FLIPPIN' MITTEN
People are so funny! I was driving the 6 route on Christmas Eve. A lot of people were confused because we were running on a reduced service schedule...basically, a Saturday schedule. Fewer buses. I had a lot of people getting on asking why I was so late or was I early.
It was quite cold outside. I was headed north on Xerxes avenue. There was a guy on the corner across the street waiting for a bus going south. He was all bundled up for the weather. Good thing, because he must have been one of those people that didn't know that we were on a Saturday schedule. He looked over at me as I was passing in the opposite direction and flipped me off!! I have never been flipped off by a guy wearing mittens...not gloves, mittens! It was hilarious!! He put his whole arm and wrist into it. He stuck his elbow way out to his side and twisted his wrist around as he lowered his elbow to his side while he extended his hand with a little mitten tent at the top of it.
Shortly afterward, a guy got on the bus and I was still amused with the mitten guy. The new passenger asked "How's it going?" I said "Great! People are so funny. Have you ever been flipped off by someone wearing a mitten before?" I saw him get the mental picture and enjoy the scene as much as I did.
I think the guy with the flippin' mitten had practiced this move. It was just too good!
It was quite cold outside. I was headed north on Xerxes avenue. There was a guy on the corner across the street waiting for a bus going south. He was all bundled up for the weather. Good thing, because he must have been one of those people that didn't know that we were on a Saturday schedule. He looked over at me as I was passing in the opposite direction and flipped me off!! I have never been flipped off by a guy wearing mittens...not gloves, mittens! It was hilarious!! He put his whole arm and wrist into it. He stuck his elbow way out to his side and twisted his wrist around as he lowered his elbow to his side while he extended his hand with a little mitten tent at the top of it.
Shortly afterward, a guy got on the bus and I was still amused with the mitten guy. The new passenger asked "How's it going?" I said "Great! People are so funny. Have you ever been flipped off by someone wearing a mitten before?" I saw him get the mental picture and enjoy the scene as much as I did.
I think the guy with the flippin' mitten had practiced this move. It was just too good!
posted by Jeanne Ree at 11:07 AM
16 Comments:
thats too funny RED. still waiting for the bus rodeo. Hopefully see you there and the rest of hecklers row!!! later
HEY PURSE!! Good to see you, but stop calling me "red"!! I don't want to be confused with the person that leaves comments that don't necessarily share my views... for example..I LOVE meat! Beef, pork, deer, chicken...waiting to try bear. ANYWAY, if you are referring to my hair...it's more orange,really.
We have another victim, I mean heckler that is coming with us. I don't know her. She works out of a different garage than I do. Seems we will be rommies next summer though. I leaving the snoring twins and am going to room with a total stranger instead. Should be fun,,,hehehehe.
Great story!
Little does she know, but Jeanne Ree snores as much as the rest of us. We just got to sleep before she did.
By the way nice story, but I can top that. I was doing the 6 tonight. As I got to Hennipen and Washington Ave. I noticed a young lady hugging a tree. When I got closer I realized she had her pants down and peeing. Nice person, showing love to the tree and watering it at the same time.
Jeanie,
You are too "white" as the film Reds.
"Overtime" Leo once called you "Porky".
Happy New Year ..!
I have never been told that I snore Jeanne Ree.......however.....gabspal on the other hand......well, let's just say.......hoo-tah! I know she's going to get me back BIGTIME for saying that but.....I just HAD too. I know....I'm little miss HIGH MAINTENANCE.....what can I say? Have a LOVELY DAY!, and Purseholder...it's nice to know you're still alive...we were ALL beginning to wonder what happened to you......hope all is well in Fergus Falls and that you're not buried under a TON of snow.....try and keep in touch with us all more often......
Michelle - Glad you enjoyed it. Like I say...comedy is EVERYWHERE!!
Gabs - U R so full of it. If I was kept awake by u 2 girls snoring, how is it that I fell asleep first and was snoring?? If I was sleeping first, I never would have heard u 2!! Don't b mad 'cuz I told on ya!!
Martini - U R high maintenance...and a bad influence on Gab. Between the 2 of u, a 3rd roomate barely gets ANY mirror time!! It was good to see Gab all dressed up though. We rock!
Red - Do I know U? R U a bus driver? I never saw the movie Reds so I don't know what u mean by too "white". R U referring to my glow in the dark skin tone? I did see Porky's years ago. I'm not sure who Leo is either. I'm guessing he's a bus driver. Hey, just had a thought. Are you Mal...the guy with a lot of hair that rides the 6 a lot? 30-something and Hennepin area?
Perhaps "Red" is in reference to communism? ergo being too "white" might mean "Nazi"?
