled with my bro Bobby who was not the most sane person in the world.
So pray Tenley and stay safe - keep a low profile and stay out of trouble ... that's my motto in public.
I do like that liberry lady - is that like your ambleance? ::)
Love,
M