All tales from Route 17
Santa can’t use the reindeer
The 17 is one of those curious bus lines that come out of downtown, mixing the suits, bums, students, uptowners, retail workers, and the unusually usual cast of the urban theater. On one particular afternoon I was heading back from the U and the 17 Southbound had just crossed the I-94 canyon. The […]
Driver or Fire Fighter?
On my way to work this morning, my bus pulled up to the stop on Grant and Nicollet. Almost immediately, I began smelling something burning, kind of like a campfire. I looked up and noticed that others were wrinkling their noses and looking around, also trying to place the smell.
The next bus might not be free
Today Metro Transit was offering free rides on all the new “Go Greener” Hybrid buses, running on the 17 and 18 lines. I knew about the promotion, but many people didn’t, so the driver on my first trip of the day was saying things like “Free ride today on this bus” as people got […]
PKEW! PKEW!
So I’m coming back from the downtown YWCA and this drunk stinker was sitting up at the front of the bus making a gun with his fingers and pointing it at people’s heads going “PKEW”!
Exposed in public
I have been a bus rider for a few years and I think this is the weirdest thing I have seen. I was riding the 17 along Nicolett Mall, when I got on, I saw a woman breast feeding a child, with her breast exposed. I don’t care whether or not a mother is breast […]
Adam’s Apples & RuPaul-esque Voices
June 13, 2007…after I left the YWCA, I got on a 17 bus to head to my next destination. A few blocks outside of downtown, two rather tall african american women in extremely short skirts boarded the bus and did not pay their fare. From the adam’s apples and RuPaul-esque voices, I determined that they […]
Don’t patronize me
This morning I hopped on the 17 heading downtown, as I do every work day. It was crowded, and I tumbled to the back to stand slightly behind the back door. A young woman about my age was standing in the steps.
Celebratory Dance
Many years ago I was riding the bus to work and, lo and behold! My brother got on. He was not much of a bus rider, plus I hadn’t seen him in awhile, so I was really happy. We started chatting and then I asked him about his new girlfriend (fast forward several years […]
Stern and motherly
Many years ago I was on a crowded bus and this kid sat down by me. He was wearing really baggy pants and stunk like only a teenaged boy can stink…sweat and filth and gym socks and stuff. After awhile I felt him sort of jiggling and I looked over to glare at him and […]
Mind your own business?
I was riding home on the 17 after a long hard day of work. I found the last remaining open seat. The bus was packed–standing room only. I drifted off into my own thoughts and blocked out all the noise around me.
The Jungle Minx
This morning I came across a rare bus breed: the jungle minx. This woman had on tight, leopard print stretch pants, a puffy, zebra print coat, a leopard-print scarf, and a large, black fur hat. I don’t know what the fashion rule is about mixing animal prints but I’m pretty sure she broke it.
Orange, come back home
One day I was merrily riding to work on the 17 with my gym tote, purse, and lunch bag in tow. I had chosen a seat on the vertical bench seats in back to allow myself extra room and since there was no one sitting on my left side, I used the space to set […]
