Bus Report #435

I was on a 22 last week and when we stopped at 16th and Mission I caught a glimpse of a familiar person, walking away from me but still very recognizable from the back: British Look Guy. He has a very unique style of walking (as you may recall). I was glad to see him, and know that he is still around.

I've noticed a lot more people in wheelchairs on the bus lately, along with many other people who require the lift. I don't know if it's related to summer, or something else. No idea. It's interesting, though. The rest of the passengers in the front of the bus have managed to vacate the front seats quickly, or help the person flip the seats up, or helped with the brakes or seat belt. It restores my faith in people a little bit.

Last night I was on a 22, sitting in the back of the bus, and I saw a woman who looked like Carmen get on and sit a few rows ahead of me. She turned around and it was Carmen, home from work later than usual. I moved up to sit with her and we spent the rest of the commute chatting and catching up on things after a couple of months of not being on the same morning bus. It was lovely.

A Quick Mention of Some Good Links

I refreshed some of the links on the sidebar, taking out some that don't work anymore and adding one or two new ones. You should really check them out! Here's a random sampling of what I've been reading...

If you haven't seen the Civic Center blog yet, you should check it out. It's really, really good.

Also, if you speak/read Spanish, Alberto Fuguet's blog is great. He is a writer and filmmaker from Chile and his stuff is genius, seriously.

Tangobaby is a thoughtful blogger, as well. Check her out and while you are there, make a donation to help out K and the kids. It might be the best donation you make this year.

Benjie's got a spiffy new site, too. He's a great musician and a truly good friend.

That is all, back to our regularly scheduled programming.

Bus Report #434

Uneventful bus week so far.
Maybe people are still vacationing? The buses have been pretty empty and the commuters have been pretty easy going.
The other day I saw the 80's woman on Geary near 21st, and pointed her out to The Professor and the Professor-out-law, but they didn't seem too excited to see her.
This morning on my 22, the Roche Bobois guy sat next to me. He is so friendly, so polite, a pleasure to sit next to.
Several times this week I've seen people try to haggle with the driver over the new fares. Just pay it, people! Even though I am against the fare hike, it's done, so deal with it.
I've been exclusively riding the 22 in the afternoons lately. It's much less crowded without all the students, and it's been on time (according to Next Bus). It's been oddly relaxing. Imagine that.

Bus Report #433

Random bus bullets (of the non-harmful kind):

I've sat next to the catfish face man two mornings in a row. He doesn't like to cede any part of the seat to me, and seems to get testy if I try to reclaim what is mine.

The 80s woman was on my 22 this morning. I always wonder if she had some sort of mental break in 1984 that led to her still wearing the same clothes she wore back then. She is all about the high tops, shoulder pads, puffy ski jackets and bunchy socks over leggings. That, and she talks to herself.

Seen on my bus yesterday afternoon: A very chatty junkie in a T-shirt that was mostly holes talking about international travel with a German-American business woman on the 38. She tried to break free of their conversation but there was no escape. I felt bad for her.

On the same 38, a man with a tattoo of the periodic table of the elements symbol for silver, Ag, tattooed on his forearm.
Cool tattoo. Reminded me of cramming for chemistry tests with M. and N. back in high school, and the memory tricks we used to remember each symbol.

Girl with button that read: I love you more than bacon.

This morning: People trying to pay their cash fares, not realizing the fares are now $2.00 each. Lots of searching for change and smoothing out dollar bills.

Bus Report #432

I waited on Potrero for the 33 Stanyan for way, way too long today. I won't say how long, it's too embarrassing, but let's just say it rhymes with almost 'won flour'.
As I waited, I saw E. waiting in the stop too, on his phone up by the corner.
We waved at each other and continued to wait. And wait. And wait.
I called 311 and they said the reason we'd been waiting so long was because a bus had been out of service all day, but she promised the next bus would be there in 6 minutes.
E. waited another 2 minutes and headed towards the 22 stop, pausing in his phone conversation to give me a quick hug.
I could see a bus approaching, stepped into the street, hopefully.
All for nothing. The bus said Garage.
I took off for the 22 stop, getting there just before a 53 and then a 22 pulled into the stop.
E. and I both got on.
I saw a girl I know named Alice. At least, I am pretty sure it was Alice. We said hi.
I sat next to a big guy in Ray-Bans and a linen shirt. He shifted in the seat, grudgingly, and made room for me.
E. and I caught up for a minute, then I spaced out, staring out the window.
My seat mate got out at Mission. I slid over against the window. In the reflection of the greasy plexiglas by the step well I could see my tired reflection over the outline of Alice's head.
I could see E's reflection, too, and the girl sitting behind me.

At Geary I ran to catch a 38.
I sat in front of a woman who spent the whole ride coughing.
The kids in front of me were British (but not Scottish).
We skipped a lot of stops along Geary.
I got home only a few minutes later than usual.
I can't tell if that's sad, or not.

Bus Report #431

Two blasts from the past in two days. Consider my mind boggled.

Yesterday was a tough day, and my ride home was spent dozing against the window of the 22 and then sitting squashed up against a very large guy on the 2 Clement. I listened to the latest episode of Radio Lab (so great! Check it out!), and tuned out everyone around me.
As we came into the stop at 10th avenue, I glanced over at the donut shop. I wasn’t expecting to see anyone I knew. I wanted to see the Alien Donut Man, but its been at least 2 months since I last saw him and I was once again starting to worry about him.
But there he was, sitting ramrod straight in his usual seat, wearing his blue parka, his white hair looking whiter than white, making his tan skin look darker than usual. I stared at him through the window and I swear he saw me, across the street and sitting on the far side of the bus.

