visual: I do not match today. Purple plaid jacket atop a pair of heathered blue lululemon Feel Good pants and royal blue Havianas flip flops on bottom and green aviator-esque sunglasses on top - I am a vision. It is Sunday morning and I just grabbed what was there...
You all know the days where you just feel a little off. I am sure you can tell by my outfit, I just missed the mark today. So, I am waiting for my bus and sipping through my sustainable coffee mug and shuddering. I tried to brew my own coffee this morning. Terrible decision. I make the right call and pour it out into the street, where it belongs.
711 is calling my name with their posters marketing these Breakfast Burrito Rolls. 2 for $2, what a steal! Knowing it is probably the worst decision, I turn to take advantage of this morning special. Oh yes, people. I did. Two breakfast rollers. You know the case with the hot dogs that roll all the live long day. Yes, these are rolling in the case right next to those hot dogs.
I know, I really know.
So I get my cardboard case full of artery clog and future stomach pain (see photo to right) and head back to the my stop right as the bus is approaching. The doors open up and I greet my bus driver with a large hello for Sunday. I think I startled him. He says hi back, takes one glance at the 711 Convenient breakfast box in my hands and looks up smiling, "Breakfast of Champions today, huh?".I literally laugh out loud. And, I cannot stop. I tell him that these new burritos were calling my name today and it happened. It happened! I scold myself in front of him, using my full name as if I am really in trouble this time.
He is laughing too as I sit in the front seats and crack open the box. I snicker a bit longer knowing for sure that my bus driver has NO idea that I not only have one of these gnarly breakfast burrito rollers in the box, but there are 2! I ponder sharing with him, but that fades.
I am smiling the whole way there. The last couple of bites of burrito number 2, I pull into the town of regret. I knew I didn't need that second one! It wasn't near as good as the first one. What was I thinking? My stomach starts to rumble and I shake my head.
As I pull for my stop and jump off the bus stop, I wave bye and smile at my driver. He recalls my full name from my scolding and acknowledges me.
I head to the store to open shop. I start to figure that with all the walking I do to and from the bus stops, that second burrito was totally fine. I look up to the front of my store, pondering a real cup of good coffee - and there is my old bus friend. The man I think created Orbitz.com. He came to say 'hi'. How lovely.
We chat a moment and I thank him for saying hello this morning. He is heading to Santa Monica to breathe in the ocean air. I love that and momentarily wish I could just bail and ride the bus down West and hear his deep, lingering Santa Claus laughs. But alas, I must elevate the World to greatness at lululemon athletica Beverly Hills today! We exchange hugs and he says he will return.
And that was my morning. Laughing with my bus driver. Sitting on the bus eating 711 burritos out of my cardboard box o' calories, and my gentlemen friend clad in a suit to wish me a good morning at work.Now that makes life easy like Sunday morning.
Nice article in the LA Times.
ReplyDeleteI take the 720 from Barrington as well.
It was hell working as a talent assistant and taking the bus, but I got through it...
The stories I have from taking the bus could fill a blog...
Good thing you got that covered.
:)
read the LA times article and it made me really think how spoiled LA-ians are. i'm from LA as well but work in South Korea. the public transportation here is SO advanced that when i went to visit home, i thought to myself i could ride the bus/subway through LA and SFvalley. but it could not be done.
ReplyDeletecongratulations on your new revelations and i hope you impact others around you in a way that pushes them to be friends of the environment as well!
Nice Bloomekatz article today. Don't know how you do it. If the MTA can get their act together like the SM blue line, public T can work. The rails and the Metro Red were MAJOR steps in that right direction. But with the current debt coupled with layoffs, LA public t is and will be painful. But, hang in there. You seem determined and resilient. You're gonna get there!
ReplyDeleteGood LA Times article. I got out of my car a few years ago, when my husband got laid off. I used Metrolink while I was in the Valley, and a combo of Metrolink and the Red Line when I transferred to Hollywood. Toward the end, I had to drive for health reasons, but when we transferred to the Civic Center, I got on the AVTA commuter bus. It's cheaper than the train by a long shot, and most of the time it is faster. Connecting transit is and always has been a PITA in LA. Bravo for making the effort!
