What is a bus rider without a bus to ride?

Hello and I hope everyone is doing well.

I haven't had anything to report since I haven't been on a bus since before the shelter in place order.
I haven't left my neighborhood since then either. I circle Mountain Lake, I wander down to Arguello or up to 14th Ave., but that's about it. I love to walk but I miss my commute. The early morning quiet, and the fog, watching the markets in the Mission open up, the proprietors stacking all sorts of fresh produce in neat pyramids on their display tables.

I miss everyone - Jeannine, Alain, Olga, all our wonderful drivers, and my fellow commuters. 

I miss the folks along the "Miss Rachel's Neighborhood" route. And you know I worry. How are the guys from the garage? The folks at Safeway and Noah's? Are any of the drivers sick? What will it be like when we can go back to work?

But there have been sunny spots in all of this.

The third week of shelter in place I ran in to the Frenchman and his daughter over near our bus stop. It's a funny thing, seeing someone in a different context, in the middle of the day, and while you're wearing masks. We laughed and said hello, and it was so good to see him.

Another day, I visited E., standing out front her building and calling up to her window. I'd forgotten that she is neighbors with Olga. Olga sat outside on her little balcony, and E. leaned out her window, and I waved and called up to them both. Olga laughed when I tugged down my mask for a moment to show her who I was. In a jumble of English and French E. explained to Olga that we are friends. It was afternoon but I good morninged Olga in Russian, making her laugh again.

Walking home from the grocery store last night I saw another familiar pair - the obsessively religious mom and her daughter. They looked good, the mom less checked out than usual, the daughter taller than before, tanned, rolling down the street in a pair of roller blades. I smiled at the mom but she didn't notice. I was just glad they were okay.

I've crossed paths with the friendly woman from Schubert's a half dozen times. The bakery is open again and seem to be doing a good, brisk business.

At the bank the other day, the security guard held the door open for me. "You take care of yourself, young lady," he said.
I grinned and said, "I will if you will."
He chuckled and replied, "I'll do my best."

And I hope you all do, too.