Bus Report #1009
Last night, late, after drinks and dinner with the Teacher's Pet.
Crowded bus but I got a seat without any trouble.
A man got on, clutching his arm (in a sling), and moaning, moaning. He did so for another four blocks before he got out, cradling his bad arm.
A couple stops later, a junkie guy with huge backpack and a dog got on. The dog was thin, her collar not quite fitting right, a pink bandana around her neck. The man dumped his bag on a seat and started pulling things out and then putting them back in. He ripped open a couple of packages of flash drives and tossed the packaging on the floor. Did the same with a new dog toy, dropping the toy onto the floor for his dog. She immediately began playing with it.
The man scratched at his hands, which were covered in scabs. Chewed on the butt of a cigarette. He was young but looked older than his years, sickly.
He coaxed the dog up onto the seat beside him.
At Fillmore he tried to get off the bus but his dog was sleeping on the seat and she wouldn't get up despite his yelling at her, "C'mon, get up, get up, get up." The doors closed and he yelled at the driver, who could not hear him from all the way in the back.
Half a block later the driver opened the doors. "You wanted to get out?" he said over the intercom.
"Well not anymore, not now," the man muttered.
He kept packing and unpacking his stuff for a few more blocks.
At Masonic a half dozen USF freshmen got on, one girl and five guys. An older woman walking behind them called to the girl, "How many boyfriends you got? Hey, how many boyfriends?"
The kids moved to the back of the bus, laughing.
"Is she talking about me?" Asked the girl. Her friend replied that she was, and then told her not to acknowledge the woman.
The woman sat down and began, or most likely continued, a rant.
"You want to go to a party tomorrow? I know the police commissioner. They're having a party at headquarters tomorrow and you can drink some beers. And then they can baptize you, and then you can pay $200 to punch a Buddhist nun in the face and you won't go to hell. I promise you. You can do it. They are Cambodian and Vietnamese and Chinese. They will let you." And on, and on.
The junkie guy muttered, "I could use $200."
He said, "Anyone want to punch me in the face right now for $200, go for it, I need that money like I need water."
The woman said, "You can punch them. I promise you. You can pay $200. You punch them in the face, you won't go to hell."
The man repeated, "I could use that $200."
He got out at 6th Avenue, no richer than before.
Crowded bus but I got a seat without any trouble.
A man got on, clutching his arm (in a sling), and moaning, moaning. He did so for another four blocks before he got out, cradling his bad arm.
A couple stops later, a junkie guy with huge backpack and a dog got on. The dog was thin, her collar not quite fitting right, a pink bandana around her neck. The man dumped his bag on a seat and started pulling things out and then putting them back in. He ripped open a couple of packages of flash drives and tossed the packaging on the floor. Did the same with a new dog toy, dropping the toy onto the floor for his dog. She immediately began playing with it.
The man scratched at his hands, which were covered in scabs. Chewed on the butt of a cigarette. He was young but looked older than his years, sickly.
He coaxed the dog up onto the seat beside him.
At Fillmore he tried to get off the bus but his dog was sleeping on the seat and she wouldn't get up despite his yelling at her, "C'mon, get up, get up, get up." The doors closed and he yelled at the driver, who could not hear him from all the way in the back.
Half a block later the driver opened the doors. "You wanted to get out?" he said over the intercom.
"Well not anymore, not now," the man muttered.
He kept packing and unpacking his stuff for a few more blocks.
At Masonic a half dozen USF freshmen got on, one girl and five guys. An older woman walking behind them called to the girl, "How many boyfriends you got? Hey, how many boyfriends?"
The kids moved to the back of the bus, laughing.
"Is she talking about me?" Asked the girl. Her friend replied that she was, and then told her not to acknowledge the woman.
The woman sat down and began, or most likely continued, a rant.
"You want to go to a party tomorrow? I know the police commissioner. They're having a party at headquarters tomorrow and you can drink some beers. And then they can baptize you, and then you can pay $200 to punch a Buddhist nun in the face and you won't go to hell. I promise you. You can do it. They are Cambodian and Vietnamese and Chinese. They will let you." And on, and on.
The junkie guy muttered, "I could use $200."
He said, "Anyone want to punch me in the face right now for $200, go for it, I need that money like I need water."
The woman said, "You can punch them. I promise you. You can pay $200. You punch them in the face, you won't go to hell."
The man repeated, "I could use that $200."
He got out at 6th Avenue, no richer than before.
posted by Rachel at 11:07 AM
2 Comments:
Rachel,
Just now checking out your spot. Love these bus riding vignettes. Please, keep sharing
Keith
Thanks, Keith!
I really appreciate it!
See you soon.
Post a Comment
<< Home