A Reason to Catch the Later Bus

One day a few weeks ago I was running a tad late and missed my regular #48 bus to my job. I didn't know that I would make the later bus a regular habbit.

The bus driver for the later bus is a Latino - I'd like to think of him as Argentinian or Columbian - I don't know why but it feels more exotic than Mexican. All of the drivers on the # 48 route make announcements for the upcomming stops, like "65th and Ravenna - Park and Ride" But, the late bus driver, let's call him Antonio, really knows how to work his mic. Oh yeah, baby.

He growls and purrs with that accent of his. '65th and Ravenna, park and ride' becomes "Seeexxxty - feef an RRRRRRRR(imagine rolling r's)aaahvennah, Pahk an rrrrite - owrrr nex sssstoppp" But it is not just the accent. It is the timbre of his voice. Smoky and husky and intimate - each announcement goes through me like a firey sword. I giggle to myself each time he speaks and wonder if my fellow stone-faced travellers are feeling the same thing. I try to sit on the sideways-seats, halfway to the back of the bus, right under the loudspeaker and I wait in anticipation for my favorite announcement:

"Fifffteeentavenewwwww and Huuuneeevarseeety paahkway...theee Huneeevarseety offf HWatcheengtun, Hennreee Ahhht Gallreee, Owrrr Nexxxx Sssstoppp."

Oh Antonio!!!

And then, 2 stops later I have to get off and go to work.

One day, I think I'll skip work, and take the bus all the way to Columbia City.

They'll have to peel me off the floor.

Overheard on the #358 Metro Bus

2 guys were sitting across from me. One, in his late 20's had a small child. The other, who looked a few years older sat nearby.

Without prompting, the older guy says:
"Got an hour to get back to work release."

The young dad answers with a knowing chuckle:
"I hear you, man. I just got out of that 3 months ago."

A different crowd rides the 358 bus down Aurora. Wow.