Bus Report #1093

 Today was gorgeous and we deserve it, after all the rain and the wind and the cold of the past weeks.

In this part of town there's an overlap of people dressed in beautiful red for Lunar New Year, and people dressed in beautiful red for today's Super Bowl.

All up and down Clement, a sea of red and gold - people walking to parties for both occasions, stopping at the markets for beers or oranges.

On the way to the Farmer's Market I meet one of my favorite people - Carmen, my longtime friend from the 22 Fillmore. I've seen her twice this year which is twice more than I saw her all last year. And she's still just lovely. We hugged and chatted in the middle of Clement as we do, catching up quickly so she could join her family for Super Bowl festivities.

At the edge of the Farmer's Market, a couple in wedding outfits (suit for him, white wedding gown for her) having their wedding photos taken with Clement as their background. Delightful.

E. and I took a long walk, stopped for fresh veg in the market and dim sum at Gourmet Dim Sum.

The 'doom loop' has skipped Clement, I am happy to report.

People everywhere, queues at the shops, Super Bowl and Valentine's balloon sculptures in front of Sparky's, too many dogs and more flowers and citrus spilling from shop fronts than anyone could possibly go home with.

You look great, Carmen said, just before we parted. 

I thanked her and said the same, which was true, she always looks great but more than that she looked so happy. She laughed and said it was almost her birthday.

I wished her a happy one, and went on my way.

Bus Report #1092

 I cracked the construction worker the other day.

Let me start at the beginning. 

A few months ago a new person started waiting for the 33 with me in the morning - a very, very tall construction worker who slumped onto the bench by the pizza place, smoking and staring into space as we both waited separately, but also together, for the bus.

You know how it goes. Your fellow passengers can either be strangers or they can be acquaintances or they can be friends. 

So for months we've waited for the 33 together, him with his smoking, me with my podcasts, while the other early morning folk go about their routines. The newspaper delivery guy in the red SUV, U-turning at Clement and Arguello to toss papers onto three consecutive porches. The tall bicyclist who always waves and says hi. The petite cyclist who quietly rides past the bus stop just before, or just after, the tall guy. The nurse who walks to the 38. The floppy-haired guy who speedwalks to the mailbox then runs across Arguello dodging traffic.

During the recent rains I waited under the awning at the pizza spot and the construction worker joined me. Almost started smoking but as I was standing right beside him, he stood at the edge of the sidewalk and had a quick smoke while we waited. When the bus arrived, he let me on first.

The next day, more rain, this time I took off my headphones and while we huddled beneath the awning I asked how it was to be on site in such bad weather. He looked at me, said, "It sucks."

Monday, and when we get to the bus stop not only does the rain start up, but we both notice that someone has removed the bench that's been at the bus stop for twenty-something years.

The construction worker sighed deeply and perched instead on a narrow outcropping - no way it was more comfortable than standing, but hey, do what you gotta do. Unprompted, he said, "I hope they bring the damn bench back."

I nodded, agreed. "Yeah, it's been here forever," I said.

The next day, the bus was a couple minutes early and the construction worker barely made it.

I held the door for him. Said, unoriginally, "you made it."

Thursday I say something offhand about how the new bus schedule hasn't been too bad so far.

He was sitting on his outcropping and he looked up, surprised. "What new bus schedule?"

Apparently he hadn't known about it - he just thought the bus had been strangely early lately.

And then the other day, hiding from the rain again, waiting. 

He mentioned missing the bus the day before and having to Lyft to work.

I commiserated with him - who doesn't hate that? And I said I'd tried to get the driver to wait but that he wouldn't and instead had stopped to wait at Fulton in order to stay on schedule.

"Figures," said the construction worker. And he smiled.

Hard shell, cracked! Not bad work for an early morning chatterbox (that would be me.)