...because sometimes these morons deserve it.
Now I've been taking the bus for the better part of two years now. For most of that time I've lived pretty far away from the nearest bus stop so what I would do is to take the bus to my wife's work and we would drive home together. Pain in the ass, but at least I get a lot of reading done.
To get to her work I need to go North. However, to catch the northbound bus I'd have to cross a VERY busy highway and stand on the side of the road where the buses tend to not want to stop.
So I catch the southbound bus (which stops at a nearby shopping plaza) and then takes me to Target where I can transfer to the northbound bus.
Or I can take a different bus that makes me transfer 4 times and takes two hours total trip time.
Now the biggest problem is that often times the southbound bus is running late and can't make the transfer point before the northbound bus leaves. This leads to the inevitable "You should take the other bus since it won't miss it's transfer points" vs "You should take the southbound bus to the northbound bus since it's quicker" debate.
The first day I tried taking the bus neither one of them wanted to take me anywhere until I called their dispatcher to tell them to pick me up dammit. But this isn't the SC story, this is...
So a few weeks ago I moved to an apartment right on the southbound bus route. No debate, no transfers, just drive me to my street and I'll walk the 5 minutes home. Simple right? If I'm posting it here you can guess that it wasn't.
So here's the conversation.
Me - 'Allo!
BDD - Bus Driving Dork
BDD - I'm running late I can't make the other bus. Try the next bus
Me - But...
BDD - Look, I'm sorry but we cannot guarantee transfers. Traffic was a bitch.
Me - But...
BDD - Take the other bus. It'll get you there.
Me - It doesn't...
BDD - You told me that you don't have to be at your wife's work until 5pm. It's 1pm. You have four hours to take a two hour ride. You'll make it and you'll be reading in the AC like you always do.
Me - But...
BDD - But what? I'm sorry, but the other bus is leaving. I CAN'T MAKE IT.
Me - (finally snapping) Listen. I need to take this bus to get where I'm going. If when you drop me off and I find that the K-Mart has left without me, I'll fucking wait for the next one.
BDD - <uncomfortable silence>
At which point I took his gormless expression as a sign that I had won and put my money in the slot and sat down. Days later I informed him that I had moved and now live behind the K-Mart. All he could say was "why didn't you tell me?" to which I replied..."If you'd let me, I would have."
So yes I was the SC, but it was worth it.
Mongo
Now I've been taking the bus for the better part of two years now. For most of that time I've lived pretty far away from the nearest bus stop so what I would do is to take the bus to my wife's work and we would drive home together. Pain in the ass, but at least I get a lot of reading done.
To get to her work I need to go North. However, to catch the northbound bus I'd have to cross a VERY busy highway and stand on the side of the road where the buses tend to not want to stop.
So I catch the southbound bus (which stops at a nearby shopping plaza) and then takes me to Target where I can transfer to the northbound bus.
Or I can take a different bus that makes me transfer 4 times and takes two hours total trip time.
Now the biggest problem is that often times the southbound bus is running late and can't make the transfer point before the northbound bus leaves. This leads to the inevitable "You should take the other bus since it won't miss it's transfer points" vs "You should take the southbound bus to the northbound bus since it's quicker" debate.
The first day I tried taking the bus neither one of them wanted to take me anywhere until I called their dispatcher to tell them to pick me up dammit. But this isn't the SC story, this is...
So a few weeks ago I moved to an apartment right on the southbound bus route. No debate, no transfers, just drive me to my street and I'll walk the 5 minutes home. Simple right? If I'm posting it here you can guess that it wasn't.
So here's the conversation.
Me - 'Allo!
BDD - Bus Driving Dork
BDD - I'm running late I can't make the other bus. Try the next bus
Me - But...
BDD - Look, I'm sorry but we cannot guarantee transfers. Traffic was a bitch.
Me - But...
BDD - Take the other bus. It'll get you there.
Me - It doesn't...
BDD - You told me that you don't have to be at your wife's work until 5pm. It's 1pm. You have four hours to take a two hour ride. You'll make it and you'll be reading in the AC like you always do.
Me - But...
BDD - But what? I'm sorry, but the other bus is leaving. I CAN'T MAKE IT.
Me - (finally snapping) Listen. I need to take this bus to get where I'm going. If when you drop me off and I find that the K-Mart has left without me, I'll fucking wait for the next one.
BDD - <uncomfortable silence>
At which point I took his gormless expression as a sign that I had won and put my money in the slot and sat down. Days later I informed him that I had moved and now live behind the K-Mart. All he could say was "why didn't you tell me?" to which I replied..."If you'd let me, I would have."
So yes I was the SC, but it was worth it.
Mongo
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