We have a new bus driver now. The previous driver was training the New Guy for a couple days, but now he's on his own. He's not too bad; I mean, driving a bus isn't easy I'm sure, so I guess he's doing a good job at it. But getting used to a New Guy who isn't quite as comfortable behind that big steering wheel as the other guy is going to be hard. So long as I have a good book, I guess it'll be okay.
I'm getting to recognize some of the regulars on the bus. There's the Mission Kids, the Cuesta Kids and the Working Stiffs. The Mission Kids go to the fancy-pants Mission Prep School in SLO. Some sorta private Catholic school or something. Don't really know, don't really care. Some of the Mission Kids are nice and quiet - in fact some of them sleep on the way over - but others are boisterous and obnoxious. The Other Bus Driver used to yell at them to get their ginormous backpacks off the empty seats and the floor, and stop stretching their iPod cords across the asiles. Some of the Working Stiffs complained about about all that plus the loud screeching conversations laced with profanity some kids had in a blatant attempt to appear "cool". I never cared that much; I always had a book to read. Only a few of the Mission Kids ride the bus now - I guess the more obnixious of them are taking a different bus, or are getting rides from parents or something, so only the sleeping ones are left. It's nice not tripping over backpacks and iPod cords anymore, I will say that.
The Cuesta Kids are probably only a year or so older than the Mission Kids (Cuesta is the local community college), and they're just as loud and annoying. They used to sit up front where I like to sit, but have lately been sitting in the back. There's one rather large girl (and I feel I can say that because I'm a large girl myself) who gets on at my stop, looks longingly at the back of the bus where the supposed "cool kids" are reading graphic novels and trying to pull off goofy and goth at the same time, then sits across from me in the front, and reads a book. I'm not sure if she's an outsider, has had a fight with her friends, or if she doesn't really know them, and I'm just putting thoughts in her head.
In case you hadn't guessed, I am one of the Working Stiffs. There are several of us, but more ride the 9X home than ride in the morning. A whole slew of them work at Poly and a few of us downtown. There are those who - like me - just sit quietly and read or sleep (most of the sleeping happens on the ride home), and there are others who sit together and gossip like the bunch of Chatty Cathys they are. Not that that's a bad thing, it's just not my thing. Luckily I can tune it out. These Chatty Cathys are also the ones who complain the loudest and longest about every little thing. Monday night there was a constant beeping noice that sounded like an alarm going off or a cricket chirping. The Chatty Cathys quickly pointed the new noise out to our New Driver (who didn't have a clue what it was). At first he thought it might be the turn signals, but the sound didn't stop when the signals were off. Someone thought it might be his cell phone, but it wasn't turned on, so that wasn't it, either. Finally, he concluded it was probably the marquee sign that flashes on the outside of the bus providing the route number and stops for the bus; apparently it sometimes needs adjusting, or something. The Chatty Cathys loudly disagreed. It couldn't possibly be the marquee sign! Whatever it was, it was gone this morning.
And speaking of annoying noises, as I was readying myself for what I hoped would be an insomnia-less night's sleep Monday night, just about 9:20 after the oh-so sad Packers game, a car alarm went off. And off. And off. And off. It was one of the cars in the parking lot of the auto repair place across the street, and some idiot had left the alarm on. This particular alarm was set on a cycle of 30 seconds of ear-bleeding screeching followed by 10 seconds of blessed silence. The first time it shut off I thought, oh good, the owner shut it off. Then it started up again. Then went off. Then went on. Then off. Then on. Then . . . well, you get the picture. This torture when on for about 45 minutes. Finally, someone - I don't know if it was the owner of the car or the owner of the repair shop - showed up and shut the dang thing off for good. Guess it was just a day for annoying noises.
Anyway, I hope you all have a Happy Thanksgiving day tomorrow and get to spend the day with family or someone you love! Cheers!
