Adventures on Public Transportation II
I knew I was cutting it close this morning and not giving myself quite enough time to get to the bus. Maybe I could have saved 30 seconds if I’d worn regular shoes and not my wedge sandals. But it’s sunny! And warm! And I wanted to be cute for the first time in months by wearing cute shoes!
I think my first warning should have been when Dave asked if I was taking the bus today, and I said, “I’m going to try.” Some days you shouldn’t even try; you should just grab a book, crawl back into bed, and call it a day.
I leave the house in a rush to try to make it to the closest bus stop. The good thing is that if I leave too late and the bus has already come by, there’s another stop a little farther that the bus reaches about 10 minutes later. So while I was rushing to the bus, I knew if I’d already missed the bus I’d just start walking to the other bus stop.
As I reached the street that I cross to get to the bus stop, I see the bus lumbering towards me. I quickly hit the crosswalk flasher button, knowing the bus will stop, giving me enough time to cross the street and run to the bus stop. As I get to the other side of the street, the bus driver honks his horn and waves for me to get on right there. Awesome! I don’t have to run! I hurry to get on the bus, but as I step up, my sandal catches on the step into the bus and I face plant right in front of the driver.
Only two people were on the bus, so I jumped up, “I’m okay! I’m okay!” and rush to a seat, all the while the bus driver saying, “Oh! Are you okay? Are you sure?”
Ten minutes later, as the bus is waiting at a light to turn left where it will stop at the bus stop that I use if I miss the earlier stop, someone taps me on the shoulder and says the driver wants to talk to me. The bus is unusually quiet, but I go up and he explains I’ll need to fill out a form, as will the two witnesses. I repeat that I’m really okay, that my knee’s not even scraped, but “it’s procedure”. I blush, because that’s what I do, go back to my seat, and fill out the form.
After I catch the second bus that takes me to work, I’m sitting there reading, and a man behind me with two silver teeth in amongst his real teeth says to me, “Lady, your hair smells good!” Normally this would be creepy, but after the morning I’ve already had, I’m strangely flattered.
| Tags: bus, falling, Public Trans, tripping 29 comments »
March 26th, 2009 at 8:24 am
I hope your day gets better than it started.
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trish Reply:
March 26th, 2009 at 8:28 am
Thanks! Me too! The knitting group I attend meets tonight, and I wasn’t going to go, but I think I might now because I need something to look forward to!
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March 26th, 2009 at 8:28 am
Sorry to hear about your morning. Hope it gets better.
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trish Reply:
March 26th, 2009 at 8:30 am
Should I even utter these words? “I don’t know how it could get much worse.” *ducking head*
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March 26th, 2009 at 8:33 am
What a weird way to start a day, good that you didn’t hurt yourself though. The forms thing is bizarre, it happened to me too when I stuck my finger on a straight pin in a clothes boutique (you know the kind they keep in mens dress-shirts) I even had to go into the back office to fill out and sign forms – so embarrassing
At least you got to wear your cute shoes! lol
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trish Reply:
March 26th, 2009 at 2:10 pm
I need more cute shoes.
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March 26th, 2009 at 8:42 am
That sounds horrible. =/ I hope it gets better.
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trish Reply:
March 26th, 2009 at 2:16 pm
Me too!
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March 26th, 2009 at 8:53 am
I’m glad you’re okay! I had to laugh about the guy with the silver teeth. Hope the rest of your day is perfect!
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trish Reply:
March 26th, 2009 at 2:17 pm
Hehe! He was a character!
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March 26th, 2009 at 8:59 am
Ouch! I’m sorry to hear about your fall. I’m a klutz..it should be my middle name. I injured my ankle when I was in highschool and it never really healed. So, often, it just gives out. And always in the most inappropriate places! I’m a glutton for punishment, too. I LOVE shoes (almost as much as books!) and I’m known for my three inch heels. I was proud of myself yesterday-I went to pick up a chair at lunch for our living room and I was able to carry it to my van..wearing my three inch heels
And I’ve learned in life…take whatever compliments you can get..no matter the source!
