DON'T ASK ME FOR ANY FAVORS!!
I was driving the 11 in northeast Minneapolis. It was super cold out. I had just left the bus stop and was crossing 17Th avenue when I saw this lady in the supermarket parking lot waving at me. Against my better judgement, I pulled over and waited for her. If it was warmer, I'd have kept going. I did get that little voice in my head telling me this was stupid and I'd regret it. A trainer once told me, you are more likely to have issues with someone that is flagging a bus down and not prepared at a bus stop than you will with those waiting at the stops. I've found this to be amazingly accurate!
This "lady" climbed through the snowbank and got on the bus. She had an open can of Coke in her coat pocket. No big deal, except that she smelled like she just jumped out of a cheap bottle of whiskey! Of course, she had no fare and was drunk and stinky. She ticked me off. I knew I should have kept going. I told her she'd have to pay the fare like everyone else did. Thank God no one came and paid for her. They must think like me...if you got money for booze, you got money for the fare. Well, she didn't. I couldn't stand the smell of her anymore. I told her she'd have to get off the bus.
As she got off, she looked at me...dead serious...and said "Don't ever ask ME for any favors!" I told her "I promise, ma'am....I won't."
This "lady" climbed through the snowbank and got on the bus. She had an open can of Coke in her coat pocket. No big deal, except that she smelled like she just jumped out of a cheap bottle of whiskey! Of course, she had no fare and was drunk and stinky. She ticked me off. I knew I should have kept going. I told her she'd have to pay the fare like everyone else did. Thank God no one came and paid for her. They must think like me...if you got money for booze, you got money for the fare. Well, she didn't. I couldn't stand the smell of her anymore. I told her she'd have to get off the bus.
As she got off, she looked at me...dead serious...and said "Don't ever ask ME for any favors!" I told her "I promise, ma'am....I won't."
posted by Jeanne Ree at 4:02 PM
14 Comments:
Yuck! That's all I can say.
What if you need a cheap bottle of whiskey? I think you should have thought this out before making a rash and speedy judgement.
I don't know that a passenger is likely to cause problems just because they're late and trying to catch a bus...that being said, when you were trained on this route, your trainer might (or should've) mentioned that the store you're describing, Sentyrz, is a very old independent grocery store. Since 1923, and so old that it is grandfathered in to the "nothing over 3.2 in groceries law" and therefore is allowed to sell a full line of booze Mon-Sat.
The majority of shoppers whenever I'm there are buying at least some liquor, and since they have some of the lowest prices in town, problem drunks flock there so they can get sloshed at discount prices. The store actually has some good meat and deli and brings in Denny's Bakery breads, making it worth the trip for me even though I don't drink, but it's not a place to go if you don't want to deal with drunks.
The southbound bus shelter near the store is littered with liquor containers and small paper bags. That being said, most of the drunks in the area are fairly quiet. Sure, they reek of booze, but it could be much more disgusting and disturbing.
By the way, I'm guessing the soda can in her pocket was a cocktail with a high alcohol percentage. That's how we roll in Nordeast.
I've lived in a lot of places, and in Iowa, Arizona, and California, even hard liquor is sold in grocery stores. In fact, Albertsons and Safeway even have their own store brand generic liquors. Maybe if that was legalised here in Minnesota, it would at least even out the playing field. Anyone for Roundy's "Chairman Bob Approved" gin or Cub Foods whiskey?
Funny Roundy's quip, but liquor in groceries is a bad idea. One big reason is that cities have 2 choices: sell liquor store licenses or run municipal liquor stores. Mpls and st paul sell licenses, but many suburbs, including Robbinsdale, Columbia Hts, and others, run their own. The cities that run their own are especially dependent on the revenue the stores generate.
I'd like to see Cub have to register itself as a PAC for the Wine With Dinner ads they place on their grocery bags.
Well, she stank, but at least she didn't bite you. Of course, you might have been driving the right bus...
In NYC this Wednesday, a driver was bitten because a passenger became enraged that his bus was not a hybrid.
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2009/01/22/2009-01-22_woman_bites_driver_over_nonhybrid_bus.html
I've seen weird stuff, but this is a new one.
Dale - I'll make a sign and stand on the corner like everyone else!! ;)
Minn- I don't know why, but it is true. I don't think it is the people that were on their way to the bus that run for it at the last second, but the ones that weren't planning to take it in the first place until they saw the bus. They are less likely to have fares, may be drunk/high or whatever. All I can say is that is has proven to be true. That lady is the perfect example. She definetly was drinking strong booze.
John - I don't think booze belongs in grocery stores...maybe just dinner wines but not 80 proof booze.
I hadn't thought of that.
I think I have a picture of you at http://dalethetruckdriver.blogspot.com/2009/01/jeanne.html I think?
Dale - I found that website of yours recently...left a comment for ya. I KNEW you were stalking me, but taking pictures?? Hehehehe
Sorry, when the cops told me to back off I did. As far as they know.
Dale - Bad enough u took my picture...you didn't even give me a dollar!! youza bad man!
I did give you a pull off my bottle. Geez how quick you forget.
Sure, all the backwash at the end of the bottle. Geez, thanks!
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