The people on the bus get on and off

One of the benefits of riding the same bus route everyday is that you get to know "the regulars". It definitely makes it feel like home when you are surrounded by familiar faces both on the bus and at the bus stop. Some of these familiar faces I have had conversations with, others I just see on a daily basis, but each one is a part of my daily commute.

• High School Boy. He gets on the bus three stops after I do. He is either reading a book, playing his game boy or most frequently listening to music on his headphones. Regardless of what he is doing, he almost always falls asleep during the ride. Not just your normal head on chest falling asleep but rather the head-bobbing-body-swaying-I-can't-sit-up-straight-because-I-am-so-damn-tired asleep. It's quite humorous when he comes close to resting his head on the shoulder of the passenger next to him or, when people have decided not to sit next to him, when he almost tips over into the seat next to him.


• The Writer. This middle-aged lady is always on the bus when I get on at my stop. During the ride she is either writing her book, researching other books for material for her book, or trying to advertise her book to her "friends" on the bus. At first I used to sit near her and read over her shoulder. Then I eaves-dropped when she was discussing her book with her friend. Apparently it's an adult novel, she has a blog with posts about it, her fans send her boxes of clothes (which explains the strange outfits) and she is currently shopping around for a publisher. She also reads a lot of self help books like "What Men Want" which is what she was reading today.


• My Friends. During my first week of riding the bus I noticed that one of the ladies on the bus actually worked in my building. Shortly thereafter we started walking from the bus to our building together and having brief conversations. Sadly, last week her contract changed and she no longer rides the bus with me and I have to admit, I actually miss our morning conversations. My other friend rides my afternoon bus. A middle-aged Filipino woman, she uses me as a gauge for whether or not she is late. As long as she can see me standing there waiting for the bus, she knows she hasn't missed it.


• Irish Man. Yesterday I decided to take my alternate route home. After last weeks bus ran really late, I've decided that from now on I'll always take whichever bus comes first instead of always waiting for the same route. Unfortunately the alternate route is a lot more crowded which usually means I am left standing in the aisle. Yesterday I had the privilege of chatting with an elderly man wearing a red shirt, hot pink shorts, and maroon knee socks. At first he thought I was Irish and then, after telling him I was British, he started telling me the history of the Celts. Chatty and friendly, but not exactly what I was looking for at the end of the long day although he did make me an honorary Irishman for the day.