I really do NOT have a clue here....I'm just taking a wild ass shot in the dark on that "terminology".
Code 3 on the farebox when "flashing" also means that your farebox is FULL and needs to be emptied.
Martini - She can call herself a communist, if that's what she intends. As for me, I thought she was referring to my skin tone. What can I say...being a redhead, I can't BUY a tan!! However, I would NOT like to be referred to as a nazi !! That is sooooooo far from the truth!!
I KNOW what "code 3" means...I just didn't want to put it out there for the general public. Now, when u get some nut that tries to jack u for your farebox 'cuz it's blinking "code 3" and u told what that means...don't come crying to me!! ;)
That brings up a good point...drivers need to stop telling people things they don't need to know re: the bus. I had some looney toon get on not too long ago and tell me where the silent alarm button was!! THAT is something that could save your life one day and the general public has no need for that info. Be smart, guys...and chicks!!
...it's nice to know that the bus fareboxes are made such that getting full is possible. One would think that they're emptied on a daily basis and that you'd need a heck of a lot of people paying cash in order for that to happen.
Of course, when I was trying to refill my goto card at a lrt ticket machine, and was a bit low that evening and wanted to pay for the last $4 of the refill using quarters, part way thru the machine closed the coin slot and said "use bills". Fortunately, a friend was with me and I could get paper money for change, which is the opposite of what people normally need. Then again, since the government is always supposed to take the lowest bid, you get what you pay for.
And you're right that people shouldn't know where the button is, though I also wouldn't worry about someone stealing the fare box. Those appear to be bolted on pretty well. And on a couple of occasions, I've held onto them for balance and they're pretty steady. Also, two-bit criminals like that are unlikely to read your (or anybody's) blog.
Here's one final fun thought: the loony toon could be a former (or even current) bus driver with a screw loose. That might be more scary...
Dear minneapolismayor,
Vaults on fareboxes are emptied everynight, however.....if the driver should happen to pull-in to the garage and the vault-puller is on his break......the bus gets "missed" and well......it just gets parked for the night and hopefully it won't get missed the next day.
Minn - Any free-standing machine is going to fill up at some point...common sense. You'd be surprised how many people use cash. I am...especially those that ride daily. They would save sooo much $$ with a monthly pass..or even a stored value card. I've mentioned this to regular riders on occasion and they just don't seem to want to change. Heck, in these economic times...everyone should at least use the stored value card. If they ride twice a day at least five days a week...Monthly pass is the way to go!!
I've never heard of anyone attempting to take a farebox. However, just like the guy that tried to hijack our bus (that is hooked up with Global Positioning)and driver..There are some people out there that are on drugs or off the ones they need to be taking...there are others that just don't care...you never know what a person may try and get away with.
Looney tune COULD have been a bus driver. There are something like 1500 bus drivers in our system...I forget the actual number. Point being, any group of people that big is sure to have a couple in it with loose screws!
Martini - Thanks 4 explaining. U rock. Did U notice, purse is back. He abandoned us for a while. Should we forgive him? (He left comment on "funny people" blog.
It's nice to know that management hasn't come up with a way to get fareboxes emptied when a driver pulls in during the farebox person's break. Of course, that wouldn't be the only dumb thing they do--unrealisitic schedules on a few routes despite daily GPS data would be another...
I guess it depends on the route how many people pay cash. I have noticed that more people do so on the weekend, and on inner-city routes. During Rush hour, not so much. And on the 16, at least near DT Minneapolis, it seems to be an endless stream of loud goto beeps.
It's funny because it seems like the more well-heeled the passenger is, the more likely they are to use a discounted prepaid fare.
Minn - I've actually suggested to people that ride every day that they save $$ and get at least a stored value card if not a monthly pass. For some people, old habits are hard to break.
Someone I work with asked if you were REALLY the Mayor. I told them I thought you were a regular rider. Seems at one point, I actually knew who you (and "Red") were. Now my memory fails me. Oh well, guess I'm practicing for old age!
Thanks for your comments!
No, I'm not the mayor. The actual mayor, RT Rybak only rides the bus with security and for show. I guess he supposedly bikes to work on occasion, but....
I'm not going to get into it at the moment, but I have a generally low opinion of him and will not be voting to reeelect him or install him as governor. That being said, I'm not sure there's a suitable alternative in the race and I don't want to do the job because the meetings would cause my head to explode. There was a point a number of years ago that I thought I wanted to be mayor, and that's the primary reason for the moniker. As far as I know, though, I haven't actually met you (or Red for that matter).
Minn - Maybe you'll find me when I'm doing my contest (see who can find me first type of thing). Not many people actually know what I look like. Can't be too many redheaded bus drivers! I will probably do the contest sometime this spring. U could win a prize! Good luck!
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