I honestly didn't think I was going to have another day of amusement on the RTD so soon after my other one, but don't underestimate the weirdness of people, especially those that ride the RTD.
Today I got on an earlier bus because I simply did not want to be late to class again. (And here I sit an hour early but I'd rather be an hour early than five minutes late.) It was a whole different group of individuals on the earlier bus. Mostly people going to work... anyway the weirdness started off when an elderly man got on the bus. He went straight to the back of the bus and about thirty seconds later a young man he sat down next to started to have a temper tantrum. I'm not sure about what, exactly but he started swearing a lot and stating, "I don't care how much older you are than me, ol' man!" The older man declared, "Well you should!" Amusing, to say the least. I think what ended the whole scene is that the younger man saw that I was laughing at him, he glared at me, then shut up.
Later, when I was waiting for my second bus I saw the most interesting individual. She was one of the darkest black woman I have ever seen (I'm not trying to be racist, just stating a fact) and she was wearing one of the brightest blond wigs I have ever seen. She was about 50 years old and was singing and talking to herself and she skipped down the sidewalk. When she noticed me watching her she started, loudly, wailing. I was not only amused at this point but also slightly disturbed. Partly because the street was quiet at that point and her wailing was echoing off the walls giving it an extra eerie sound.
Once I was on my second bus we headed toward the school. There was one other passenger on the bus with me, but that was it. When we started nearing the school she requested to get off. The bus driver became very confused, till he saw a bus stop a block ahead... it was not his next stop. However he stopped for the young lady and let her off, then turned to me saying, "I didn't know that bus stop was there. I wonder if I'm supposed to drop people off and pick people of there?!?" Not that entertaining, I know. But still rather funny, to me.
After I got off the buss a guy with a huge fro walks up to me and asks me "How's the leg doin', ace?" I was really confused at this statement and stopped to look down at my legs. What was wrong with them? Oh nothing, I just use a crutch. I smiled up at him and said, "It's been better!" "Well you know you can get painkillers here whenever you need them." As I walked into school I thought this statement over.
OH.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Going to School
On Tuesdays and Thursdays to get to school I ride a bus. At first I didn't think much of this and didn't believe that anything truly strange or exciting could happen. But on my very first trip alone something strange did happen.
The following story is my experience on the bus from my very first day of riding it.
The bus arrived at about 9:45 and left at about 9:48. I climbed on and waited for the hour long trip to be over. Unfortunately the first problem I would have would before I even got to my second bus stop. I knew what cross street I needed to disembark near but I still got off the bus a stop too early and had to hike it to my next bus stop. When I arrived a sweet little old man asked me if I was just sitting down for a rest (I was using my crutch) or if I was waiting for the bus. I told him the bus and he asked me which one. Twelve...
"Oh I just saw twelve go by."
And there wouldn't be another one for another half hour. I sighed, deeply, feeling troubled and most horribly late to class.
I settled into the bench ready for a long wait. When this sweet little old man started talking away. He asked me where I was going and I told him school. Immediately he told me that it took him 50 years to graduate from high school. Because he had been 17 when the Korean war had started and he went and joined the Navy. Instantly I was intrigued because I have studied the Korean War extensively. He went on to tell me of the troubles he had graduating from high school after he returned. Then he told me of how he was born in Denver but during the depression his father moved their family out of Colorado because it was two expensive. He told me this past Christmas was the first one he had spend in Denver since he was three years old. At this point there was a pause in the conversation and because I was SO intrigued by the Korean War I said, "So you were in Korea" hoping to get him to talk more about it. He nodded and continued to tell me about how he was in a boat and didn't ever see too much action. This dear little sweetheart then offered me his sandwich, which I politely declined. After this another man approached the bus stop. Upon seeing him my new friend immediately became agitated and said goodbye and quickly left as fast as his 76 year old body would let him.
