Getting on the Bus

For all my transit riding, I'm not on the bus that often. Subways and trolleys come more often and stop less often, and most of the places I need to go are served by them. Even if a place is a little out of the way, more often than not I'd rather ride the subway or trolley and walk a little longer, than wait for and in a bus.

And yet for Jada's friend's birthday party, I decided to make an exception. Not only that, but the trip involved a transfer; that's right, two buses there, and two buses back, which makes for four possible long waits and four possible long rides.

And yet there Jada and I went. And lo and behold, everything worked out. We never had to wait more than three minutes, all the routes went where SEPTA's website said they would, we never had to walk more than two blocks, and we made good time there and back.

Riding a bus is also, in a sense, more interesting. You're above ground, so can see life whizzing by. People get on and off more frequently, which makes for fun people-watching. (Especially when they talk loudly on their cell phones; yes, I'm talking about you, Ms. "Boyfriend's work stiffed him out of a hundred dollars, and now I'm telling my girlfriend all about it.") And, um, how do I put this: unlike the subways and trolleys, which operate on fixed rails, buses have the potential for being quite the bumpy and rampaging ride, which was definitely the case for one of the legs, in which the bus driver was driving as if she was on fire and had to wait until the terminus to douse herself.

Maybe not all bus trips will be this fun and smooth and interesting. But this positive experience has made me more open to getting on the bus again.