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Thursday, December 5, 2013

A Quiet Moment, In the Dark

Sheesh!  What's with all the bus posts lately?!  I really gotta get out more...


I am a full block away from the stop when the bus zips by.

Two minutes early than it should.

In the snow-bright darkness of a winter’s morning, it hardly seems fair.  I stop, blink dully in the direction of its retreating taillights, a shallowly breathing statue, watch as the bus heads toward the light, watch as it turns and disappears.

Twenty minutes until the next one. 

I take a step back toward the house.

Fweep.

I take another step.

Fweep-fweep.

My corduroys are whispering what can only be considered obscene comments about the length of winter, of my proclivity toward foodstuffs covered with gravy, about short, somewhat pear-shaped women and the inevitability of the next size up in pants.

Corduroys:  fashion’s little snipers.

I turn back toward the beginning of my work day, head toward Central.

The 17’s going to show up two minutes early?  Pfft.

I’ll take the Number 10.

Frankly, I love the 10.  There’s something refreshing about a bus where children ride in grocery carts, groceries ride in strollers, and an 82-year-old woman regularly stands, announces her age, and then does a quick step ball change while shouting “You’re only as old as you feel!”

Yes.  The 10 is where I belong. 

It’s roughly a mile walk – all uphill, of course; and by the time I arrive at the top of the hill, I am warm, no small thing in Minneapolis in December.

Thank you, thighs.


And the 10 arrives moments later, and I step up and into the crowded bus.

31 comments:

VEG said...

You sure do belong on the 10 :) I always think of the bus less of a means to get to a destination, and more of a small, scientific sampling of the local character. There is ALWAYS entertainment on the bus.

Anonymous said...

"The snow-bright darkness" what a perfect description.

Hootin Anni said...

You don't need a thigh master when you have to walk uphill [both ways] to catch the bus and then, later, walk home [uphill!]

Me-Me King said...

I also ride the bus and feel that the life-view I have there is one of the best. Have a nice day. :-)

Simply Suthern said...

Between the heat and static electricity generated by the corduroy friction you oughta be the Energizer Bunny

diamondc said...

I grew up in south Mpls. I took the bus everywhere until I was 23 and learned to drive, sometimes I still took the bus to save on gas.
I know what you mean about getting warmed up after an uphill walk.
Today I sit in a coffee shop in Waconia hoping for warmer weather.
I drive for Allina now and have been for twenty years I still miss the ride on the bus so many interesting people to meet.
Catherine

JennaQuentin said...

I hated missing the bus when I lived in the city of Bordeaux - chasing them down with a stroller! Great way to turn it into a story.

Ms Scarlet said...

I know it's especially cold when I take to wearing thermal tights under my jeans.
Sx

Douglas said...

I am surprised you don't spend that time walking (uphill!) to the #10's stop contemplating the reasons you missed the #17. You know, the reasons you were not there two minutes earlier. I am sure there are many. That's what I would be doing... it ensures that I will feel sufficiently castigated (and miserable)by the time I got to the #10 stop. BTW, it's virtually impossible to walk uphill in my town... there are no hills. And no snow. And very little cold. And no buses.

joeh said...

I've always wanted to know how to spell the corduroy sound...fweep fweep.

Wasn't that a song?
Fweep fweep; fweep fweep;the pants went fweep fweep fweep..

Maybe not...nevermind.

Nancy/BLissed-Out Grandma said...

A very wise choice, walking to the Number 10 bus. You get exercise, and you warm up instead of standing around and freezing. I should be out there walking...but here I sit drinking tea and blog-reading. Stay strong, Pearl!

vanilla said...

Even though there is no way to put a positive spin on cold weather, you spin tales which warm us, no matter the season.

Joanne Noragon said...

Options are good.

jenny_o said...

'Tis a far, far better thing to walk in the cold than to stand in it.

Besides, that'll sure show that #17 bus! The nerve, to be early!

Yamini MacLean said...

Hari OM
Now I'm back in Northern territory, this has much more resonance - especially as I nearly had to stop a bus with my walking stick this evening... YAMxx

fmcgmccllc said...

Big Daddy was in panic mode this weekend, he had to go to Minneapolis and he had no coat. A leather jacket will do in Detroit, but not for Minneapolis. Thank God for Costco. He said it was freezing.

Geo. said...

I am only a boy of 64 but I use the tap-step-ball-change to go down the lane to my mailbox. It keeps neighbors from coming over and asking for things. Good exercise too!

Elephant's Child said...

Yay for the number 10 bus. Boo and hiss to nagging clothing. And yay for Pearl.

Gigi said...

"Corduroys: fashion’s little snipers." - my favorite line EVER!

I refuse to wear corduroys - the fweep, fweep drives me mad.

Anonymous said...

ACDC didn't write a song mentioning "bony thighs," they wrote lyrics celebrating "American thighs."

And I guess corduroy pants are part of the advance PR team?

Anonymous said...

ACDC didn't write a song mentioning "bony thighs," they wrote lyrics celebrating "American thighs."

And I guess corduroy pants are part of the advance PR team?

Watson said...

OMG!! I was wondering where that ``fweep, fweep, fweep`` sound was coming from. Thanks Pearlie! I`ve been blaming the cat!

HermanTurnip said...

So buses from different stops have their own vibes, each being a self-contained universe that unique from any other bus from any other stop? Groovy.

Anonymous said...

You found your people! (Step ball Change) The pants will come later. During the after Christmas sales. I'll see you there. I'll be the short chubby one with the feathers, probably cannibalizing a turkey leg as I shop.

Rose L said...

I sure do not think that riding buses sounds very attractive!!

River said...

Darn those buses that run ahead of schedule and zip by as I'm waiting to cross the road to the stop. Then later, because they are too far ahead of schedule they stop at a "layover" stop for up to ten minutes while passengers needing to connect with another bus sit there fuming.

Now I need someone to describe in detail exactly what "step ball change" is so I can learn it.
Fweep Fweep

Linda O'Connell said...

"Corduroys, fashion's little snipers." Best line ever! You make my brain ping! So glad you are back.

Buttons Thoughts said...

Oh keep taking the 10 and smile at the old lady for me:) she rocks. B

Diane Stringam Tolley said...

I've always wondered if I could light a fire by the friction generated by my corduroys. It works with pantyhose...

chlost said...

Pearl, I believe that some day it will be you who is the 82-year old lady entertaining the passengers on the #10 early morning bus. She (and the future you) rocks!

Connie said...

You own the 10. It belongs to you! :) Hope you are staying warm, Pearl.