Mr. Happy-Go-Lucky

The guy that drives my morning bus route must be on crack.

I mean, he just has to be. NO ONE is that happy...especially that early in the morning.

When each person steps into the bus, this guy says a different greeting to each and every one of them. "Hello." "Good morning." "Howdy." "How are you today?"

Probably my favorite thing this guy does is announce when we are leaving each and every bus stop. "HERE WE GO!" The tone of voice he uses when he says this drives me a little nuts though. It reminds me of a girl I know that sounds normal talking face-to-face, but when I hear her talk on the phone to someone else, she picks up this whiny nasal baby voice for whatever reason. This guy does the same fucking thing. Sounds super normal when he's greeting you while entering the bus, then starts the whining over the bus intercom.

He then proceeds to hammer down on the gas, then really lay on the brakes at each stop. It's almost inevitable that the riders on this guy's route stumble at some point or another trying to get to their seats or to the exit. (I've definitely come close to busting my ass a time or two.)

Riding the bus during the winter could make things a bit more interesting as well. Particularly if it gets snowy. Hills, snow, ice, and buses don't mix...just ask the folks that were riding these charter buses last year! That's right folks, buses dangling over the freeway!


Here's to hoping the metro buses are a bit more reliable than these charters were, although the drivers are probably the real problem. On my bus ride home from work one day there was a driver-in-training operating my route...with the trainer sitting nearby in the front seat area, of course. Without getting into too much depth of what they were training on, one sentence the trainer uttered definitely made me perk up my ears: "NO COP, NO STOP."

And these are the people I'm trusting to get me back and forth in one piece?! Guess it's a good thing I'm a gambler these days...since it sounds like I'm frickin gambling with my life.

Do I have a choice? In the end it all comes down to the money. My options for transportation to work are the following:

1.) Walk. It's only a mile and a quarter from my apartment to the office. However, it takes longer...sleep is precious to me in the morning. And if the weather is nasty or I'm wearing heels, it just doesn't make it a realistic option. It is also the only option that is free. Go figure.

2.) Drive...and pay fucking $100+ PER MONTH to park at the office. FUCK THAT.

3.) Ride the bus. Gamble with my life. Cost...$180 PER YEAR.

Option #3 it shall be. Wish me luck.

Song of the day: "Lisztomania" by Phoenix (love this song.)