Bus Report #1042

This morning, some excitement while waiting for the bus.
I turned the corner and walked to the bus stop, and then noticed water, everywhere.
Water coursing down the street, but from where?
Just up ahead, by the middle school, a geyser of epic proportions. Water shot up from the ground, up to the second story of the building. Never ending. Like a waterfall, in the heart of the city.

There was a police car there already, not that the cop could do anything.
Several of us (me, a kid walking a dog, some folks from the gym) watched and marveled.

A firetruck roared down Arguello a moment later, screeched to a stop in front of the school.
The firefighters were head to toe in gear. At first they watched the water spurting from what looked like a damaged fire hydrant, and then two of them ducked into the water.
In the early morning light they looked shrouded in mist even as the water pounded down upon them.

Olga slowly crossed the street, leaning on her cane. We greeted each other in English, in Russian, and stared and pointed at the firefighters' progress. She said, "Is like riviera. River?"
"Yes," I agreed. "The San Francisco Riviera."
She laughed.

On the bus, the mom with the two sons sat with the kids in the front by the driver. The older boy jumped up and pointed at the unusual scene.

"Looks like a broken um, water thing," I said, rummaging in my bag for my Clipper Card.
"Hydrant?" he offered.
"Yeah, hydrant."

As we pulled away from the curb we all stared at the firefighters, still trying to shut off the water.

I hope they got it done, and that the school isn't drenched inside.