up in arms

[skyinhereyes]

So, today I flew back from Detroit.  Amreia's wedding was this weekend, and it was lovely and fun and crazy that after all of our pretend weddings, this was the real thing.  When I booked my flights, though, I was so wedding-focused that I forgot today was Easter Sunday, so I had to fly back at 2:30 instead of hanging out with the fam.  Because of the holiday, I didn't want to bother anyone at school with picking me up from the green line, so I decided that I would just take the bus and then the shuttle home from the train, which I took from the airport.  I got off the green line and went to Starbucks for a latte, which I took with me to the bus stop at Harlem and whatever that street by Dunkin' Donuts is called.  At first, it was just me, a middle-aged Mexican man, and a 20something Eastern European guy.  Then, a middle-aged white man who was drunk came into the bus stop and asked me to move so that he could set his giant can of Icehouse down on the bench.  He and I started to talk about Easter and family and the need to move away from bad influences in order to change one's life.  He thinks he might be better off in Arizona.  Then, two African American women with four little girls and one little boy came by.  One of the little girls was trying to hop up on the bench, but she was too short, so the man who was drunk lifted her up, where she sat next to his giant can of beer.  The two women with the kids were completely absorbed in their own conversation, so the little boy was in charge of the little girls.  By this point, I had moved out of the now-crowded bus stop to stand next to the Eastern European guy on the corner, where a 30something white guy, who was quite likely drunk, came by and asked us for change to get on the bus.  We didn't have any, but started to talk about how many people had asked for money since he (the 20something guy) had arrived at the corner to wait for a friend.  30something guy wandered across the street to ask others for change, stopping traffic on the way.  While we were chatting and I was sipping my latte, the littlest of the little girls almost wandered off the corner and into traffic, but her brother saved her.  20something and I exchanged looks of concern and decided that this was the most entertaining (and culturally diverse) corner around.  The bus came, and the initial man who was drunk informed me that it had arrived.  I wished him a happy Easter and 20something a nice day, then I got on the bus with the Mexican man and the ladies and the kids, 20something walked away with his friend, and the man who was drunk stayed in the bus stop.  I'm not sure what he was waiting for.

What a long day!  Last night was filled with dancing and flowers and scooby snacks and snow and shivers and party buses and milkshake stealers and other good things; tonight is filled with Easter candy and tv and the heat cranked up because I'm cold and can't seem to get hot.  good night.