I ride the bus. I'll admit it. Craig and I have conserved money by only making one car payment. Unfortunately, now that I don't work at the store with him I have to find alternate transportation. In the morning Craig drops me off at the bank and then when I finish at the bank I take the bus home. On new comic book day (Wednesday) I ride the bus both ways.
Usually nothing exciting happens. Just your typical - lots of people bringing beer home. Guess you can figure out why they're riding the bus. Some people who seem to have not showered in ages. Some who use canes or wheel chairs. In the morning there are students. In the evening there are some other office types - but not very many.
Today though, we nearly had our first fight on the bus. Some younger white male who seemed to think he was a gang-banger with his shorts ready to fall off and his had on askew seemed to have started something with a relatively normal, middle aged white man. I think the disagreement started while they were at the bus stop or as they were getting onto the bus. They got on around 27th street and the middle aged man sat close to the front while the troublesome young man went to the back. Nothing good ever seems to happen in the back of the bus. After a couple of blocks the gang-bang boy gets up out of his seat and sits behind the middle aged man. Banger says something quietly that I can't make out. Then average man tells him that he shouldn't talk so big and that the kid should show respect for people. Banger starts getting irritated, asking average man what he means and what he knows and who does he think he is. Average man continues to tell Banger to quiet down and not talk so tough before he gets himself in trouble. Then Average man turns around as if to say he'd had enough of trying to talk sense to Banger.
Banger then goes back to the back of the bus and hang with his "homies." Banger goes on and on, loud enough for Average man to hear, to his friends, about how Average man was telling him to quiet down and show respect and who does he think he is. Banger's homies were also chiming in, feeding him and his anger. Banger starts to loudly say, "why doesn't he just get off the bus and show me how to behave," and "I dare him to get off, I'll show him how hard my head is, yeah he can't make me quiet down." As his homies chant, "you're right, man," and "no doubt," among other things.
This went on for over 20 blocks! Finally Average man gets off of the bus- at the Veterans hospital, on about 51st street. The Banger walks to the door like he's going to get off and show him what he's made off. His friends are all cheering him on. But he never gets off the bus, making some quiet excuse about how he can't fight with someone by the veteran's hospital. Personally I don't think it would have mattered where Average man got off, that kid was more talk than action and just wouldn't have had the guts. I kept thinking to myself, "If you're such hot sh@# why is your sorry ass on the county bus?
So far this was the most exciting bus ride I've had. The banger guy was just one example of people doing stupid stuff that could get them into more trouble than it's worth, but still doing it anyway.
Oh, and while I was waiting for the bus I saw a group of guys walk out of the Irish pub kiddy corner from the bus stop and one of the guys puked, his friends laughed, and they went back in for more.
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2 comments:
I remember having to ride the bus while I was in college. I had to change the bus in downtown New Orleans. I had to walk about ten blocks through the city to the next stop. I remember my brother and I were waiting for the second bus to pick us up. We were sitting with our backs against the side of the building, back away from the bus stop. Some guy walked by and seen us and reached in his pocket and threw some money at us. Made us think about a new career path. :)
LOL! You got to ride the bus for free that day, john.
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