So today's adventure: On my way back from Fremont, after treating myself to a delicious Peet's americano (so much better than my previous employers', by the by), I hopped on the #26 headed back to downtown Seattle. I am only on the bus two seconds before a man seated in the front greets me with a "good morning". Just to make a note, as you read my tales of mass-transit entertainment, you should know that I am often approached/greeted/conversed with at stops and while riding; I have an approachability about me that doesn't stop even the weirdest people from striking conversation. Anyhoo, I politely responded with a "Hi" with no intention of coninuing the conversation and proceeded to a seat farther back. I turn around to get in the seat only to realize this man has been watching me the whole time: CREEPY. As he continues to look at me, the fear of a seat re-assignment near me begins to grow, so I promptly pull out my phone and pretend to get a call as to deter the idea of coming back to my area of the bus.
As the bus pulls away and meanders on its way, the man goes back to his book (thankfully) but continues to watch when people get on, sneaking glances back my direction. I also noticed he hasn't greeted anyone else... go me. This journey requires a transfer on my part, so when the time comes, I get off the bus and walk the 20 feet to my next bus stop.
I have a considerable wait and with only one other person there at this time, I entertain myself by people watching. 10 minutes into my wait, two more people have joined the party: a tween, wannabe gangster with a doo-rag and his pants near his ankles, and a friendly looking guy in a track suit. The next thing I see/hear is an older man, hunched over his large belly, walking towards us in the crosswalk yelling something incomprehensible. When he reaches the sidewalk, however, his walk turns into a gallop and he trots his way past us, down the block, and around the corner. I start laughing under my breath and turn to see that the track guy is also laughing, so we share a "haha, what's that guy's deal" moment. I thought that would be the end of our shared experience: wrong again! He proceeds to talk about how the crazy guy was recently featured in The Stranger (small Seattle-based publication) with Jeff Bridges since he was in a movie. I asked him if he was serious, clearly not believing something like that and thinking to myself, "that's a strange way to get my attention buddy". But, no he said it was true and also how the crazy guy used to play the trumpet in the market for money and had, on more than one occasion, attempted to "pick up on" the track-guy's brother (there are too many ways to interpret that). I was kind of schocked into an appropiate "geez"-nod combo and decided that I had heard enough for one day. That's when the wannabe gangster gets a call on his phone and sounds so angry that I think he's ready to pull a gun from his pants and pop someone... accidental eye contact was made so I took a step towards the other direction just as our bus pulled up; whew!
I finally make it on my last bus home and relish in the normality that is my apartment. *sigh*
As the bus pulls away and meanders on its way, the man goes back to his book (thankfully) but continues to watch when people get on, sneaking glances back my direction. I also noticed he hasn't greeted anyone else... go me. This journey requires a transfer on my part, so when the time comes, I get off the bus and walk the 20 feet to my next bus stop.
I have a considerable wait and with only one other person there at this time, I entertain myself by people watching. 10 minutes into my wait, two more people have joined the party: a tween, wannabe gangster with a doo-rag and his pants near his ankles, and a friendly looking guy in a track suit. The next thing I see/hear is an older man, hunched over his large belly, walking towards us in the crosswalk yelling something incomprehensible. When he reaches the sidewalk, however, his walk turns into a gallop and he trots his way past us, down the block, and around the corner. I start laughing under my breath and turn to see that the track guy is also laughing, so we share a "haha, what's that guy's deal" moment. I thought that would be the end of our shared experience: wrong again! He proceeds to talk about how the crazy guy was recently featured in The Stranger (small Seattle-based publication) with Jeff Bridges since he was in a movie. I asked him if he was serious, clearly not believing something like that and thinking to myself, "that's a strange way to get my attention buddy". But, no he said it was true and also how the crazy guy used to play the trumpet in the market for money and had, on more than one occasion, attempted to "pick up on" the track-guy's brother (there are too many ways to interpret that). I was kind of schocked into an appropiate "geez"-nod combo and decided that I had heard enough for one day. That's when the wannabe gangster gets a call on his phone and sounds so angry that I think he's ready to pull a gun from his pants and pop someone... accidental eye contact was made so I took a step towards the other direction just as our bus pulled up; whew!
I finally make it on my last bus home and relish in the normality that is my apartment. *sigh*
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