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trish Reply:
March 26th, 2009 at 2:17 pm
After I posted about this, I thought that I should have referred to myself (sarcastically, of course) as Grace Kelly.
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March 26th, 2009 at 9:20 am
Great story — just think the weekend is only one day away!
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trish Reply:
March 26th, 2009 at 2:18 pm
And I’m leaving tomorrow for Tahoe! Hopefully I’ll make it there in one piece!
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March 26th, 2009 at 9:27 am
O my, that was an eventful morning. I’m glad you are ok. Geez. That’s more than we get here in the d.c. area…you fall down they just want you to get up and pay the fare…they don’t care if you’re ok or not…and they certainly don’t make you fill out incident reports. LOL
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trish Reply:
March 26th, 2009 at 2:19 pm
That’s hilarious! I didn’t even show the driver my pass, though I figured if he knew me well enough to stop for me before the bus stop, he knows I’m a regular.
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March 26th, 2009 at 1:41 pm
Too funny!!!
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trish Reply:
March 26th, 2009 at 2:19 pm
That’s what I thought.
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March 26th, 2009 at 2:33 pm
You got a purdy mouth. Heh.
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March 26th, 2009 at 4:02 pm
Glad you didn’t get hurt falling down. I don’t know how many times I’ve been walking to the bus stop only to see the bus pull up…and then leave as I’m running, full-speed and waving my arms. They just don’t pay attention. Or don’t care. I’m not sure which. If they ran on any kind of schedule, that would help, but they don’t, so it’s hard to know if you’re “on time” or not.
LOL-After all that, I don’t think I would inspire a “you smell nice,” from anyone!
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March 26th, 2009 at 4:48 pm
Oh girl I so feel for you. First, I am always 5 minutes late for work everyday…I mean everday. I try but it just doesn’t happen. And I always stay and make up the 5 minutes.
Second, I fall al the time. I have fallen on every vacation, I fall at every job I hold, etc. And I scrape my knees. Luckily you did not.
So don’t feel alone. There are plenty of us clutzy people out there. Hope knitting made your day better.
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March 26th, 2009 at 6:18 pm
Oh, wow, how embarrassing. I can understand why he made you fill out a form, though. We’ve got a local guy suing a UPS driver because his trained guard dog threatened the driver and the UPS guy popped the dog and hit him in the eye. Key words IMHO: “trained guard dog” and “loose”. But, yes, the guy is pissed off because his dog was heinously injured by a guy defending himself. You can get sued for anything, these days. It’s ridiculous. I’m sure the poor UPS guy was just trying to protect himself. I hope your day improved. I’m glad you weren’t hurt!!!
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March 26th, 2009 at 6:19 pm
Oops, I said the same thing twice. I meant I thought the bus driver was probably worried that you might sue him.
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March 26th, 2009 at 6:51 pm
Lol. Great story. I’m glad you’re OK
And that you made the bus.
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March 26th, 2009 at 8:56 pm
Ok-now, you have had one of my days! Welcome to the world of odd
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March 27th, 2009 at 6:16 am
Ew to strangers smelling your hair.
Also, I work for trial lawyers. So I’ll take some of the blame for you having to go through all the paperwork rigmoral.
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March 27th, 2009 at 7:41 am
oh, come on! what kind of american are you?! you’re not going to slap the bus and shoe companies with hefty lawsuits? the shoe company’s negligence on strap design clearly led to your stumble and caused you undue pain and suffering. and don’t get me started on the bus and it’s safety record. we live in the most litigious country in the world…and you’re not going to jump on the band wagon? this could be your golden opportunity to build a solid nest egg. trish, where is your american spirit? hahahahaha.
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March 28th, 2009 at 8:35 am
Oh Jeesh. I’ve fallen going up the stairs to the bus before but I’ve never been told to fill out a form! Sorry to hear you had a bad day.
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March 30th, 2009 at 3:45 pm
DUDE, how embarassing! I’m envious of you, though, because it’s freezing here, and I had to wear my polar bear coat to work. What I wouldn’t give to be wearing sandals right now.
Oh, and “Gee, Your Hair Smells Terrific!”
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