Thursday 2/16/12
The day started off with my granddaughter knocking me on my arm, telling me to wake up, that it's morning. That's the first time she's done that. So, it was cute.
I thought I wouldn't have anything to post today. It's been a day dedicated to being with my Grandkids.and while I have lots to say about them, and kids in general, it's not what this blog is about. Claire (my play-date friend) and I talked a lot about money and the year without the car, but it didn't bring any huge revelations.
Then, I went to ride the bus home. I haven't ridden the bus home from my Daughter's yet. When I used Google Maps it gave me three options (that is the maximum it will do at one time.) Two of the options used the 460 as the last bus in their series. The third used the 62. I'm always riding the 460 and haven't ever ridden the 62. I checked and the 62 is covered by my bus pass. There are only two LA routes covered by the OCTA monthly pass. They are the 460 and the 62. So, I decide to try that route. It seems like it's time to branch out and try something different!
I'm so proud of myself! I made it to the bus stop in time! That's doubly hard because I have trouble leaving my Grandkids. I'm giving myself extra bonus points for managing to leave on time!
The first bus (the 71) is here on time, well, maybe a few minutes late, but nothing major. The bus driver is nice and tells me where to get off for the next bus (the 42.)
The bus stop for the 42 is the trashiest bus stop I've been to so far. I don't understand it. It isn't in a bad area of town and there is a trash can right there (some bus stops don't have trash cans.) Why there is so much trash there, just laying around, I don't know! There are two people sitting on the bench, having a conversation about genetic pre-disposition to being overweight. The one is smoking. I set my backpack and scooter on the ground and stay standing. I keep shifting around, trying to get out of the smoke that is being blown toward me. They offer me a place to sit, but I don't want to sit next to the smoker and the bus is due any minute. I thank them and keep standing.
I just noticed that one of the shadows behind the bench moved. That is such a strange thing! I definitely saw it happen! It happened twice! I bent down to have a closer look. I saw these two adorable baby mice there, climbing around a Lays potato chip bag. I watch them for awhile. They are really cute. I'm wondering what the people on the bench would think about mice being so close to them. I decide not to say anything. I just quietly move my bag farther away from the grassy area. I've started thinking about bringing a plastic bag with me one day a week and spending that day picking up trash that I see, trying to help clean up the country. I make a mental note to always wear my heavy duty gloves when doing that. I guess I need to be prepared in case I surprise anything living in the trash!
The 42 is 15 minutes late. That shouldn't be a problem. I was supposed to have a 20 minute wait at the next stop (which I wasn't looking forward to), and, in general there will always be another bus. The 42 wasn't full when I got on, but now it is packed. Standing room only with every one of the hand hold straps taken. The Lady sitting next to me must be claustrophobic. She spends the whole ride talking about how horrible it is that they let so many people on, and that if we were in an accident with so many people on the bus, everyone would die because we wouldn't be able to get out. She is even paranoid that a person in a wheelchair will need to get on because that takes away 5 seats and where would those people go at this point, with standing room only? There isn't a person in a wheel chair trying to get on, but that doesn't stop her from worrying. I pointed out to her that I certainly wouldn't like being the person that they refused to pick up because they were full. Having to wait another hour in the cold, to see if you could get on the next bus wouldn't be fun. She agreed, but went on with her personal freak out. I think about pointing out that if we were in an accident with so many people, everyone would help each other. I don't think she would hear me though. I stay silent.
I'm not sure where my stop is. I'm not listening to anything tonight, making sure I will hear my stop when it is announced. A lot of the buses have this system that voice announces and / or marquee announces the stops that are coming up. You have to pay attention for that and then pull the cord to signal a stop as soon as you can, otherwise you won't get that stop, you'll get the next one. This bus isn't marquee announcing at all, it's only voice announcing.
Unfortunately, not all of the stops are announced. The stop I needed was not announced and I didn't realize it until I saw us passing the street sign. I pulled the cord immediately, but we went on for blocks before stopping. They can only stop at official bus stops. So, if you miss one you have to wait until the next one. I think I wouldn't have made the 62 even if I had gotten off at the right stop, unless it was also running way late. I'm pretty sure the 42 is now 25 minutes late instead of the 15 minutes late from when I got on. Now, though, I'm blocks away along with being late. I decide not to try for that bus. I check Google Maps. It says that I could go back to that bus stop and wait for an hour to catch the next bus. The thing is, I'm only 4 miles away from home. It will probably take me the same hour and a half to cover the 4 miles on my razor scooter as it would to wait an hour for the bus, ride it to the stop I need and then scooter the 7/10s of a mile to my place. But, at least I wouldn't be sitting for an hour at a bus stop. I decide to go for it.
My neighbor, Richard, is one of the people who has offered to come get me if I'm ever stranded. I know I could call him and he would come. I even think about it. Really, though, I'm not stranded. I'm not going to get home at the time I wanted, but I can get home. I can even catch a bus to home if I want. I decide to be strong and not call.
I head off toward home on my razor scooter. The handlebars are still trying to collapse on me. I'm thinking of rigging up tape or something on the join so that they won't collapse, but then they wouldn't collapse for me to carry on the bus either, and being able to collapse the scooter to a small, very carry-able package for the bus has been a huge blessing. It's really cool that I have the scooter. I would never think of trying to do this trip without it.
I pass a gentleman who tells me that Jesus loves me and tries to hand me a heavy looking pamphlet. I know Jesus loves me. I have no doubt about that. I have such a blessed life! I'm not willing to add more weight to what I'm carrying though. I don't stop to talk and definitely don't take the pamphlet.
The good thing about this trip is that I don't need to be anywhere at a specific time. Sure, I'd prefer to be home right now, but I'm not going to miss anything if I'm not. I'm taking it very slowly, not pushing myself at all. I have a rough concept of what a mile is. According to Google Maps it is 1.1 miles to my "normal" bus stop. Every now and then I mentally update myself on how much of the 4 miles I think I've done. Halfway home now, standing outside a Burger King. I'm checking to make sure there isn't a bus coming by any second that would speed the trip. You never know what will change when you change locations. Google Maps does give me a bus option, but it is saying I can get home faster at this point by walking. I know it's version / timing of "walking" more coincides with my speed of "scootering", but still, it is saying is I should keep going the way I am. I head off again.
Now, I'm home. I'm ever so proud of myself that I made it the whole 4 miles without wimping out! It's funny, my daughter runs marathons, and here I am proud of myself for making it 4 miles on a scooter! Oh well, I guess you have to take your victories where you see them!
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