Bus memories aren't my favorite. In elementary school I spent most of my time wedged next to the window with my knees and shins pressed against the back of the seat in front of me while slouching and contorting my body into a c-shape with a book open on my lap. Being from the frozen Midwest, I knew exactly what seat on the bus had the heater underneath, and I used this knowledge when selecting my morning perch during junior high and high school. Note that I have not mentioned ever sitting in "the back of the bus." The hecklers sat back there, the no goods. Things that I only had seen in movies or heard about in off-color jokes took place in those last two rows of seats in big yellow, and my mother warned me to steer clear of the chiefs of the back of the bus tribe.
Today is Sunday, March 16, and my vow to use the public transportation system in Ventura County becomes a reality in about 12 hours. Like the enchiladas I just finished for dinner, I am chicken. Since my last days on big yellow 10 years ago, it takes fewer than five fingers to count how many times I've used public transportation in this country. My perception of riding the bus and who rides the bus are shallow stereotypes, and my perception of myself doesn't fit that mold.
So why am I riding the bus? There's no single burning reason that drove me to this self-imposed second quarter-and-then-some commitment to public transport. However, it's more like a herd of ant-sized reasons carrying me on this journey. As the days pass I'll elaborate on my reasons, but for now here's a few to start with:
- My pocketbook...gas is $3.50 a gallon and my parking permit is $30 a month
- Realization of hypocrisy...I work somewhere that has regularly scheduled bus stops just feet from my office, and one of our campus battle cries is sustainability
- A social experiment...taking myself outside my comfort zone and learning something new
