FUNNY PEOPLE
Ohhhhh, the 18!!! To see what I've been missing by driving the 24 for the last month or so. People are so funny. When it comes to characters, the 18 is full of them.
Yesterday, I was driving down the block and saw someone in a car that was parked in the back part of the bus stop. They were flagging me down. I had to drive past them to get at least the front of the bus in the stop and they yelled like I was killing someone. Seems they thought I was going to pass them. I just needed to get the bus out of the only traffic lane as much as possible so other drivers weren't held up.
Thank God I did. The next 5 minutes were quite a production. This young girl was helping an old lady with a cane and a wrapped foot get to the bus. I had angled in and instead of getting on the sidewalk they had decided to walk along the side of the bus. Then they had to climb the snowbank to get to the door. The lady kept sinking. I waited patiently as they worked to FINALLY get her onto the bus. She proceeded to tell me all her woe's. That is one thing I like about the newer buses...there is a big wheel where the front side facing seat usually is. It is easier to not hear the person in the "peanut seat" because they are back 5 feet or so.
I managed to make it downtown with most of my sanity intact. Then came the real comedy. A blind guy had gotten off just before the lady with the foot problem. Just before I closed the door, those of us in the front of the bus heard the lady ask him "Are you really blind?" ??????????
WHAT? ??????? Did she think he was just faking??
We had a good laugh, not believing she really ASKED him that!! The poor guy not only had the red tipped cane, but his eyes went in two different directions! What a stupid question.
Today on the 18, this cute little old lady got on. I said "Hello" to her. She said "Wow! Two great bus drivers in a row!!" I almost said "You haven't seen me drive yet." but didn't get a chance. A few blocks later, as she exited the bus, she looked at me and said "Thank you so much. You need to make yourself contagious!" That was great. I'd never heard that before...quite original!
One other thing just came to mind. Last week on the 24 I was chatting with a passenger that is a chef at one of his jobs. Before he got off, he gave me his "business card". It was a piece of paper cut the size of a business card with some cartoon drawings of an alligator on it. It claimed he was the "Jambalaya King". Then it said he specialized in "Bayou Cuisine". Sounds yummy. Then it went a little too far and claimed to also specialize in "Slap-Yo-Mama Cuisine". I don't think I want any of that! I love my Momma!!
Yesterday, I was driving down the block and saw someone in a car that was parked in the back part of the bus stop. They were flagging me down. I had to drive past them to get at least the front of the bus in the stop and they yelled like I was killing someone. Seems they thought I was going to pass them. I just needed to get the bus out of the only traffic lane as much as possible so other drivers weren't held up.
Thank God I did. The next 5 minutes were quite a production. This young girl was helping an old lady with a cane and a wrapped foot get to the bus. I had angled in and instead of getting on the sidewalk they had decided to walk along the side of the bus. Then they had to climb the snowbank to get to the door. The lady kept sinking. I waited patiently as they worked to FINALLY get her onto the bus. She proceeded to tell me all her woe's. That is one thing I like about the newer buses...there is a big wheel where the front side facing seat usually is. It is easier to not hear the person in the "peanut seat" because they are back 5 feet or so.
I managed to make it downtown with most of my sanity intact. Then came the real comedy. A blind guy had gotten off just before the lady with the foot problem. Just before I closed the door, those of us in the front of the bus heard the lady ask him "Are you really blind?" ??????????
WHAT? ??????? Did she think he was just faking??
We had a good laugh, not believing she really ASKED him that!! The poor guy not only had the red tipped cane, but his eyes went in two different directions! What a stupid question.
Today on the 18, this cute little old lady got on. I said "Hello" to her. She said "Wow! Two great bus drivers in a row!!" I almost said "You haven't seen me drive yet." but didn't get a chance. A few blocks later, as she exited the bus, she looked at me and said "Thank you so much. You need to make yourself contagious!" That was great. I'd never heard that before...quite original!
One other thing just came to mind. Last week on the 24 I was chatting with a passenger that is a chef at one of his jobs. Before he got off, he gave me his "business card". It was a piece of paper cut the size of a business card with some cartoon drawings of an alligator on it. It claimed he was the "Jambalaya King". Then it said he specialized in "Bayou Cuisine". Sounds yummy. Then it went a little too far and claimed to also specialize in "Slap-Yo-Mama Cuisine". I don't think I want any of that! I love my Momma!!
posted by Jeanne Ree at 3:05 PM
15 Comments:
Well, we really could use more bus drivers like you. Not sure what "slap-yo-mama cuisine" is but it doesn't sount too friendly. If I see you on the 18 I'll give you a business card but it'll be a little more mundane....
