An Adventure On Public Transit

I've been riding public transit off and on for more than 35 years.  While I can't imagine riding it every day, when I do ride it I usually come home with a story to tell, an idea to consider, or a warm memory to tuck away.  Yesterday's errands were no exception.

The day started beautifully.  The air was warm compared with the sub-zero temps we had just a week ago, the ground was wet from the melting snow, and the sun was shining as though doing it's best to remove the remnents of winter.  I didn't mind, other than being out of shape from the wintertime confinement, walking more than a mile to the nearest bus stop.  The bus arrived right on time, and I was the only passenger, so I chose a seat near the front, opened my backpack and pulled out the filet crochet wedding tablecloth I had brought along to work on, and struck up a conversation with the driver.  We quickly discovered we had both raised large broods, so we spent the next several miles discussing the challenges of raising kids and the travels we both have or had planned to spend time with them.  I remember South Padre Island, Oahu and Seattle being mentioned, and the conversation was lively and upbeat as the miles rolled along beneath us. 

We were pleasently interrupted at one point by another passenger who commented on the project I was working on, and shared that she also did crochet work.  This was the first of several conversations I had with other passengers who did their own needlework, and we shared ideas and projects that we had done or were working on, different techniques and recipients of our work, motivations and histories.  In looking around at the other passengers, I noticed that some were resting with their eyes closed, some were reading, some talking on their cell phones or texting, some simply looked bored, but some were also watching the project I was working on as I went around and around the pattern on the now 14" across tablecloth, making me feel almost like a performance street artist, being observed performing my craft. 

Several hours, several conversations, and several stops and transfers later, I was finished with running my errands, paying my bills, and had reached my final stop.  As with all the drivers, I wished this one a good rest of the day as I hopped off the bus and began the walk home.  It had been a good day, a great adventure, and I needed to get home to digest the conversations and ideas shared and to sketch out new ideas from new inspirations for my works.  :)