Riding the bus

(We live in a neighborhood with a heavy concentration of Russians and Armenians. My favorite grocery store is Armenian and they have the best fruit and most exotic bakery- this picture is one of the several orthodox churches in our neighborhood)
I like the bus. It is freaky sometimes. Sometimes just surreal.

I like it when the recorded voice says Spanish and then in Chinese what it just said in English. I feel like I am going on Big Thunder at Disneyland. Even if the voice is saying to leave the front seats for seniors and the disabled.

This morning after walking the kids to school I walked to the bus. I ended up running the last block because I saw that it was coming. The day before I just missed it and the next was late due to electrical problems and then the overpacked bus broke down and we all had to crowd on to another and I was late! So this morning I boarded the bus a little out of breath. I usually have with me 2 bags and today I also had my yoga mat. There was one seat left at the back of the bus in between two dudes. I wove to the back and sat. Dude One asked me if I was ok. (Funny because no one talks much unless you know the other person. Then you can talk really loud and laugh really loud and let everyone know that you have a friend on the bus). I told him I was just fine. But I wasn't chatty because I had to text Rich that back to school night was tonight, not next week and that meant that I had to be home earlier than I wanted and would have to miss a class. He then asked me if I was going to the beach. (I am nicely dressed for school and it is before 9 am) I said no- and he pointed to the mat. He then told me that everyday is a beach day where he is from- So I asked- He is from Jamaica. After a few moments of quiet he started to sing in slow reggae style and wiggle/ seat dance with a lot of head rolling. Luckily for me he got off the bus soon after, but the last of the lyrics that I heard him sing were "and if she doesn't talk to me then she isn't nice" unfortunately I didn't hear the rest! but I did get a good laugh. And I am not so vain that I thought the song was about me, but it was funny.

Yesterday as I was coming home I was partially sat upon by someone. I saw the same thing happen to someone else a few days before so I think I was mentally prepared for it. Then as I was getting off the bus I realized that my shirt was unbuttoned more than I wanted. There is only so much I can prepare for. I am hoping to learn that if I can laugh at someone else- even in my head, then I better be able to laugh at myself.