Bus Tales - What’s happened to you on the bus?

A Tribute to Jerry

I landed in Milwaukee in the late 80’s when my grandfather passed away and left a house to my mother, That was when I learned how to ride the bus, i thought it was “cool:” I didn’t have to depend on my mom for rides anymore (we came from a town that didn’t have buses). I rode to the malls to shop and to meet friends to see movies, etc. As I got older, to go to my after school job at the mall.

I noticed as I rode the bus, that I rode one guy’s bus a lot. An older, gruff looking guy, always nice no matter what. He looked exactly like Jerry Garcia, the late lead singer of the Grateful Dead.

On weekends when I would be partying w/kids in the neighborhood, I needed a place to “sleep it off” before I went home. So, I waited at the bus stop on my block, along came Jerry. He knew what was up. I’d go sleep in the back of his bus. He would let me ride until his last pass through my neighborhood. Then he’d make sure I got off at the stop on my block.
Years passed by before I learned his reak name was Jerry! He’d heard of the reference to Jerry Garcia, lead singer of the Grateful Dead, but had never seen a photo. So I brought him one to look at. He was amazed.

I attended his wedding, helped him stage an annual Halloween magic show for the neighborhood kids. We kept in touch for several years after I left Milwaukee. I now drive a city bus for a living because I saw what Jerry saw….As he once said…”a corner office with windows, a window office that takes corners.”

I love my job. I’ve been at it for eleven years, and as it pays less than other jobs, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Thanks, Jerry where ever you are…A grateful “Dead Head.”

Tale by Melody, posted on April 12, 2007, Tagged with grateful dead, jerry garcia, milwaukee, tale by driver

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