We grew up in Washington D.C. where nice normal middle-class people take the bus to work every day. So our mom taught us to take the bus and it was very empowering to feel so independent and mobile from the age of about 12. So when we moved to L.A. and my 14-year-old friends and I wanted to go to the mall but had no ride, I suggested taking the bus. They thought I was crazy, but I'd done it before so pressed forward. That was my rude awakening to the fact that in L.A. nice normal middle-class people don't take the bus, and thus the end of riding the bus in L.A. Then I moved to Utah and again with no car turned to the bus for transportation. I joined the ranks of the less fortunate BYU students who are forced to add hours to their commute. I even took it to work during the first few months of our marriage when we had only one car.
So yesterday I had to take my car into the shop for new brakes. Scott was slammed at work so I was on my own to find a way to pick it up in the afternoon. Our favorite mechanic is in American Fork, which is just too far to ask a friend to drive me as a favor. After thinking through possible solutions, it occurred to me that I could take the bus. I did a little research on UTA.com, found the closest stop, the most direct route, the fare, and the timetables, packed a bag of goodies for Oliver and June and we were off. And it worked out perfectly! There weren't too many weirdos, we made our transfer, June was happy, Oliver got to play his DS, the stop at the other end was directly across the street from the mechanic, and I greatly enjoyed eaves-dropping on the P.G. girls next to me who were having a text-messaging fight with one of their boyfriends ("He just wrote 'frowny face shut up frowny face'! What should I write back?" "You should write 'you're a jerk frowny face'.")
8 comments:
We're huge bus fans. Steve thinks he's going to start taking the bus to work again when busy season is over because gas is just too darn expensive. I should try to use the bus more when the weather is nice.
I was just staring longingly at the Flex bus here the other day as I pulled right up next to it. I wanted to find the website because the thought occured to me that we should give it a ride. I'm glad it worked out so well for you. That conversation you heard was classic. Smiley face!
the train is good too Santa Barbara anyone?
That was a fun trip!
I bought and used my UTA bus pass for 2 yrs. of pre-married college(unless my dad would let me borrow the Taurus). A great way to add a little extra study time, too.
I am so impressed that you thought to do that. It was probably fun for Oliver. Did you know my mom left Dave on the bus in SLC while trying to get Jimmy an I off, and before she could get back in to get him the bus driver started to drive off?
So I have a random memory that you might be able to recall for me... we were in washington d.c. and mom and dad were away on a trip and we had a babysitter abandon us.
Didn't we take the bus to go see a movie? Karate Kid?
I do remember being abandoned by a babysitter and fending for ourselves during that time. I think we even took the bus to the grocery store. But I do not remember taking it to see Karate Kid while they were away. But then we'd probably need Annee to do the remembering for us on this one.
your hair looks really good. i'm jealous of your length right now.
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