She lives!

Holy hell, I have what might be a crush. Oh dear.

So there's this guy. I've seen him most days at my bus stop. He rides the same bus downtown as I do, obviously. For a long time, we've both been engrossed in our respective books. We'll call him Bus Stop Guy, or BSG for short.

He's not particularly attractive. He's ginger (which I know lots of people don't like, but I do) for one. He's a tad on the skinny side, too. And he has that pointy kind of face that always looks like it's sneering.

Until he laughs. Then his face lights up. It's amazing how people's faces can change.

Anyway, after not talking for 5 months, we started minor chatting about a month ago when our bus just never came. Mind you, it's the last bus into the city or else we have to go a roundabout route. 30 minutes later.

So since then, we have minor conversation when we see each other. I feel like such a loser. I've forgotten how to flirt sober! All I can usually deal with is a "good morning". The minute it goes further to him asking me a question, I answer and then shut down by reading and not asking him the normal next question.

What the hell is wrong with me?

So anyway (yes, I know I use those words too much, get over it), I think we almost had a real conversation the other morning, and I think he might be a lawyer. This is bad, very bad. I swore I would never date another lawyer. Only civilians is what I said.

But for some reason he strikes some chord with me. He reads. Sometimes it's Louis L'Amour. He gets up and helps close the back bus door when it won't close.

And for all this, I still haven't a clue whether he's married or what his name is.

So I wonder: 1) Should I ask his name? and b) I guess I should look for that ring soon and c) maybe I should just enjoy the bus crush as it could go very bad if something were to go wrong because he lives only one block away.

Any comments on that?

Ain't it funny how we change

Sometimes without even knowing it.

Less than a year ago, I started using public transportation to get to work and back instead of driving. Not because it was cheaper (although it was) but because the traffic had become ridiculous and I wanted to a) escape the road rage bubbling inside me twice a day, and b) to do something else with that wasted time, like read.

Fast forward to now. I still have a car, but in the last 6 months I've driven it maybe 10 times and then only to do heavy grocery shopping. I use metro to go to and from work, and pretty much walk or use it to do everything else.

In the meantime, A's car died and was put to rest in a junkyard, so she was using mine. Of course, as my luck would have it, the clutch went out. So now Bianca is sitting peacefully in the driveway resting.

Me, doesn't really bother me. I can get a grocery dolly and no problem. The grocery store is 10-15 minutes' walk from here. But her? You'd think the world had come to an end.

But it is kind of interesting to see the differences in attitude. Me, I'm just thinking of what bus routes and metro routes go where. Her? She's lost.

I've also learned that there is a distinct public transportation etiquette. Like you say hello or good morning and thank you or somewhat to the bus driver when you get on or off. There's all kinds of etiquette regarding sitting, standing, where and when. There's even etiquette about when to move seats and not. Unreal.

But it's normal to me now. I can't imagine anything else.

Plus, standing up on the bus/metro is a damn good toning exercise. Rock on, arms and legs. I knew there must be something good about this.

Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood, it ain't

So I come home the other day to find two of the city's finest (read, cops) outside a neighbor's house, along with a paddy wagon. (Why are they called that, anyway?) Sure enough, they were arresting a resident, reason unknown but suspected drugs. He seemed hale and hearty, joking with the officers who were hale and hearty back. Very surreal.

Then, the next morning, as I was walking to the bus stop, I was physically attacked by a girl walking ahead of me. I hadn't done anything, was just walking along. But she decided I was profiling her (she was black, I'm white) and pushed me around and yelled at me. I was in such shock that I don't really remember what she said, but I just kept repeating "Hey, I'm just walking to the bus stop."

I've seen her a few times since then, and she has the shaky movements of someone on crack.

Yeah, Mr. Rogers doesn't live here.

Fucking Bastards

I had other things to write about, but they seem very inconsequential today.

All I can think is Fucking Bastards.

My prayers go to all who are affected by today's tragic and unnecessary events.