Bus drivers and other kind strangers......

I arrived in NY one week before classes started at TC to undergo some training that was supposed to take place in TX but at the last minute was changed to NY. No problem with me! Well, except one. Each day I had a different schedule -- a schedule that I wasn't privy to until I checked in each morning. This made it difficult to make plans for sight-seeing and such. Actually, it was a bummer. But, since it saved me a few $$ in tuition, I really couldn't complain. Well, actually I could, and did, but....only to myself or one of two others.

So most days that first week saw me on board an M-11, M-04, or M-104 heading downtown to various locations. I usually managed to at least get close to where I was going -- thanks to a couple of friendly bus drivers and the kindness of other strangers. It didn't take me long to realize that NYers are (for the most part) friendly people, willing to give directions, and have an opinion on most everything -and are very willing to share that opinion....

Let's start with the bus drivers. I mostly rode busses at first because they were closest to where I was staying, it was sooooooooo hot and I didn't want to walk any farther than I had to, I could see the parts of NY we traveled past, and I was nursing a sore ankle. I found some drivers to be more helpful than others. I must say I was blessed with some very patient ones as I learned the correct way to insert my MetroCard. Not rocket science, but damn it took me a long time to get it right. One time I actually jammed the entire card into the slot. I partially blame the driver for allowing this to happen because he was muttering the whole time I was trying to get the card into the slot. I thought he was urging me to keep pushing the card in, but in retrospect I imagine what he was really saying was, "She's gonna get that thing stuck!" Which, in fact, I did. Why didn't he speak up?! In case you didn't know, if you ever manage to get your MetroCard stuck in the bus thingy, the driver can lift the top and retrieve it. Duh-oh!

I did encounter some gruff drivers -- like the one who let me off in front of the AppleTree, in the gutter actually, right smack dab in front of a sidewalk full of delivery boxes. He could have rolled a few feet farther and there wouldn't have been a problem, but no. He (or was it a she?) let me off where I barely had room to get away from the steps. I am still amazed the bus didn't roll over my toes as it pulled away. One of the AppleTree employees was there and was quite apologetic. Oh, well.

To more than balance out that experience, were the three or so times different bus drivers allowed riders on who didn't have the correct card or money. Some were obviously tourists who didn't know that busses won't accept dollar bills. Some just got on not knowing what in the hell to do. The driver, in each of these cases, told them they would have to ask the other riders for change. Oh the look on those poor peoples' faces! But, there were always gallant NYers who rose to the challenge and made change or accepted dollar bills and then let their MetroCard be swiped -- or inserted.

I even asked for directions a few times, usually from a policeman/woman or a security person. Everyone was quite helpful. I had employees at Macy's and the Gap actually walk me out to the street to point to where I should go. I was impressed. One thing I did notice was that whenever I asked one person for directions, it wasn't long before two or three others would join in with varying opinions as to what I should do. On occasions like those I would get a consensus of opinions and then quietly leave -- and usually the group of helpful people would still be there arguing discussing what was the best way for me to go....

You've just got to love New York and New Yorkers.