Friday Evening - 3/16/12
It's finally time to go home. I'm so glad! I'm exhausted.
At the bus stop, the guy is here again. The one who would normally be rubbing the shoulders of the lady in the wheelchair. Today, she isn't there. His mouth is running on and on. Loudly talking about how he wouldn't have sex with her (not his exact wording) because she has so many sexual diseases. Everyone here at the bus stop is uncomfortable. No one's saying anything. Occasionally he gets quiet for a minute or two, then starts up again. The bus is taking forever to get here. What a day for it to be late!
Thank goodness he didn't get on the bus. One of the women who had been there tries to report him to the driver. The driver says we should have called the bus company and reported it. I'm not sure what the bus company could have done. I guess we should have called the police. I'm not sure. I'm wondering what Marshall Rosenberg would have done. I suppose he would have tried to engage him in conversation and tried to find out what was alive in him and what needs of his were getting met by his actions. I'm not sure I want to try that, it would probably bring more vulgarity to start with. He has to be hurting though, to want to lash out like that. I hope something happens to help him. For now, I'm just tired and glad we're on the bus where he's not.
I almost missed my stop! I've been having a hard time staying awake. This is it! This is my stop! Thank goodness I noticed!
I know our bus was running late. I wonder if I'm still on time for the 460? I hope so! I just want to go home! Going across the street to the bus stop, I'm looking at every bus that goes by. None of them are the 460, thank goodness!.
Yay! The 460 is parked over at the Disneyland employee entrance, where it goes for the driver's break. I've made it! There aren't any seats left here at the stop. I stand to wait for the bus, watching it, so I'll be ready when it comes out. It's lights are on. It might be coming out soon! I hope so! It's cold out here!
Normally, when the 460 driver goes for a break, the bus goes to the Disneyland employee entrance and all the lights go off. Then, after awhile, the bus lights come back on, there are a few minutes with it sitting like that, and the bus comes out. Tonight, things are different. I've been waiting here, freezing, at the stop for a long time. The bus lights come on, then go off, then part of the lights come on, then go off. We're all standing, watching the display, wondering what's going on.
The next 460 bus is here, down from LA. Everyone lines up to get on. Sometimes, when the bus is running late, the driver will skip his break and turn around for the next cycle. Not this time, this driver refuses to let anyone on. He's going for his break. One of the people waiting tries to explain what's going on. Maybe at least he'll get the other driver to come out.
Now there are two 460 buses parked at the Disneyland employee entrance. There's even a moment when the whole area is packed with all kinds of buses. No bus is moving.
An ambulance comes. It's not strange to have an ambulance come to the Disney Employee entrance, it happens. Maybe that explains what's going on. I hope the original 460 driver is OK. Buses start moving out of that area. The two 460 buses stay there and stay dark. We all stay standing and freezing.
Finally, the second 460 bus turns on it's lights and comes out. We're all lined up where it normally stops. It doesn't stop there, it goes down farther. We all rush over. No more lines now, just a crowd, a lot of people standing, freezing, in the dark, outside the bus, waiting for it to open it's door.
Once the bus opens it's door people start getting on. There's normally more order than this. Some men wait for women to get on. This isn't happening tonight. Everyone's been waiting in the cold for too long. Everyone wants to be on the bus right now! A man's trying to feed a dollar bill into the toll machine. It's too worn. The machine isn't taking it. He keeps trying. We're all standing out here in the dark, waiting, watching, wanting our turn getting on. There's a lady yelling for the bus driver from somewhere in the crowd, yelling that she has a handicapped person with her. Handicapped people are supposed to get on first. The bus driver yells back that if she wanted on first she should have been waiting at the bus stop. She yells back that she had been waiting at the bus stop, but he didn't stop where they normally do. He yells that this is where they are supposed to stop.
We're all stopped. No one can get on while they're fighting. He grudgingly lets the handicapped lady and her angry companion on, but they (the bus driver and the companion) keep fighting, trading insults and arguing with each other. We all just want to get on the bus and out of the cold. I hear someone muttering "just shut up lady."
I say something about the fact the driver must be having a bad day. The person standing next to me says this driver is always like that, always grouchy.
I'm not sure what she said, but the bus driver is saying he's going to call the police. I can't believe it! How long will that take? All of us will be waiting here in the cold for another bus to hopefully show up! I'm exhausted! I just want to go home and get warm.
We're talking in the crowd, about the original bus not coming. A woman says they saw the bus at the employee entrance, didn't know any better and went there to the bus. She says the bus driver was fine and walking around (so he isn't who the ambulance came for), and told them to come out here and wait.
Finally, the fight between the driver and the angry lady dies down and he starts letting people on the bus. We fill up the bus, all of us who were standing in the dark waiting for it.
The companion person is still complaining to the driver. She says he didn't tie down her friend in the wheelchair well enough, that they'll sue him if anything happens to her. He says something about her fat ass. I know the companion person is causing problems and she could definitely have handled things better, but the bus driver shouldn't be using the language he has, or acting the way he has, even with an upset rider. I'm wondering if I should file a complaint. Though when you think about it, the real complaint should be against the driver who never came off break.
I got to sit. Not everyone did. I'm having trouble staying awake. The exhaustion is taking over. The gentleman sitting next to me offers to switch seats with me so that I can lean my head against the window. I thank him, but refuse. I don't want to fall asleep and miss my stop!
In an attempt to stay awake I join in conversation with the people sitting in front of us. They aren't sure where to get off. They're supposed to be going to a show at Medieval times, and are worried that they'll be late. What a day to be riding this bus system for the first time! My seat mate and I help them get off at the right stop. I think they're just barely on time. How cool!
Finally, we're to my stop. I had hoped to ask this driver about the other driver as I was getting off. But the bus is standing room only. I have to get off at the middle door, no way to get to the front. No talking to the driver today! Well, and, with this driver in the mood he's in, it might be a good thing not to talk to him.
Thank God! Just a cold scooter trip home and then I have a bed and warmth! I can't believe I'm going to be riding the bus again tomorrow.
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vulger guy at bus stop going home - victoria and harbor
bus never came out of disneyland
bus driver and handicapped passenger fighting
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