I, like many people, take public transportation to work. For the most part it is pretty uneventful. Today was the exception.
Living in the suburbs I can either take the train or a bus downtown. I’ve gone all in on the bus and it’s been pretty awesome so far. It’s economical, comfortable and affords me the chance to read during my commute.
Today started out the same as any other. I arrived to the stop about ten minutes before the bus. It was hot out so I was enjoying the shade as much as possible. The bus was running a bit behind so I was impatiently waiting and constantly looking out for it down the street.
As it approached, I got up and grabbed my bag. The bus stopped, doors opened, and I took a step up and paid the fare. As I did, I greeted the bus driver and said, “Good morning.” Without hesitation, the driver said, “I don’t have any seats.”
No ‘good morning.’ Just, I’m driving a 45-passenger sardine can – you in?
Honestly I didn’t know what to say. So I said the first thing that came to mind. “Well, can I stand?” The driver was all about it. As I got into the aisle I noticed there were more than a handful of other people standing, too. They didn’t look too pleased.
I can’t blame them – the ride is about 30 miles and almost an hour.
The first person I saw standing was a woman. Her stare could be felt through her sunglasses. She didn’t seem too pleased. I quickly took my spot near her (not too close) and held on. It was going to be a long ride and I was just trying to make it as comfortable as possible.
Standing up on the bus gives you a unique perspective. I saw this lady watching Nashville, via Hulu, on her tablet. This Chinese guy had his laptop open working on some trades or data analytics of some kind. He later started sending texts in Mandarin.
Another gentleman was reading the Wall Street Journal. I caught a glimpse of some random headlines but tried to not pay too much attention (I’m trying a low-information diet for a few weeks). Most everyone was glued to their mobile or sleeping. Fun times.
Needless to say I lived. It wasn’t even that bad of a trip (as long as you don’t count the sudden jolts of starting/stopping and the transmission misses which almost sent me on my ass a few times).
I got downtown and had enough time to snap some photos…
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