Ride With Me

So today on the bus....

visual: Awaiting the bus with the last bit of change from my fanny pack equaling exactly one dollar and twenty five cents, I am feeling good. With my purple backpack weighted down by one sustainable lululemon water bottle in the left side pocket, evenly balanced with my sustainable lululemon tea carrier in the right side pocket, I feel so very green and purposeful...

For the first time, I am taking the bus EAST of Beverly Hills and into a part of town I have yet to travel on the public transportation system of Los Angeles. I wait with my fellow bus riders for the RUSH bus 720 to take us deeper downtown. There is still something about the night riding that irks me a bit, but I shake it off.

I hop on the bus and flash the bus driver a smile and nod. After all, I am whitening my teeth this week, someone should see those pearly whites.

I get on the packed bus and it is standing room ONLY tonight folks. I squirm through the passengers that I guess have a desire to stay near the front - as the back of the bus has PLENTY of standing room. Squirm, squirm I go. I find a space near the exit and hold on tight to the pole. Visions of H1N1 scatter within my head viewing hand-on-pole, ehh I shake it off, too. Literally, right off that pole and lean for balance.

There are some British people riding the bus. A younger crew sharing stories and favorite movies. Laughing and just enjoying their ride. I lean back a bit - as to almost inject myself into conversation with this fun crew.

"Oh yes, I enjoyed the movie, Hangover too. Hilarious! Yes, I had to watch it a couple times to catch all the parts...". "Oh, I too am a Larry David fan, I just love Seinfeld....". "Yes, yes the weather here was insane today! That's LA for you!". "We Americans are pretty crazy...ha ha".

Well, that was the conversation I had with them in MY head. They were pretty enthralled with one another. I sighed as they left the bus together. The four of them rushing to whatever life adventure they had to get to.

How fun to ride the bus with friends. I could stare at the bus doors EVERY day and probably never see a friend of mine jump on. Unless that old man with those massive eyebrows got back on, my heart might sink. Anyways, how great would that be? Like when you are grocery shopping and run into an old friend and you talk over lettuce. Or running into someone at a bar and sharing a cold pint. Nope, not on my ride. Not on this bus!

More people should go green. Ride buses with one another. Takes the stress off driving. Take a load off. You can share a seat and a conversation with one another you might never have had if you were paying attention to the road or talking via cellular phone device. You can both have coffee and look at one another whilst still getting somewhere, location-wise and relationship-wise.

What a cheap date idea! I am taking a dude on a date with this snob on a bus on my favorite route. We are going to sit there and chat while getting to some amazing life adventure spot of our own. How is that for a date idea! Or a new reality TV show! Oh they have that one, the NEXT bus. Bummer.

Regardless, who's riding with me tomorrow???