I’m writing from the bucket seat of a double-decked Megabus, en route to our nation’s capital. The heat isn’t on. I was expecting it to be on. I’m cool. Not unbearably, but uncomfortably; cool enough that I can’t stop thinking about it. Adam and I were some of the last few to board the bus this evening. We assumed we would be able to find seats next to each other. I’m glad I didn’t know beforehand that we wouldn’t. I’m sitting next to Jeremy from “Zits,” the comic strip. I would be squeezing his cheeks if he wasn’t curled into a Ringwraith-like sulk under his hoodie-hood. What a cute little teenager.
So when we walked up to the ticket-checker (a 30-something stylin’ black woman), I was carrying the 300-pound backpack-backpack, and my purse, and my dear sweetness was carrying the 3-pound daypack-backpack. We had agreed to trade off, as usual. So we approach Style Mama, I reach into my purse and awkwardly start trying to unfold the ticket papers, while balancing the monster on my back. Then Adam (dear one) notices my bumbling behavior, and hastily comes to my rescue. He grabbed the papers from me, unfolded them, and presented them to Mz. Ticket-Taker.. whoo was observing our interaction with, what I at first thought must have just been an incredibly impatient attitude, but what turned out to be an incredibly bold predisposition to assume that all men want is to lord over women.
She stared at Adam for a brazen second before even taking the paper offered, and then even audibly made her sentiment known, in a kind of a rolling of her eyes sound. To which Adam- always sensitive to the temperaments of the ladies- humbly and urgently begged an explanation. The woman snipped back at him something to the effect of, “You don’t think she can manage it herself? I sAW you grab that from her like she didn’t know what she was doing!….” Adam tried to explain himself, and I tried to concur, but she had made up her mind and turned away in disgust and disappointment, and we were so shocked (and slightly tickled) that we just decided to let it be.
It’s nearing 1:00AM, and they ain’ no way I’m gettin’ any sleep on this bus.. but the wifi seems to be down, so I guess I’ll try and find something else to do for the next twelve hours…….
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AHHH!! This was grand! You’re funny, and you ought to write more.
I love this post. This is awesome. Reminds me of the time, a few days ago, when a big stylin’ mama bus driver was watching my back: I was sitting on a bench at the station, waiting to board, when a young guy slouched past and said “Hey how ya doin'” or something like. I ignored. When I boarded the bus, the driver said, “What’d that little boy say to you, something STUPid?” All like she was going to go kick his ass. I told her that, if it had been something stupid, I would have let him know. She kind of snorted, like maybe she didn’t quite believe me. I loved it.
But are you out of town, or is this from a couple weeks ago?