Da-do-ron-ron
I ride the bus in Rochester, and have for several years. The bus culture is very diverse: You have your Mayo Clinic doctors and staffers going between Park ‘n’ Ride and clinic buildings; you have lots of ethnicity because Rochester prides itself in its diversity. I have a lot of wonderful experiences that have happended to me over the years as a consequence of riding the bus. I am grateful for a site that is dedicated to preserving and displaying this very deserving piece of our culture.
I’ll start with Ron. Ron is a bus driver for Rochester City Lines. I am a very friendly, extroverted person who most often boards the bus very exuberantly. The more I know the bus driver, the more chatty with him or her that I am. Maybe two exceptions. After about two anonymous greetings, I usually ask the busdriver’s name. (Mine is always on my name tag.) Somehow, I remembered Ron’s name wrong, and this happened for quite awhile, until one day he was wearing a leather belt with his name embossed on it; I thought of the song “Da-do-ron-ron,” and remembered his name with that device (which still creeps into my mind this day whenever I board his bus).
Well, Ron gave me lots of grief about that. Ron is an ornery guy, likes to complain, and give poeple a hard time. At first, you would not think that this is the making of a very good bus driver. It seemed like whenever I boarded Ron’s bus, he had some comment about how I’m nothing but “trouble.” He would assail my husband with the same comments with or without me present! I really started to bristle, and to feel very uncomfortable on his bus. Sometimes, I would ride another bus or wait for another bus just to avoid him!
Then, I had surgery on my ankle, and was in a wheelchair for a couple of months. I thought for sure I would never hear the end of it from Ron. To my surprise, he was genuinely concerned–and helpful! I was not prepared for that! Since then I have come to see Ron’s orneriness as a token of his affection–yes–affection! for me. It hasn’t stopped (the “trouble” comments), but it’s also been mixed with some heartfelt conversations with him as well.
Mar 2nd, 2007 at 5:13 pm
Oh mom, isn’t that cute….your’e so cute.