Riding the Bus

I have recently started taking the bus to work. Well, three busses to be exact, since there is not one single bus that can get me there. I have owned or been able to borrow a car since I was 16 years old, so this is a very new experience for me.

I have ridden busses and subways in many big cities like Chicago, New York, London, and Paris, but that was while I was on vacation. In big cities the busses are timed very close together. If you miss one, the next one comes along very soon. Not so in the suburbs of Chicago. The bus service out here is called "Pace." I have learned that it is not an acronym for anything, it's just the word they chose.

Some busses run more often than others so you have to get your timing right. If a bus is late that throws a monkey wrench into the works. It takes me 20 minutes to get to work by car. The bus takes just over an hour on the best day. The actual bus rides add up to about 30 minutes. It is the time between busses that really adds up. When I miss a connection, the additional wait can be up to an hour.

I have been riding the bus for about a month now. It is summer and our weather has be hotter than normal. At each bus stop I have learned where to find shade. Sometimes the area of shade is small, so I have figured out how to get to the spot first. It is some relief, but when it is 90 degrees or more and you must stand for an hour, you get hot. One time I started feeling dizzy and had trouble keeping my feet. Just as I was considering sitting down on the dirty sidewalk, the bus arrived. What about the winter? I can't wait! Ha-ha!

______________________________________________________

Ric's Blogs All Blogs Ric's Web Site

______________________________________________________

Constructive comments welcome at blog@ricsweb.com