Waiting on the street, I had many people giving me those awkward glances. Ok, so what- I am taking the bus. Is that REALLY such a big deal?
Yes, I am a girl.
No, I do not appear to be poor.
No, I do not look Mexican.
Every time I wait for the bus there seems to be a person that pulls over, or into, the closest parking lot to see if I need a ride. That, or to tell me that there is a creeper nearby creeping.
*Notice: I am NOT a fragile little flower, though I may appear to be just that at times. *
Onward with the story. My bus came (five minutes late) so I got and it was a cute little Vietnamese driver and he was overly happy and asked me all these nice introductory get-to-know-each-other questions, and well, it was refreshing. Many bus drivers seem to hate their lives, so it's nice to be greeted with a smile when climbing aboard.
So, eventually, after many twists, turns and stops and goes we got to the end of the route where I got to get off. Well, me and the old man that were left. It was so much fun. I had about twenty minutes until my next bus so I went to the bathrooms and scoped out the area to make sure there weren't any extremely creepy creepers and then took my headphones out to listen to some music.
Two minutes after putting headphones in and connecting with the beat I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around. A tanned fat white dude holding a bottle that looked like it was filled with pee, was looking at me. I took a earphone out, "...yes?"
"Do yeh have the time?"
"3:25."
"Thanks, what bus are you waiting for?"
"the 1 South"
"Oh, does that go by Main Street?"
"yeah"
"Oh, but it doesn't go by the one in Santa Ana..."
"Well, no. It stays along PCH. So only the coastal Main steets..." I then started to walk away towards the other people that were waiting by the benches to get away from this looney. Reaching the bench, I was asked the time yet AGAIN.
"Miss, you have time?"
"3:30"
"oooh, three dirty, tres y media....thank you." I stopped and thought about it. Wait a minute, did he just translate the time into Spanish? That's not normal. I looked over his way slightly curious, wanting to know more, but keeping my distance at the same time.
We made eye contact.
"I tourist here from Mexico. I from Mexico."
"oooooooooh! cool!" He then went into his life story of how he is here for a custody battle over his daughter. Apparently his wife brought the daughter here illegally and now he's trying to get joint custody so he can bring her back to Mexico. Between all this he also has managed to get himself a job at a dry cleaners and wander around the Southern California area. So we talked about the weather and cool places and differences between here and Mexico City. He was particularly fond of the wood houses and not so much with the weather. I guess it's too COLD of all things. That was the first time I have ever heard that from ANYONE visiting California.
During our conversation, the man with the pee cup from earlier came back. Me and Mexico (Eduardo) learned that he is from Kentucky. We also learned that he is slightly looney. I also learned that when somebody says that people "usually know I am from out of the area by my hick voice" and replying "hahaha yeah" back can be taken as an insult.
...was I supposed to say no?
Finally our bus came and "god bless you"s were exchanged between Hick and Mexico, and me and Mexico went on our way. We were taking the same route. I got on the bus and looked around- it was a jackpot. Getting on I saw the nannies sitting in the front, then we had girls with luggage, dude with tattoo that was definite eye candy, typical hobo with sleeping bag and garb, blond girl from CSULB (yana) that everyone knows (whether they want to or not) because she talks forever, the scrawny indie kid with the hemp satchel bag, black thick framed glasses reading his indie book and then the assortment of asian/mexican/south american/whatever else workers in the back. We had a full house. I LOVED it.
Me and Mexico found a spot on the benches and the observations (and much amusement) began. Blond girl started talking to Mexico because she is a Spanish major and she likes to talk- she found her perfect unsuspecting subject. They talked until she got to her stop. Once she was off he looked at me and pointing at her walking away says, "nice girl." Me and eye-candy Tattoo dude started laughing. Poor Mexico, so naive.
Talking for a while longer (me and Mexico) we parted ways when I got off at my stop to walk home.
His last words to me:
"Have nice life. I hope to see you in the heaven."
I said thanks, wished him luck on his journey, flashed a smile and hopped off the bus.
Thirty minutes made a good day into a great day.
Last week I had fun on the bus too. There was a hobo dude playing with one of those Hasbro electronic game pens, and almost missed his stop because he was so involved in it. That was a first for me.
