Thursday, September 30, 2004
Is That a Thumb in Your Mouth, or Are You Just Happy to See Me?
Tonight I waited to catch a Southbound 12/6/28 bus near 4th & Hennepin. A 61 breezed by; it was near the end of its route & ready to head toward the bus garage. As the 61 blew past the bus stop and stopped at the stoplight, a kind of student-y looking 30-ish guy emerged from the bus shelter next to me and ran toward the bus, waving his arms and yelling "Wait! Wait!".
A few seconds later he returned to the bus stop, looking a little out of breath and a bit dejected. Clearly he was not familiar with the 61's route. Whatever; sometimes I feel like half my time on buses is spent listening to riders quizzing drivers about their routes. (Every freaking day someone asks the driver of my 6 Downtown bus if indeed they go downtown. Either the general populace is not as bright as I imagine, or the giant "6 DOWNTOWN" flashing on the front of the bus is only visible to those of us possessing monthly passes.)
Anyway, the guy returns to the bus stop. He's got both hands up near his mouth. As first I think he's lighting a cigarette, or maybe smoking a bowl. Oh I see, he must be playing a harmonica. He's just too far away for me to hear it - thank goodness.
Guy heads into the shelter to check out the posted schedule and returns a few minutes later to sit on the bench behind which I am standing. Although I am happily reading my printout of the Veronica Mars recap from Television Without Pity, I am distracted from my reading enjoyment when I notice the guy still has a hand near his mouth.
I kid you not - He is sucking his thumb.
He is sucking his thumb in public. On the curb of one of the busiest streets in town.
I don't know whether to mock or pity this poor guy.
A few seconds later he returned to the bus stop, looking a little out of breath and a bit dejected. Clearly he was not familiar with the 61's route. Whatever; sometimes I feel like half my time on buses is spent listening to riders quizzing drivers about their routes. (Every freaking day someone asks the driver of my 6 Downtown bus if indeed they go downtown. Either the general populace is not as bright as I imagine, or the giant "6 DOWNTOWN" flashing on the front of the bus is only visible to those of us possessing monthly passes.)
Anyway, the guy returns to the bus stop. He's got both hands up near his mouth. As first I think he's lighting a cigarette, or maybe smoking a bowl. Oh I see, he must be playing a harmonica. He's just too far away for me to hear it - thank goodness.
Guy heads into the shelter to check out the posted schedule and returns a few minutes later to sit on the bench behind which I am standing. Although I am happily reading my printout of the Veronica Mars recap from Television Without Pity, I am distracted from my reading enjoyment when I notice the guy still has a hand near his mouth.
I kid you not - He is sucking his thumb.
He is sucking his thumb in public. On the curb of one of the busiest streets in town.
I don't know whether to mock or pity this poor guy.
// posted by Shelby Gelato @ 1:31 AM 
