the city, public transit, and cute meets
"I used to feel so alone in the city. All those gazillions of people and then me, on the outside. Because how do you meet a new person? I was very stumped by this for many years. And then I realized, you just say "hi". They may ignore you. Or you may marry them. And that possibility is worth that one word."
~ Augusten Burrough, Author*1
Somedays I really hate my bus ride home. It can seem pretty long when it takes nearly 45 minutes door to door from downtown.*2 I usually forget, and so end up pleasantly surprised, that it's only half an hour to get to Ernest and Glenys'*3 place. And on nights that I'm heading home late, I find it almost amusing when I pull out my latest book*4 to read amongst what is often half drunken talk on the bus around me.
But part of the beauty and magic of public transit is the people. I like to people watch, you know, but you also probably know that it doesn't take much to get me to talk to them either. Ben has pointed out that we first met on the bus where we discussed our prospective books, thinking that we were simply strangers passing. Kate and I met on the bus... not once, but twice maybe three times before we became insta-friends. (We refer to it fondly as our cute-meet.)*5 And tonight at the bus stop I met the girl that I'll likely share my office with next year. Entering masters student in music. She had a odd shaped thing (for lack of a better word) with her, and I just had to ask if it was an instrument.*6 Immediately we found out that we have three friends in common, one of whom I shared my office with this past year and one of whom I met in Italy. She's teaching the first year keyboard lab this fall, and I the second, so we'll likely share an office. *cue it's a small world music here*
The bus ride flew by. Sometimes (often) I really love my life. And lack of car. *grin* *7
*1 From my Starbucks cup a few weeks back. Sorry, don't know anything about the author. At all.
*2 Or school for that matter.
*3 Glenys, coincidentally, is the flute player that I happen to remember from MusiCamrose ten years ago. Last night we laughed over how beautiful it's been to acquaint and reacquaint ourselves.
*4 Currently Ozma of Oz with original illustrations!
*5 Actually a 'technical' term, of sorts. At least according to The Holiday and Wiki.
*6 "Harp" she said. "Celtic harp?" I ventured, securing myself in her mind as someone who might actually know something about music. It was pretty sweet... shaped like the body of a mini-harpsichord and in a red and white checked quilted gingham.
*7 Yes, Prairie-dear, I am aware that I'm blogging. Notice how easily it takes over my thought process? This is why I avoided it for so long. But you see, I have oh-so-much school reading to be avoiding, so blogging wins. And these last two posts have been modified versions of emails that I've actually sent to people, so that somehow feels different. *grin*