Bus Report #366
Last night I left downtown a few pounds lighter... As my trusty little computer needed a new hard drive. I'll pick it up tomorrow and so far my only anxiety about the situation is getting everything set up again. Luckily I backed everything up on Saturday and Sunday... Whew.
Anyway, I was going to walk to Sutter and catch the 2 Clement, but as I crossed Geary I could see a 38 coming and decided to take that.
The bus was crowded and when we all got on it was even more packed: I ended up standing in the middle accordion section, gripping the poles tightly with both hands.
With this in mind, here is a little multiple choice test for you:
On a crowded bus, should you:
a) attempt to bring a table onto the bus.
b) station yourself and your table right in front of the back door.
c) get angry at people bumping in to your table.
d) all of the above.
If you answered 'd', all of the above, then you must have been on my bus last night.
A girl pushed her way onto the back of the bus with an end table she had just bought at Ross. It was a white table with roses painted on it. She seemed completely baffled when people yelled at her to move and refused offers of seats ("Oh, no thanks, I've been sitting all day!") when really I think people just wanted her out of the way even if it meant she took up a whole bench to herself.
Good times.
I listened to three people talk about how they wouldn't have any friends in this city if not for their dogs. I know what they meant, but it still made me feel a bit sad. Before the two guys left they had invited the girl and her boyfriend to go surfing this weekend. No one mentioned bringing the dogs along for the fun.
I had to squeeze past the girl with the table on the way out. She was still oblivious to the loud sighs and teeth-sucking that people were doing as they tried to get off the bus.
Clement Street seemed busy for a dark Monday evening. Several people picked their last fruits and vegetables from the outside carts at New May Wah before the stock boys took everything inside.
Halloween decorations at Walgreen's put me in a fall sort of mood, but I didn't buy any. The woman in line in front of me was buying three boxes of salt and four tins of canned meat. I felt a little sick.
Walking home, I noticed that the last of the neighborhood pay phones was gone. There used to be at least one on every other corner. The end of an era, I guess.
This morning I caught a crowded 38 headed downtown.
At Fillmore I got out and walked fast, just in case a 22 was coming.
I managed to get to the 22 stop just in time.
I slid in to a seat next to a guy who had been taking up the whole seat to himself. I don't think he was too happy to share, as he kept elbowing me every time he reached for his phone. He had a cup of coffee with him. The coffee smelled nice and strong.
As usual, same conversation I hear every morning with the recovering addict, the guy who gets out on Turk, and the neck tattoo woman. No reason to repeat it here, you get the picture.
The woman who looks like a model got out at her usual stop. She had a coffee with her, too. Her cup had her name on it, so now we can call her by it: Whitney.
Kids got on and off at Church, but I was too busy reading all the posters and signs up in the window at The Transfer. They have good graphics for all their club nights. Very eye-catching, but I guess that's the whole point.
I got out at my stop with a couple of teenagers and the postal service workers who always stand in the doorway and block every one's exit. Got some milk and soup at Safeway. One of the teens from the bus was in line in front of me buying her breakfast.
She and the check out guy were talking. I guess she does a lot of homework on BART.
I went into my coffee shop and who was in line in front of me? The teenager. She looked at me with recognition.
I told her, "Don't worry, I'm not following you."
She smiled. Relieved? Not sure.
The wonderful staff at the coffee shop said good morning. We talked a little as one of them took my thermos from me and filled up. They are so great, so accommodating, I can't tell you.
I walked to work, paused for a minute to wave to the guy at the glassworks. He waved back.
EDITED TO ADD: After seeing a table and a desk on the 38, and hearing the tale of yet another large piece of furniture transited across our great city, I think I'll start keeping a sidebar list of all the wacky items I've seen on MUNI. Feel free to send me your additions...
Anyway, I was going to walk to Sutter and catch the 2 Clement, but as I crossed Geary I could see a 38 coming and decided to take that.
The bus was crowded and when we all got on it was even more packed: I ended up standing in the middle accordion section, gripping the poles tightly with both hands.
With this in mind, here is a little multiple choice test for you:
On a crowded bus, should you:
a) attempt to bring a table onto the bus.
b) station yourself and your table right in front of the back door.
c) get angry at people bumping in to your table.
d) all of the above.
If you answered 'd', all of the above, then you must have been on my bus last night.
A girl pushed her way onto the back of the bus with an end table she had just bought at Ross. It was a white table with roses painted on it. She seemed completely baffled when people yelled at her to move and refused offers of seats ("Oh, no thanks, I've been sitting all day!") when really I think people just wanted her out of the way even if it meant she took up a whole bench to herself.
Good times.
I listened to three people talk about how they wouldn't have any friends in this city if not for their dogs. I know what they meant, but it still made me feel a bit sad. Before the two guys left they had invited the girl and her boyfriend to go surfing this weekend. No one mentioned bringing the dogs along for the fun.
I had to squeeze past the girl with the table on the way out. She was still oblivious to the loud sighs and teeth-sucking that people were doing as they tried to get off the bus.
Clement Street seemed busy for a dark Monday evening. Several people picked their last fruits and vegetables from the outside carts at New May Wah before the stock boys took everything inside.
Halloween decorations at Walgreen's put me in a fall sort of mood, but I didn't buy any. The woman in line in front of me was buying three boxes of salt and four tins of canned meat. I felt a little sick.
Walking home, I noticed that the last of the neighborhood pay phones was gone. There used to be at least one on every other corner. The end of an era, I guess.
This morning I caught a crowded 38 headed downtown.
At Fillmore I got out and walked fast, just in case a 22 was coming.
I managed to get to the 22 stop just in time.
I slid in to a seat next to a guy who had been taking up the whole seat to himself. I don't think he was too happy to share, as he kept elbowing me every time he reached for his phone. He had a cup of coffee with him. The coffee smelled nice and strong.
As usual, same conversation I hear every morning with the recovering addict, the guy who gets out on Turk, and the neck tattoo woman. No reason to repeat it here, you get the picture.
The woman who looks like a model got out at her usual stop. She had a coffee with her, too. Her cup had her name on it, so now we can call her by it: Whitney.
Kids got on and off at Church, but I was too busy reading all the posters and signs up in the window at The Transfer. They have good graphics for all their club nights. Very eye-catching, but I guess that's the whole point.
I got out at my stop with a couple of teenagers and the postal service workers who always stand in the doorway and block every one's exit. Got some milk and soup at Safeway. One of the teens from the bus was in line in front of me buying her breakfast.
She and the check out guy were talking. I guess she does a lot of homework on BART.
I went into my coffee shop and who was in line in front of me? The teenager. She looked at me with recognition.
I told her, "Don't worry, I'm not following you."
She smiled. Relieved? Not sure.
The wonderful staff at the coffee shop said good morning. We talked a little as one of them took my thermos from me and filled up. They are so great, so accommodating, I can't tell you.
I walked to work, paused for a minute to wave to the guy at the glassworks. He waved back.
EDITED TO ADD: After seeing a table and a desk on the 38, and hearing the tale of yet another large piece of furniture transited across our great city, I think I'll start keeping a sidebar list of all the wacky items I've seen on MUNI. Feel free to send me your additions...
posted by Rachel at 4:03 PM
2 Comments:
Every December I see at least one Christmas tree brought on to MUNI. I kind of like it ...
A lawnmower. At the back of a 47 (or 49, who knows?). No one asked any questions.
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