food for thought
I had quite an interesting day. I went into harvard sq to meet my friend and I had an unbelievably specatacular time. But a few things happened that really got me to think. First of all while walking around the sq I saw an old friend of mine who i hadent seen since last year. She had dropped out of school. I hugged her and said hello, when i realized she was carrying a baby in a sort of baby strap that goes in front. It was covered so I didnt even notice him when i hugged her. It was so weird to see some one I had gone to school with with a baby. Shes just so young.
Well after saying talking and saying good bye, I went on with my day in the square, enjoying myself immensely the whole time. I had another thought provoking experience while i was getting onto the bus to go home. There was a woman with a baby boy of about 2 in a stroller, and 2 daughters one of probably 3 and another of maybe 5. When the bus came I chose to be nice and let the woman on first and then let another woman with a boy in stroller on too. I was about to help them with the strollers but some one else did first. I went to the back of the bus as always and ended up next to the woman with 3 children. The boy was asleep in the stroller. The odd part was that he had tears on his cheek that didnt seem to go away. I sat for a while when i saw one of the sweetest things ever. The 2 girls were seated next to each other. The younger began to cry, and her mother simply handed her a bottle of what seemed to be milk. The the older daughter patted her sisters head and motioned for her to go to sleep laying on her. It was one of the most beautiful least petty things i have ever seen. It was such a sweet thing, it made me so happy.
After that nothing interesting happened until the light outside of star market. The bus was stopped and the baby up in front began to scream very loudly, this was only amplified by the fact that the motor was not running so the bus wasnt making sound. The mother quickly apologized and said " im so sorry, I cant help it." After that the child quickly quieted down as if on queue and the bus started moving. But that apology really bothered me. It was an apology that I wished wasnt necessary but knew it was, I knew that there are so many people who cant just ignore some one else's crying baby knowing full well the mother cant do anything about it quickly enough to suit them. I know that there are those people who are offended by a crying baby on what should be a quiet bus ride home, assuming that a baby should some how know enough about social standards and his surroundings to not be loud.
After the outburst the mother pulled the "request stop" rope and got off. I have know idea if it was because she was actually getting off, or if she knew the child would cry again and she didnt want to inconvenience others. It made me sad.
One more weird thing happened, the bus was about to leave when these two kind of thugged out black guys run over, one got on, and the other was about to when the door closed. The friend yelled to the driver to hold the door as he got on, as the door closed and right before the bus moved, but the driver kept driving. The guy ended up sitting next to me looking really worried and sort of stressed, then he got off at the next stop and walked back.
I dont know why the driver didnt hold the door, but considering the situation it seemed like a malicious act of a person who had been working all day, who didnt want two sketchy guys on her bus. But as i see it he was good enough to get off, fully willing to pay twice and wait for the next bus, to reunite with his friend, so he couldnt be that bad.
I had a amazing time in the square though, and I'm happy i have something to think about, so overall it was a good day.
Well after saying talking and saying good bye, I went on with my day in the square, enjoying myself immensely the whole time. I had another thought provoking experience while i was getting onto the bus to go home. There was a woman with a baby boy of about 2 in a stroller, and 2 daughters one of probably 3 and another of maybe 5. When the bus came I chose to be nice and let the woman on first and then let another woman with a boy in stroller on too. I was about to help them with the strollers but some one else did first. I went to the back of the bus as always and ended up next to the woman with 3 children. The boy was asleep in the stroller. The odd part was that he had tears on his cheek that didnt seem to go away. I sat for a while when i saw one of the sweetest things ever. The 2 girls were seated next to each other. The younger began to cry, and her mother simply handed her a bottle of what seemed to be milk. The the older daughter patted her sisters head and motioned for her to go to sleep laying on her. It was one of the most beautiful least petty things i have ever seen. It was such a sweet thing, it made me so happy.
After that nothing interesting happened until the light outside of star market. The bus was stopped and the baby up in front began to scream very loudly, this was only amplified by the fact that the motor was not running so the bus wasnt making sound. The mother quickly apologized and said " im so sorry, I cant help it." After that the child quickly quieted down as if on queue and the bus started moving. But that apology really bothered me. It was an apology that I wished wasnt necessary but knew it was, I knew that there are so many people who cant just ignore some one else's crying baby knowing full well the mother cant do anything about it quickly enough to suit them. I know that there are those people who are offended by a crying baby on what should be a quiet bus ride home, assuming that a baby should some how know enough about social standards and his surroundings to not be loud.
After the outburst the mother pulled the "request stop" rope and got off. I have know idea if it was because she was actually getting off, or if she knew the child would cry again and she didnt want to inconvenience others. It made me sad.
One more weird thing happened, the bus was about to leave when these two kind of thugged out black guys run over, one got on, and the other was about to when the door closed. The friend yelled to the driver to hold the door as he got on, as the door closed and right before the bus moved, but the driver kept driving. The guy ended up sitting next to me looking really worried and sort of stressed, then he got off at the next stop and walked back.
I dont know why the driver didnt hold the door, but considering the situation it seemed like a malicious act of a person who had been working all day, who didnt want two sketchy guys on her bus. But as i see it he was good enough to get off, fully willing to pay twice and wait for the next bus, to reunite with his friend, so he couldnt be that bad.
I had a amazing time in the square though, and I'm happy i have something to think about, so overall it was a good day.