ReplyDeleteYour bus friend stopped by on his way to the beach, in a suit??? Be wary!!
ReplyDeleteI like your blog. I also was drawn to the LA Times article. It is great to focus on the good parts of public transit. When I moved back to California from DC, where I only used public transport, we decided to see how long we could live without a car. Two years and 2 months before my husband's work took him off the bus routes and we caved in. But he took the express bus for 1 1/2 years despite weird comments from his colleagues. Now he has the car and I still bus. I'm also part of a group that is doing all the walks from Walking LA, but we take public transit from Pasadena to each LA neighborhood. 36 walks from Santa Monica to Boyle Heights, Hollywood and Culver City. It is, as you have said, a different view. The transit system goes almost everywhere, but because LA is so spread out, it takes a long time.
ReplyDeleteBe careful eating on the bus, as you can be heavily fined. You are lucky your driver was a good guy.
Hi. First, I loved the profile. I live in OC, the only place even harder to use a bus. But you touched on my favorite thing about riding a bus...sightseeing! I think it's like walking through your neighborhood, where you see so much more than when you drive.
ReplyDeleteNow, about those burritos. I ran into a 7-11 in Covina (I think) and see the poster for those, but the deal is even better: Two rollers and two huge cans of beer, for like $4. I wished I'd taken a photo of it.
People in the City of Angel should take advantage of the public transportation. Last summer, the gas prices were a little over $3.0 Per Gallon. As a freshmen college student, I had to get a non-paid internship. I interned from my home: Pasadena to Norwalk, CA. I needed public transportation to save money. I know I saved more than $600, then I spend half of the money on alcohol. College, right?
ReplyDeleteJust read the article via RSS on Google Reader on the 762. I think its great your blogging you experiences on the metro :) I too had use to have "only people with problems take the bus". The turning point for me like @jeffery was the gas prices. That made me start to rethink my commute strategy and the whole "car way of life" ... especially since the commute from SVG to Glendale is the same time I spend in the car! I really think we need to rethink our livestyles revolving around the car. Human beings aren't ment to be enclosed in pods for extended periods of time ... were social creatures and sometimes a little old fashion human interaction can go a long way.
ReplyDeleteLOL ... somebody just walked in with McDonalds frys!
Anywho this is my stop (me and the GF are bussing it to downtown tonight). If I see a flamboyantly (totally spelled that wrong!) dressed 20-somethinng ill be sure to hit you up for some change!
Hey, when I took a good paying job in the summer of 2008, I decided to sell my car since I was commuting my bike and I wanted to save for a condo. I love to see more like yourself. I always tell people, when they drive they often don't appreciate the weather we have. Being more open and friendly as you've noticed is another thing that happens with getting out of your car. Driving a car also ads this element called "road rage" that I've never seen walking, biking, riding the bus, subway, light rail or train.
ReplyDeleteNice article in the L.A. Times. I've taken the bus to UCLA (I work as a campus minister) many times but eventually just got tired of waiting waiting waiting . . . did I just miss the bus? Is it just around the bend?
ReplyDeleteMy wife and kids and I spent six weeks in Chicago this summer. They have a "bus tracker" --- allowing you to see via your phone (internet) where your bus is. Awesome. Changed everything.
Back home here in la-la-land, I'm sadly back to my car. I was OK with the colorful "bus crowd" . . . it was waiting (and not knowing) at the stop that got me back in my car.
The MTA needs to get over to Chicago, get a similar "bus tracker" system here in Los Angeles. I'd actually consider the bus again ...
Great read- I moved to LA last year and vowed to take Metro buses/trains to my new job every day, like you described in your article in the LA Times. I have met at
ReplyDeleteleast one new friend that way, and after awhile people know how each other are and sort of look out after each other.
Keep going. I want to encourage you to keep it up.
ReplyDeleteI had several carless periods (08-10, 93-97) and the stories could fill a stand-up routine. And they have. I recently broke down and got a car, but at least it is a compact with good mileage, and I feel like I have done MORE than my lifetime share than most people.
But try to take the train if you can, it is more fun than the bus. How about a weekend excursion to Long Beach, and go to the Aquarium, or take the Gold Line to Pasadena and try a nice restaurant. It's fun and relaxing.