Bus Report #1073

 Another early morning walk and bus ride to work.

Clement Street was quiet today, quieter than usual. 

Said good morning to the New May Wah guys, walked on.

A man walking behind me kept a steady distance between us, but I think he could tell I was a little unnerved; at 8th he walked out into the street, and, giving me a wide berth, hurried ahead of me until he was about half a block ahead. Thank you, stranger, for noticing my unease. 

I will get past it, I will.

Clement Street curbs overrun with discarded Halloween pumpkins. Big ones, little ones, smushed ones, three stacked up and turned in to some sort of lamp. Probably should've disassembled that one before setting it out for pickup.

On the 33 we sped down Arguello and up to the Haight, just me and one guy who works at a construction firm near my office (he was wearing a company fleece).

Though the sky was still dark it was a bit lighter up on the hill where the 33 takes the hairpin turn. Dark green and grey sky above the Market Street Safeway.

And then the driver missed our slight turn and we were driving on Market for a minute, before he realized his error and quickly got us back onto 18th. 

We glided down the street for a few blocks. At Harriet he pulled over. "I'm rebooting," the driver called back to the three of us passengers.

He restarted the bus and got the electric poles back up on the wires. 

After a couple of false starts we were on our way again.

Nothing doing in the Castro. No one playing tennis at Dolores Park.

On Mission, my favorite early morning sight - a brightly lit market not far from the bus stop, chock full of produce and all sorts of goods piled high on shelves that only just avoid scraping the ceiling. Huge bins of fruit out front. It is beautiful in its utility.

I hopped out at Potrero, waved and smiled at the driver. 

Walked the rest of the way to work, past construction sites already humming with activity, and people huddled asleep in a few doorways. At the park, sweatshirted men and their dogs. Low mist about ankle height at least until I turned the corner, and then it was gone.