I've been taking the bus home from work everyday since June and have found it to be quite an experience sometimes. It's often a wet and cold experience that can try your patience; especially since I catch the bus around the same time the kids get out of high school. (Who knew that sharing IPod headphones was the promise ring of the 2000!)

I find the demographic of the riders on the bus interesting. Maybe it's just the time of day I'm on the bus, but it seems that 80% of the people on the bus are minorities. I find that interesting. There are also a lot of folks who REALLY push the transit systems "be reasonable clean" rule to the max; Good God, the smell! But what I find most interesting about riding the bus is some of the VERY interesting conversations I get to overhear.

Since I spend a lot of time on the bus with the high school set, I hear the low-down on who is dating who and which teacher SUCK. I 've learned where the cool hangouts are and what the current teen fashion is, at least in Alaska. (What is with the knit caps with bills anyway?) I also got quite the education about STD's the other day, complete with how often one should be tested and where the best place to go for that is. I learned all about the current news and events in the local Native community and had met several venerable elders. I've also had the unfortunate opportunity to watch 20 something gansta wanna-bees selling drugs at the bus stop to glassy-eyed high school kids; it's not all fun and games...

The most interested conversation I overheard recently was between 2 boys in their late teens having a loud discussion about the presidential election. I was pleasantly surprised to hear these young men talk intelligibly about the issues, site facts from the debates, and talk about things they learned watching 60 minutes. It was also amusing to hear the criteria these two had for their future president. Apparently McCain lost big points by being stupid enough to crash two planes in his early career as an aviator and they both thought that the appointment of Palin was a bonehead move; Obama was a little too smooth and kinda preachy. By the time they reached their stop, I, and everyone else on the bus, knew that one of them was voting for Obama and the other was undecided but leaning toward Obama too.

Though I didn't always agree with their logic train, it was wonderful to see some of the younger generation so involved with the political process. Maybe there is really hope for a change after all!

posted at 8:59 AM  
Labels: It's ALL about ME