Oh, I Googled the phrase "slap-yo-mama cuisine". Apparently it's not unique to that guy's business card but often used in relation to New Orleans cuisine. Still, I wish it was called something a little less violent....
i have not been on for a few weeks but i'm back. Hey hecklers row ows it going. we are having a northern tier competion on the april 16 in crookston. Everyone from our work have to go and the top 2 drivers go to state. Hopefully i will make it there so i can see you all. Jeanne if you a single room you can come stay with me down there!!! lol lol I got a new shoot for ya also. Washington red apple. weel gotta go time for work. Bye hun. talk with you all later.
Helping little old ladies across the street,hey Jeanne.
John - Thanks for the compliment. I recently got a similar one from a co-worker. She said more people should be like me. That was really nice. My mom must have done a great job!! Then again, some of my passengers think I'm a terrible person...am putting a blog about one of them on when I'm done answering comments. Read on!
Purse - U HAVE to win. If you don't, U have to come to Albert Lea anyway. NO !!! I wouldn't share a room with you! I want to be safe...not fondled!! I think I've actually heard of that drink. Will try it anyway ;) !!
Red "the real one" - Are U a different person than the other Red that leaves comments? The one that likes to make Obama references? Anyway, Yep...I am the type of person that would help a lil' ol' lady across the street...most days.
Speaking of helping little old ladies, a few days ago I was on the 21 about 10:30 PM and the "dog lady" was on the bus. She had fallen asleep and was about to fall in the aisle. I hesitated for a moment afraid she'd be mad at me, but finally, just in time, I ran over and woke her up and told her she was about to fall. Fortunately, she didn't yell or scream at me. She changed places with her dog so she was on the wall side of the seat instead of the aisle side. I got off at Blaisdell, hope she was OK the rest of the night....
I wonder....if the young girl and old lady were in a car, why didn't she give her a ride to where-ever she was going, rather than make the old lady with a cane and wrapped foot jump over a snow bank to get on a bus????
John - I've actually known her since I was 18. She worked at the same place I did back when I first moved here. Nice of u to help her. I'm sure she was OK...she always seems to come back!
abq - The lady was going all the way downtown and I don't think the other people really were with her. I think they saw her struggling and offered to help get her to the bus stop.Guess they figured she could get where she was going if she just got to the bus.
What is the "peanut seat" and why is it called that????
Anon - the "peanut seat" is the front seat right next to the door. I don't know how it originally got it's name, but the nuts usually sit there. Normally, the person in this seat is constantly talking to the driver...that can be fun or annoying, depending on the person/topics of conversation. Sometimes, I thank God for the hybrids. The peanut seat is much further back so if the person becomes obnoxious/annoying ,it is easier to ignore them! Most of the time, I enjoy chatting with people, though.
That's funny, Jeanne Ree. I rode the bus for years (mostly the 4 and sometimes the 6 - Wedge into DT and back - pretty sane buses) and most of the "nuts" would sit up front with a fair amount of handicapped. The "hooligans" or "knuckleheads" would always sit in back and your average jane or joe commuter (like me) would be somewhere in the middle. I love the blog as I am a city guy and can relate to alot of the stories. BTW - have you ever driven the 5 or the 22? I worked at Block e for many years and would love a story or two from those lines. Keep up the good work!
Anon - Yep, I drove the 5 for a year...my first year. That route bites!! More people with more issues than any other route I've driven since then. I thought I had a couple 5 line stories early on in the blogs. I'll check. If not, I've been egged on that one (not the bus, me!) and had a guy with a gun clear off half my bus...many drunk stories...I'll see what I missed and blog about it.
Your observation about the seating arrangements is quite accurate. Spoken like a true commuter!! Thanks!
Anon - I have a couple route 5 stories in May of 2006. Haven't found the egg one..
Anon - the egging one is blogged on June 9, 2006. ENJOY!
Hey! not fair I like the peanut seat in the old buses b/c I am closer to the driver... if they want to talk fine if not fine... but when Iam back further I can't here the call out stops and lord help them use the mic!! and NOT mumble into it!!
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