public transportation 2 (life)

Maybe the gods of the bus read the last blog. Maybe I am too dramatic for my own good. Maybe I was looking friendly. Or, maybe it's the whole holiday spirit....

I had the best bus ride of my life this morning. At 6:55, I walked up to the area the bus comes (a stop without one of those nice wind protector shelters), and an older woman struck up a conversation about how cold it was. She was chatty and it was so cold. So, we talked. It turned out that she had been diagnosed with skin cancer and was going to get her doctor in the city. She has lived in my neighborhood for 50 years and is in retirement. We talked about the way the neighborhood has changed. I learned that the mayor used to hold a May Day event in Central Park and give all of the kids free ice cream. The same mayor used to read the comics over the radio to kids each Sunday. She told me about her granddaughters and how proud she is of them. When I arrived at my school's block, I wished her good health and went on my way. I don't think I'll ever run into her again (she's not normally out so early) and I don't know her name. But, it was such a nice way to begin the morning. My faith in the MTA has been (somewhat) restored.