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June 22, 2006
Bus Time Stories
There’s a certain point where the acceptable grunge and dirty gruff nature of baltimorians reaches a threshold. Now it’s common to see a dust covered sweaty SoBoer drinking a beer in a brown bag on the sidewalk as you pass by, but then again it’s also common to see a yuppy bleach blonde running in her Fila’s with an Ipod strapped to her arm. So the mix balances it out I guess.
Baltimore stopped scaring me about a year ago, when I got over the fact that a 3” blade and mace just became new accessories to my ensemble. Yeah sure 50 yr. old, tims wearing men like to scream at me; some promising Jesus, others a good time, but that’s just our neighborhood. You take it in stride and continue on your way.
Sometimes I feel like these middle aged women going into town to work for MD ED or Legg Mason, or somewhere, really don’t get the beat of the city. They are tourists, doing the good, economical green thing by taking mass transportation to view the city for 8 hours, then return to their 2,000 sq foot homes (that are 25 feet apart from each other with complimentary cookie cutter siding) somewhere in Severna Park or Annapolis and make dinner. They see the city through scared, anticipating eyes; and in so doing, show off their vulnerability. I watch them shutter and look around nervously as the bus shakes, and fumble to get out their green, monthly ‘go passes’ they often times where around their necks in lanyards, like badges of honor. More like “rob me” written across their forehead.
When they get to the park and ride they all take off for their Corollas and Acuras, to see who can get to the stop light first.
Ok so I trash talk a little, but today, I was guilty of this naive insecurity myself as a shirtless, drunk, fat man came stumbling onto our bus. My eyes widened 3x as I looked to our attitudinal bus driver willing her with my mind to keep the bus going down the street. After taking a minute or two to decide, with one eyebrow raised in question she reluctantly opened the doors for the man who, brushed her aside and squished his way in a seat next to a very unlucky female worker without paying.
rant | By west | 10:25 PM