Morning Bus Ride

I made the rookie mistake of catching the first bus to go by this morning even though I knew damn well there was going to be another one right behind it. I'm not sure if that decision had anything to do with the woman with nice legs climbing into the bus right before I did, but regardless, I followed her lead. Paid my fare and walked to the back to find one seat available so I squeezed myself and my backpack and my pool cue in between two folks who were no doubt happy to share their space with such a fine looking gentleman (you'll understand in a bit) like myself.

Well my comfort was soon shattered when I noticed an older looking woman standing near my seat. I thought to myself that she wasn't really all that old. Certainly not old enough to need this seat, but my conscience acquiesced and I offered up my seat to her and she readily accepted. Good deed for the day finished not more than 45 minutes after waking up. Not too bad.

Now I found myself standing in the unenviable position on the stairs leading up to the back of the bus. This is no doubt one of the worst spots for trying to remain upright. Fortunately that also didn't last long as a rather boisterous woman soon left her seat and forced me down and right out the bus so she could get on with her morning. Stepping back onto the bus, I was now situated right near the exit doors, which happens to also be not the greatest of standing options due to the people exiting those doors every stop or so. I made the most of it by enjoying my iPod and peering over some woman's shoulder in order to ascertain what she was reading on her Kindle. I wasn't quite successful at that, but she seemed to be reading some sort of self help book as there were bullet points and some helpful suggestions on life...none of which I can recall at the moment and apparently none of which I will be using in trying to better myself. Opportunity lost.

Shortly thereafter the stench of cat litter permeated my immediate standing area. I'm guessing it was the slightly overweight, reddish-blonde, curly-haired woman who had recently found her way towards the back of the bus, but I wasn't positive. Needless to say I don't understand how one can reek of cat litter, unless of course, you live in a closet with several cats, most of which are on the verge of dying. My thoughts of cat litter soon ended though as the rear doors opened up and some middle aged man burst through them with his rolling luggage cart, pushing me and the woman with the Kindle further into the litter stench. When the bus driver motioned to him and let him know he couldn't enter the bus through those doors, he defiantly raised his hand along with his bus card and replied, "it's okay I have an unlimited ride bus pass". I had to chuckle at that and the bus driver told him he had to exit the bus and enter the front, which was already jam packed with people. My gain in available space was now their loss up front.

Exiting the bus at Milwaukee avenue I crossed Chicago Avenue so I could begin the morning wait to see just how long it would take for the very unreliable #56 bus. I had only stood there a few moments when the man with the rolling luggage cart, who wasn't well versed in Chicago bus travel etiquette disgustedly said, "Fifteen minutes?!". Knowing exactly what he meant I asked if that was the next Milwaukee bus arrival. He said yes, I commented on the schizophrenic nature of that line, wished him a good day, and headed across the street into the depths of the subway system.