20 cigarettes before the bus

With ipod in tow, I sat next to the window, shut my eyes and put trust in the driver to get me to work. A little Tripping Billies from DMB Crash album got me to humming a bit. While I did not realize I was a humming, a sharp bump from the bus, opened my eyes to find the two in front of me and the woman next to me staring at me. Continue reading ‘20 cigarettes before the bus’


The public rapper

Once a week I take my ~2 year old daughter on the 50, to visit her grandparents for the day. This week we were sitting in the front seat playing counting games on our hands and watching the urban charm of University avenue roll by. Continue reading ‘The public rapper’


When Irish Eyes are Smiling

Last night I was riding the #2 bus from Franklin and Chicago to the end of the line on Hennepin. I took a seat in the middle of the bus, but as most of the passengers got off at Nicollet, that left only a few of us between Nicollet and Lyndale and I could sort of hear the driver conversing with the riders in the peanut gallery on the subject of singing Irish songs. Continue reading ‘When Irish Eyes are Smiling’


Screechy Cocka-Doodle-Doos

This was a few years back, probably early 2001. I got on the 54 in St. Paul, headed home from high school. After paying my fare I looked for a seat and noticed every person on the bus was sitting in the front half of the bus. Trusting that the community of bus riders knew something I didn’t, I sat in the second row. Continue reading ‘Screechy Cocka-Doodle-Doos’