Once in a while, Merrick and I would skip the metro to catch the 11Y at McPherson Square in order to start our shenanigans in Old Town, but that was about the extent of my experiences on DC buses.
When I moved to the west side of Ann Arbor, I knew that I was going to have a bit of a walk to work. Driving was completely out of the question, as parking is expensive and just as difficult as parking in DC, but I am a good two miles from work.
I walk sometimes, especially if the weather is nice, but with the temperatures in the mid-teens lately, I need a little help.
So I take The Link. It's free, it drops me off directly in front of the museum, and it's purple. The buses are freaking purple like the Knight Bus from Harry Potter. When I see it turn the corner in the morning, I get excited over its purplyness.
Mine might not have three floors.But I don't really know. I've never checked.
As a regular rider, I've started to recognize more than a few drivers, and let me just tell you -- when it's ornery old guy in the morning, I know that I will get to work on time. He rarely acknowledges my "good morning" and I've never seen him smile, but he's good. He's cranky, yes, but he does NOT fuck around. Yellow light? He's going through. Pedestrians crossing against the light? They get a courtesy honk, but he's not slowing down.
He's awesome.
When it's the younger, stubbly-faced guy, I'm late. No question. He stays a few mph under the speed limit, he won't speed up when the light changes to yellow, and he tends to stop at each and every stop whether there's someone waiting or not. It's infuriating and I have to hide my scowl when the door opens and I see him sitting there.
And since the buses have to deal with other drivers, it's next to impossible to predict when the damn thing will show up. In the morning, it's generally on time, but once it reaches campus, all bets are off. And if classes have just let out, you're basically screwed.
But it's free and it's purple. And purple is awesome.
La la la la laaaaaa!
5 comments:
I like your bus. It's very purpley! Francisco...oh wait, that's something else.
I wish I could work up the courage to take the bus, but I'm just certain that I'd get on the wrong one and wind up in New Mexico.
Plus, it's not purple.
jlr - If it was purple, you'd take that damn bus wherever it went. But getting lost Guadalajara might not be the most fun thing that you do this weekend.
Uh, is that really a picture of your bus? Because that is frikin awesome!
lem - Nah, that one is a promotional Harry Potter one from when the 7th book was released (I'm thinking). Mine is pretty much the same color though. I'll get a picture eventually, I promise.
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