A Rusty Wave

So today while trying to get on the bus...

visual: me waiting at my normal spot, feeling good to get back on the big bus. new sunglasses with pink and black plaid rims, large patent leather-ish pink bag, and bright blue havianas flip flops (that I wish had the rhinestone peace sign thing between the toes).

I was so excited today to get back on the bus. I head down to my normal spot to wait for the rush bus - why they call it the rush bus, I do not know. I really do not think it goes that much faster.

Anyways, there I am. Sitting. Waiting. Waiting. Oh, here it comes - a bit longer than I am used to. I stand up to board, thinking there has to be another one of us getting on - ZOOM, right past me. I scold myself, I forgot to raise my hand!

I look around. Embarrassed. I sit down slowly. Half smiling - kind of like when you yell at someone you think you know and at that exact very moment their name comes out of your mouth and you start the long-lost-friend-across-the-street-wave, you realize it is so not them. Life seems to enter slow motion, just to enjoy that discomfort for a bit longer. I hurry to look busy and pull out my daily planner - you know, to look busy and maybe distract people from my lack of bus knowledge and sit down/stand up game I just played with bus 7-2-0. Scribble, scribble, scribble....just a couple very important notes I write and re-write. Well, here comes the bus everyone else at my stop is waiting for. I do not know about this number 2, I wonder where it goes?

Waiting....

Waiting...

Oh! My bus again. I panic for a hot second wondering if I can bring my Hazelnut Americano on the bus. Crap! I stuff it in my oversized bag. Ha, can't stop me! Hand ready. 4, ... 3, .... 2,....HAND RAISE!

ZOOM....right past me to the stoplight. I walk the extra five steps up to the door, smiling, hand in my pocket for those 5 quarters. Green light, bus goes.

WHAT?!? I'm starting to freak out. What the hell is going on? I am going to be late to work. I am NEVER late! I start walking around the bus stop area. Oh no, this old guy back there saw me miss the SECOND bus this morning. Great!

I walk towards the METRO sign. I can never read these things. And then...

I hear my name....oh no, someone else saw me! I turn to the oncoming traffic. Yes, it is 8am morning traffic...there are cars and people EVERYWHERE! And there in the midst of the mess, curly blonde hair, sticking her head out of a red PRIUS window; my friendly and green-going coworker!

"Need a ride?"

Are you serious? Hell YES! I bob and weave through a couple cars and dive in her car. We rev it as I just stopped traffic. Phew. 2 seconds down the road, there on the right of the road, inviting the great people of Los Angeles on their way to work, is my bus.....on the SE corner of the street.

Yes. Yes. You got it. I was sitting, standing, sitting, waving, confused and embarassed at the bus stop on the SW corner of the street.

My memory flashes....me, waving my hand like an utter idiot in plaid freaking sunglasses.

Did they change the bus pickup on me? How is this possible? I feel like I just got PUNK'D by the LA Bus System.

Thank God my co-worker drove by. How ironic that she was there, in her quiet, eco-friendly PRIUS, at that very embarrassing moment of need in my life. I guess it all worked out for me. Made it work on time. Had a nice conversation on the way. AC. Neurtral air smell. Norah Jones on the CD player. Calming little carpool we had going this morning.

Well, minus the whole waving at a moving bus and staring at the door as the bus driver doesn't even point to the NEXT bus stop five feet in front of me across the crosswalk. I was this close to knocking on those double doors...thank God the light turned green.

Really Metro? Throw me a bone here.