I live on the eastside and work downtown. My commute back and forth is only a few minutes. I don't own a vehicle (by choice), because I just feel like parking downtown and on the eastside is ridiculously expensive. Not only that, but the rising gas prices are enough to make those of you who do drive, scream. Since I don't, my alternative is to take the bus to get to my destination. While it's not my favorite mode of transportation, I don't consider myself one of those uppity individuals who wouldn't be caught dead on it...yet! 

Now with that said.....I find alot of the people who also choose to ride the bus a little....how do I say this nicely....freakish! My intent is not to be mean I assure you. There might be people out there who find me rather unpleasant (I can live with that). One particular evening, I was riding the bus, headed home after a long day at work. I was very tired and just wanted to decompress from the rigors of my job. This guy gets on, and sits in the seat next to me. I instinctively move closer to the window, because of course he sits inappropriately close. My whole body is frozen in an awkward position, trying not to let our bodies touch.

He sees my frustration, and stupidly asks if "he's sitting to close". I think to myself "no, I just like contorting my body into a very tight space so you can be comfortable. That is my number 1 concern after all". What I actually said is "a little, do you mind moving over a bit". He does and I breath a little easier. I figured "great, that's it, my contact with this person is over". Not so my friends, not so. He proceeds to ask me if I had a good day at work (now I know that he's just being friendly, but I find it wildly annoying to ask someone whom you've never met about their day). I say "yes", but never make eye contact. I figure he would get the hint that I really just want to keep to myself. Nope, he proceeds to annoy..."so what do you do" ?

I could feel the white hot anger sweeping over me. How could this person not see that I'm very irritated, and don't want to engage in conversation. Or maybe he does see it, and decides to have a little fun at my expense. I figured if I wanted this to end then I would have to speak up. I calmly say "you know I don't mean to be rude, but I typically don't engage in conversation with people on the bus". He looks at me trying to make sense of it, and says "well I was just being friendly", and needless to say, he doesn't speak to me for the rest of the trip. Mission accomplished! I felt bad for all of five seconds, I mean he was just being friendly. Then I thought "should I have to suffer just to spare a complete stranger's feelings"? I decided that I didn't.

On another trip home I witnessed a mother and her teenage daughter sitting together. They seemed very close, they held hands and giggled at each other jokes. It was all very sweet. A couple minutes later things took a turn for the bizarre. Mom started lecturing the daughter about using birth control, and how she was too promiscuous. Now...call me crazy, but that is not really a conversation you should be having with your teenage daughter on the bus. Everyone stops and all eyes fixate on them. Of course we don't want to listen, but heck we feel like we have no choice. The daughter then says very emotionally "mom, we only had sex 4 times, and I'm not pregnant, ok".

No it's not "ok". I feel ill. How did this happen? Where did that sweet mother daughter couple go, and why are they putting their dirty laundry out for all of us to witness? They had turned into Roseanne and Becky Connor. I decided that the bus, and perhaps myself had gone completely mad. People don't care about boundaries and privacy anymore, and that makes me nervous. Whether they're kissing in the back of the bus, telling us how Jesus died for our sins on the front, or talking very loudly on their cell phone, they truly are freaks to me. I might need to buy a car!