This new stranger was something else. He was in his late fifties to early sixties and was stoned out of his ever-lovin' mind. He had dirty long dark gray hair and a foul smell. He started off by asking me if his bus had gone by yet and unfortunately for him... and me... it already had. He then started rant about the darn bus system and the government. The connection between the two was well beyond me. But he was clearly unhappy about something. He paced in front of me shouting and cursing the government all the while shaking like crazy. While this was going on I decided to call my Dad to find out when my bus should arrive. When he answered the weird stranger was still talking so I didn't immediately answer Dad thinking it was rude to interrupt this man, no matter how freakish he was. Dad seemed confused by why no one was talking. I didn't bother to explain it to him, till later that night. All of the sudden he stopped and said very quietly, "Oh this won't do." Confused I became a little bit intrigued. As I watched him he pulled a vile of powder out of his jacket pocket, and a piece of paper. Watching closely I watched him lower himself to the ground and put the paper flat on the ground in front of him. Next he poured out some of the contents of the vile onto the paper and.... you can all probably guess this next part but I was still pretty shocked... he snorted it. I was greatly amused by this and was trying my hardest not to laugh when in a few minutes he stood behind the bench and started to sing. To my great relief the his bus arrived about five minutes later (mine was late!) and he climbed on telling me to have a "super day".
After his bus left I gave myself up to the laughter that had been building up inside of me. I became sober again and concerned waiting for my own bus to arrive. It did and I was indeed late to class...
The following story is my experience on the bus from my very first day of riding it.
The bus arrived at about 9:45 and left at about 9:48. I climbed on and waited for the hour long trip to be over. Unfortunately the first problem I would have would before I even got to my second bus stop. I knew what cross street I needed to disembark near but I still got off the bus a stop too early and had to hike it to my next bus stop. When I arrived a sweet little old man asked me if I was just sitting down for a rest (I was using my crutch) or if I was waiting for the bus. I told him the bus and he asked me which one. Twelve...
"Oh I just saw twelve go by."
And there wouldn't be another one for another half hour. I sighed, deeply, feeling troubled and most horribly late to class.
I settled into the bench ready for a long wait. When this sweet little old man started talking away. He asked me where I was going and I told him school. Immediately he told me that it took him 50 years to graduate from high school. Because he had been 17 when the Korean war had started and he went and joined the Navy. Instantly I was intrigued because I have studied the Korean War extensively. He went on to tell me of the troubles he had graduating from high school after he returned. Then he told me of how he was born in Denver but during the depression his father moved their family out of Colorado because it was two expensive. He told me this past Christmas was the first one he had spend in Denver since he was three years old. At this point there was a pause in the conversation and because I was SO intrigued by the Korean War I said, "So you were in Korea" hoping to get him to talk more about it. He nodded and continued to tell me about how he was in a boat and didn't ever see too much action. This dear little sweetheart then offered me his sandwich, which I politely declined. After this another man approached the bus stop. Upon seeing him my new friend immediately became agitated and said goodbye and quickly left as fast as his 76 year old body would let him.
This new stranger was something else. He was in his late fifties to early sixties and was stoned out of his ever-lovin' mind. He had dirty long dark gray hair and a foul smell. He started off by asking me if his bus had gone by yet and unfortunately for him... and me... it already had. He then started rant about the darn bus system and the government. The connection between the two was well beyond me. But he was clearly unhappy about something. He paced in front of me shouting and cursing the government all the while shaking like crazy. While this was going on I decided to call my Dad to find out when my bus should arrive. When he answered the weird stranger was still talking so I didn't immediately answer Dad thinking it was rude to interrupt this man, no matter how freakish he was. Dad seemed confused by why no one was talking. I didn't bother to explain it to him, till later that night. All of the sudden he stopped and said very quietly, "Oh this won't do." Confused I became a little bit intrigued. As I watched him he pulled a vile of powder out of his jacket pocket, and a piece of paper. Watching closely I watched him lower himself to the ground and put the paper flat on the ground in front of him. Next he poured out some of the contents of the vile onto the paper and.... you can all probably guess this next part but I was still pretty shocked... he snorted it. I was greatly amused by this and was trying my hardest not to laugh when in a few minutes he stood behind the bench and started to sing. To my great relief the his bus arrived about five minutes later (mine was late!) and he climbed on telling me to have a "super day".
After his bus left I gave myself up to the laughter that had been building up inside of me. I became sober again and concerned waiting for my own bus to arrive. It did and I was indeed late to class...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)