Tonight I was catching up with The Teacher’s Pet in Potrero. We were talking and having a snack when I caught sight of a familiar figure walking past our window.
I scrambled to turn in my seat. “It’s the Handsome South Asian Chef!” I told The Teacher’s Pet. “I can’t believe it!”
He looked older and shaggier, but healthy. He wore a baseball hat, but I couldn’t decipher the logo. He walked slowly, a loaf of bread tucked under his arm.
We watched him head up the street. I was glad I saw him.
He’s still got amazing eyes.

On my way home, I took the 22. I had my music on, loud. Most of the people who got on before Mission looked like they were going home from work. It was a quiet bus. Lots of people playing with their igadgets. One woman read a paperback copy of Blindness. Her hair fell across her face as she bent over her book.
A boy with a skateboard got on and stood near the stepwell, moving out of the way to let people get past him. He looked so familiar: I realized he looked like an old family friend, but about 40 years younger. A man in hospital scrubs sat next to me, clutching his briefcase.
A British tourist family got on at McAllister (show of hands: who thinks they were sightseeing in Alamo Square Park?): a mother and father and three daughters, one of whom was probably in her late teens early twenties and two younger girls, one maybe eleven or twelve and one about eight. The older of the two pre-teen daughters was wearing a baseball cap. A boy got on through the back door. He wore the usual teen boy uniform: baggy, beltless jeans, huge T-shirt and backwards baseball cap. The younger of the two tourist daughters looked at the boy then looked at her sister. She took her sister’s hat off and turned it around so it was backwards, then she plunked it back onto her sister’s head. I smiled.

Bus Report #430

This morning the Ogler was in fine Ogler form (by which I mean I was both creeped out and disgusted by him).
First, on the 38, he focused his attentions on an older woman wearing a knit cap, who had arranged a set of floral-patterned luggage around her seat.
Now, benefit of the doubt, he knew her and they are great friends, but I really don't think so. He got on, and after a few minutes he got up from his seat and went to stand in front of her. He bent down and started talking to her in her ear. He did this several times, before the bus stopped and we both got out.
He walked up the street and did not get on my 22 until Turk.
He got in and sat next to a middle-aged woman, and talked her ear off for a few minutes.
A teenage girl got on at Hayes. She had freshly curled hair and bright pink lip gloss. He transferred his unnerving stare to her. I think she felt uncomfortable, because she turned away from him and concentrated her eyes on the side of the bus. He stood up and came over to stand near her. She kept ignoring him.
He got out at his stop, and I felt relieved. He really ups the 'ick' factor for me, because nothing he does is overt and outwardly gross. Some of the ladies do seem to know him, but only in passing. They are polite with him because they are polite people. I wonder how many people notice his inappropriate behavior besides me. Well, me, and his victims.

The man with the dirty lavender faux-suede hat sat in front of me two mornings in a row.
The hippie teacher was wearing gloves this morning, and read Bleak House.

There's a new BBQ place in the Fillmore across from the golden arches... It's called Dibb's BBQ and it looked busy last night.

Bus Report #429

Random little tidbits:

Friday: 2 Clement from 8th and Clement to Presidio - I thought about the Muni Diaries post about aisle squatters, because I successfully faced one down.

Saturday: M. and I deferred from the blood bank again, alas, so we rode off into the Sunset on a 43 Masonic to get some lunch. Stinky hippy dippies with their pit bulls in the back of the bus.

Sunday: I was in Green Apple looking at cookbooks when someone standing nearby said, "Oh, hello Rachel." I looked around to see who it was, because I hadn't noticed anyone I knew and there was only one other person anywhere near me. He turned and I saw it was Nikolas, he of my early morning 38 Geary bus. I hadn't seen him in a while so we chatted for a few minutes. It was nice to see him.

Today: Fast and easy bus commute this morning. Sat behind the catfish face man.
At Market I caught a glimpse of a new F Market car... It was creamsicle orange and really beautiful.

Bus Report #428

Yesterday afternoon I walked down the hill to catch the bus. I was at the corner near the brewery when I saw the 10 Townsend pull in to the stop. I quickened my pace, not really trying to catch the bus, knowing it was a lost cause. But the 10 lingered. So I held on to my bag and hurled myself down the hill, across the street and around the corner.
I climbed on board and sat down.
One of the guys who works down the street (I've narrowed it down to a bathroom fixtures store or the formal dress factory) was already on board. He smiled at me, and I smiled back.
I don't think we've ever actually talked, but he is very nice.
I wonder if he made the bus wait for me? Guess I'll never know.

Later, on the 38, A man got on at Larkin and sat behind me. All was well for a few moments. Then, the most horrible, pervasive stench filled the back of the bus. It smelled awful. It smelled just like a pet store in Boston (great selection and convenient location, smell aside): stuffy, like a million animals rolled in to one, and just generally sweaty, filthy and nasty.
I spent the rest of my ride fanning myself and facing the windows. When I got out the bus, I took several deep breaths of Geary and Masonic air, and it tasted fresh and wonderful.
That's when I realized how awful the smell had been.

Observations:

The new hat store in the old nut shop location (both names escape me) across from Britex looks great. Love the way the facade looks.

The Richmond Branch library is open again, hooray! Lots of people getting off the bus there lately.

All my commutes have been faster now that school's out for the summer. Yay.