A Typical Day in tha Bay

I see and experience all kindsa random ish since moving to the bay, especially since I have been riding public transportation. There is so much that you miss (good and bad) when you rely on the modern convenience (or not- in this economy) of a car. On my way to work, last Monday morning, I saw this in front of the local bar, and I HAD to take a picture.





::chuckle::

It says all that it needs to. And while it's more than facetious (some have argued that for once our administration has offered an appropriate response re: the Russia Georgia situation) it still resonates given our administration's track record.

The sign was perhaps foreshadowing for what was to be a DAY OF COMEDY. That Sunday was FULL of surprises. First, I had an inspiring conversation with an elderly white woman with whom I shared my career ambitions while waiting for the Muni (the network of buses, trams and other transportation in SF proper). She encouraged me to be contented with what small positive influence I can personally have on this world, and not to give up. All this after she and I both were snubbed by two buses that were too busy competing for the road to notice that we were trying to board - ironic.

But I had an awkward moment with her when as I boarded the bus the driver assumed I was a "young fella," no matter how often it happens, and then later I was a young woman in another context. Gender is SoOoo HILARIOUS here! I watched the elderly woman as she disembarked, and I worried for her, she was using crutches and had a cast on her foot. But she was so self sufficient and independent. I found myself wanting to keep in touch but also feelin' like she appeared right on time and departed just the same.

Later, as I rode Bart from Embarcadero, I found a seat next to a black MIL (masculine identified lesbian) and we struck up a conversation and exchanged numbers. She was real cool and down to earth and I think we both took refuge in one another being clearly in the minority on that particular car - although quite a regularity in OAKLAND. Can we say BLACK STUD MECCA much!?

And THEN, after THAT -- YEP THERE's MORE -- I witnessed one of the most hilarious interchanges between an AC Transit bus operator and a woman who clearly might have an addiction problem. It was the stuff that an "In Living Color" sketch might have been made of ::LOL:: I tried to capture some of it on video, but the result was fuzzy and kinda hard to hear. Needless to say - myself and a couple of other folks got a good chuckle listening to the two of them go back and forth - The bus driver talkin' smack to the woman probably because she in some way was judgmental of the woman's presumed addiction issue and how she carried on when she got ON the bus.

See, the addicted woman didn't have enough fare to get on and initially was trying to haggle the bus driver with something like "I got 50cent and a transfer." (LMAO) To which the bus driver replied "I am not negotiating with you, that is not the fare!" Fortunately someone covered the other dollar for her and she had enough fare, but that only made the woman indignant, and a little self righteous. There was another interchange later when the bus driver got snippy with an elderly woman and the addicted woman came to her defense, saying to the driver "You must be having a bad day" and only aggravating her further. The bust driver threatened to stop the bus and kick her off and the woman replies "I paid my fare I aint gettin' of NOTHIN!" LMAO! There was so much said. A video would have been so much better.

But suffice to say, the bus driver was trife... probably at the end of her line, and her patience -- understandably so -- you couldn't pay me to drive a bus in OAKLAND! BUT STILL! She drove past a man CLEARLY tryin to get on, not too far from where I get off. And I tried to help the brother out by getting off the bus slow so he could catch it, only to watch the bus driver wave him off (even though he'd made it to the door before the light changed) and blow dust in his face.

All I could do is chuckle, knowing full well I've had a bus driver wave me off and keep on pushin'. I WAS PISSED. I felt sorry for the brotha, but I've learned -- that's just typical here.