LISTEN BEFORE YOU SPEAK

Had a fun bunch on one of my trips today. One little lady was 82 years old. I would have guessed she was MAYBE in her early 70's. She didn't use a walker or anything and was getting around like she was half her age. She said God took away all her "itises". She had had arthritis, bronchitis and I forget the other ones she listed. She was a riot. She kept praising God and got quite a few people on the bus to praise Him right along with her. Then a big guy sat right behind me. In no time he was swept into praising the lord with her. He was apparently handing out some "business" cards. The old lady said she didn't need one, she thought they were some religious material. He told her they were business cards and she asked what business he was in. He said "movies".

I was tempted to start chatting with him myself, seeing as my brother is in that field. (You can check out his "the day the music died" video tribute to Buddy Holly on www.youtube.com. It's the one by Lonestarsound.... <---shameless plug, but what can I say!! He's good!!) Anyway, luckily I just minded my own business and continued to "overhear" the conversation. Turns out the guy was selling bootleg movies...2 for $5. That's not the funny part....

After the old lady got off, the bootlegger was still sitting behind me on his cell phone talking to some poor girl. He was saying how he was trying to get with God, get his life right and how he just wanted a "church-going girl" to settle down with. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA!!!!!

Apparently, he never heard of "Thou shalt not steal" ...which is what bootleggers are all about. Not to mention it is ILLEGAL!! I'm so glad I listened and didn't actually start talking to that guy.

I BELIEVE I CAN FLY

I drove the 17 route today. It goes down the Nicollet Mall in downtown Minneapolis. Every time I drove by the Hyatt Hotel, I couldn't help but look up at the broken window on the 17th floor. I'm shocked they haven't fixed it yet.

Maybe you didn't see the news...It was seen INTERNATIONALLY!! Unbelievable.

Some 29 year old guy was in town from Wisconsin with some friends for a dart tournament. Apparently, they had more than a little to drink. The guy charges off the elevator and goes running down the hall. He trips and goes THROUGH the window and falls 16 floors onto the roof of a one story piece of the building below the window. Most people would be dead on impact. God must not have wanted him yet. He survived with a broken leg (he landed on his feet!!) and collapsed lungs. Seems he is quite a stocky guy, but even with a little extra cushion to break the fall...He is a miracle.

He should really buy a powerball ticket!!

ASSAULT ON A BUS DRIVER

I was reading something that was in the newspaper last month about a city bus driver here that was dragged off the bus and beaten up by a couple losers. Apparently, it all started because they were cussing and the driver asked them to stop.

Now these jokers have been arrested and are facing felony assault charges. (Bus drivers are technically government employees which makes the assault a felony) They admitted that they were wrong and that the driver was just doing his job. It's a little late for that. Personally, I hope they bury them under the jail to set an example for the next fool that wants to try it.

There are far too many assaults on bus drivers. Most are regarding a dispute over a fare or, like this, the driver trying to keep order on the bus. Just last week I thought I was going to get into a physical fight. This jerk got on and had tried to pay a mobility fare. I asked for ID (which is required for this fare) and the guy got an attitude. He told me it was too cold out (?????????!!!) for me to be questioning him. He claimed his ID was at home and I informed him it was a felony to pay a mobility fare without showing his ID. I told him he'd have to pay the full fare or get off the bus. He started ranting and raving about how I was messing with him and then proceeded to ask if anyone on the bus had a transfer he could use. I told him it is illegal to panhandle on the bus and it is also illegal to use someone else's transfer. He looked at me like he wanted to kill me and anyone that looked like me and got off the bus. That was a relief. He was very angry, but once you tell them it is illegal it seems to me I'd be part of the crime to let him just go ahead and ride. Besides, if people think they can raise their voice and act a little crazy and they will be allowed to ride for free, my job would become a nightmare!

Nip it in the bud...That's what I say!

THE SCARF LADY

Had the most adorable little old lady riding my bus every day last week. She's 71 years old. She uses a walker that always has multiple bags hanging from it. She has a very curved back way up by her shoulders and walks with kind of a shuffle. I think she has problems with her hips too.

She showed me some knitting she was doing one day. She tried to explain the design of the scarf she was making. I pretended to know what she meant so she wouldn't get flustered. The next day she got on the bus and showed me a completed one. It's kind of unique. It has a design built in that allows you to loop one end through a double sewn piece so it doesn't fall off your neck. It's cute. I've never seen that style. She insisted on giving it to me. I told her she should sell them. She spends her money on the yarn and puts her time into making them. I told her I would pay her for it.

As she got off the bus she tried to give it to me and then make a break for the lift that I had raised for her. Well, she's not real fast with her walker. She brushed off the money I was handing her so I stuffed it into one of the bags she had hanging on the walker.

She got on the next day. She was wearing one of her unique knit scarves. She thanked me for the money. She said she could make about 4 more with that money. What a sweetheart. I just hope she sells them.

I have the same route all this week...She gives me something to look forward to!

I'M BACK!!!!!!!

I'm back driving the bus. Sorry for the gap in blogs, but my father is doing better. He's still in the hospital but is out of critical care so we are hoping for the best.

My first day back was New Years Day. I ended up on call...I really hate being on call. You have to sit around in the drivers room and hope something comes up. It's boring. I was lucky, though. I got a couple hours on the Lake street route 21. It was great to be back on the bus. As the 21 goes, it was pretty uneventful.

Tuesday I had my first REAL day back. I had 10 hours on route 17. I picked up this lady that was WAY drunk. She paid her fare and sat down right behind me. Across the aisle from her was a lady and her daughter, who was about 3 years old. The drunk lady kept cussing and I asked her a couple times to stop. A guy suggested I call the cops. I had already pushed the button but they were taking quite a while to get back to me. After the next string of profanities, I pulled the bus over and told her I had had enough. This was her stop. She could not continue on my bus with that language in front of the child and all the other passengers. She gathered her bags and proceeded to the front door. There she stopped to cuss me out some more. She had been talking about her son who she claimed was in the service over in Iraq. I was SOOOOOOO tempted to say that was great that she had a son she could be proud of but it was too bad he had a mother that he probably wasn't proud of....but I kept it to myself.

She stood there and continued to cuss me out and I almost snapped. I got my pepper spray out and shook it up saying "You're about to have a different kind of drink in a minute". Then I got my senses back and realized that spraying her would have been out of anger and not for self defense, as she hadn't swung on me yet. I put a little bass in my voice and repeated "get off the bus!" She finally got off the last step. As I went to close the door she cussed one last time and then spit. She didn't have any power behind it, so all she spit on was the door...if anything. I'm just glad she didn't decide to spit earlier when she was at the top of the stairs! Then I would have sprayed her!!

About half a dozen people praised my actions in getting her off the bus as they got off the bus. One guy kept saying "That was amazing!...What were you going to do?...You're AMAZING!" It was pretty funny. He was so impressed.

This week I have the 18 and 11 routes...should be fun!