I have been making little observations and sketches in my journal. Maybe I will post them later.
Yes, I am a girl.
No, I do not appear to be poor.
No, I do not look Mexican.
Every time I wait for the bus there seems to be a person that pulls over, or into, the closest parking lot to see if I need a ride. That, or to tell me that there is a creeper nearby creeping.
*Notice: I am NOT a fragile little flower, though I may appear to be just that at times. *
Onward with the story. My bus came (five minutes late) so I got and it was a cute little Vietnamese driver and he was overly happy and asked me all these nice introductory get-to-know-each-other questions, and well, it was refreshing. Many bus drivers seem to hate their lives, so it's nice to be greeted with a smile when climbing aboard.
So, eventually, after many twists, turns and stops and goes we got to the end of the route where I got to get off. Well, me and the old man that were left. It was so much fun. I had about twenty minutes until my next bus so I went to the bathrooms and scoped out the area to make sure there weren't any extremely creepy creepers and then took my headphones out to listen to some music.
Two minutes after putting headphones in and connecting with the beat I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around. A tanned fat white dude holding a bottle that looked like it was filled with pee, was looking at me. I took a earphone out, "...yes?"
"Do yeh have the time?"
"3:25."
"Thanks, what bus are you waiting for?"
"the 1 South"
"Oh, does that go by Main Street?"
"yeah"
"Oh, but it doesn't go by the one in Santa Ana..."
"Well, no. It stays along PCH. So only the coastal Main steets..." I then started to walk away towards the other people that were waiting by the benches to get away from this looney. Reaching the bench, I was asked the time yet AGAIN.
"Miss, you have time?"
"3:30"
"oooh, three dirty, tres y media....thank you." I stopped and thought about it. Wait a minute, did he just translate the time into Spanish? That's not normal. I looked over his way slightly curious, wanting to know more, but keeping my distance at the same time.
We made eye contact.
"I tourist here from Mexico. I from Mexico."
"oooooooooh! cool!" He then went into his life story of how he is here for a custody battle over his daughter. Apparently his wife brought the daughter here illegally and now he's trying to get joint custody so he can bring her back to Mexico. Between all this he also has managed to get himself a job at a dry cleaners and wander around the Southern California area. So we talked about the weather and cool places and differences between here and Mexico City. He was particularly fond of the wood houses and not so much with the weather. I guess it's too COLD of all things. That was the first time I have ever heard that from ANYONE visiting California.
During our conversation, the man with the pee cup from earlier came back. Me and Mexico (Eduardo) learned that he is from Kentucky. We also learned that he is slightly looney. I also learned that when somebody says that people "usually know I am from out of the area by my hick voice" and replying "hahaha yeah" back can be taken as an insult.
...was I supposed to say no?
Finally our bus came and "god bless you"s were exchanged between Hick and Mexico, and me and Mexico went on our way. We were taking the same route. I got on the bus and looked around- it was a jackpot. Getting on I saw the nannies sitting in the front, then we had girls with luggage, dude with tattoo that was definite eye candy, typical hobo with sleeping bag and garb, blond girl from CSULB (yana) that everyone knows (whether they want to or not) because she talks forever, the scrawny indie kid with the hemp satchel bag, black thick framed glasses reading his indie book and then the assortment of asian/mexican/south american/whatever else workers in the back. We had a full house. I LOVED it.
Me and Mexico found a spot on the benches and the observations (and much amusement) began. Blond girl started talking to Mexico because she is a Spanish major and she likes to talk- she found her perfect unsuspecting subject. They talked until she got to her stop. Once she was off he looked at me and pointing at her walking away says, "nice girl." Me and eye-candy Tattoo dude started laughing. Poor Mexico, so naive.
Talking for a while longer (me and Mexico) we parted ways when I got off at my stop to walk home.
His last words to me:
"Have nice life. I hope to see you in the heaven."
I said thanks, wished him luck on his journey, flashed a smile and hopped off the bus.
Thirty minutes made a good day into a great day.
Last week I had fun on the bus too. There was a hobo dude playing with one of those Hasbro electronic game pens, and almost missed his stop because he was so involved in it. That was a first for me.
I have been making little observations and sketches in my journal. Maybe I will post them later.
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