Typical Day
Alarm clocks were buzzing everywhere. Transfers were flying through the air and the automated voice of the woman announcing the bus stops was saying, "Fourth Street and Market," over and over again in that maddening sing-song voice. Dave could hear Rod Serling saying, "Your next stop, the Twilight Zone!"
Dave shoots straight up in bed. He is not in the Twilight Zone, he is in the Pacific Standard Time zone and it is time to get up...4:00AM. He grumbles and stumbles to the bathroom.
Once in the shower, Dave starts to feel a little less like a zombie. He had worked overtime last night and did not get home until 9:00PM—just in time to miss dinner with the family, but still in time to help his son (for three hours) with his science project that is due today. Dave quickly puts on his clothes, kisses his sleeping wife and son, and grabs some breakfast bars before driving off to the bus terminal.
Even when he is tired, Dave looks forward to mornings at the terminal. The drivers are glad to see each other and, as usual, they laugh and joke while they drink coffee and wait for bus assignments.
Dave has been driving for almost ten years, so his assignments are pretty predictable. He's usually assigned to one of three lines. Today, he hits the jackpot and gets the 41. It's a fairly smooth route that doesn't leave the bus looking like a can of sardines, packed to the hilt with passengers. He picks a few things out of the vending machine just in case this is one of those no-lunch days.
Outside, the buses are lined up like soldiers ready for duty. Dave walks over to his and begins his routine safety check. He makes sure that the lights and windshield wipers are working, that the tires are in good shape, and that the oil and water levels are where they should be.
When he is sure that everything is in good working order, he jumps in and buckles up. Dave is glad that this bus is fitted with one of the new ergonomically-designed seats. The old ones were a pain in the neck...and back. These seats help take the pressure off and Dave has a feeling that it is going to be a good day.
He pulls up to his first stop and sees that they are starting early—the maps are a dead giveaway. Yep, it's tourist season and they're ready to get on the bus, all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. Dave smiles and answers all of the questions as best he can. The tourists even teach him a few German words before they hop off. Meeting people from other countries is one of Dave's favorite parts of his job. It's like traveling without leaving the bus.
But sometimes he wants to leave the bus. At his next stop, he sees his nemesis: old Mrs. Lewkowski. She is always grumpy and today is no exception. "You need to slow down, young man, you drive too fast. Do you know that you almost passed right by me? I feel like I'm on Mr. Toad's Wild Ride every time I step on this bus."
Dave can't imagine Mrs. Lewkowski being a child, let alone one that went to Disneyland. He forces a grin, knowing that she'll be getting off after a couple of stops. In the meantime, he stops a couple of high school kids who are trying to sneak on without paying.
Everything is going pretty smoothly, until he turns onto Parker Street. A water pipe has just burst. Talk about a game-changer. Traffic is backed up and water is everywhere. Dave can see where this is going; he's going to be off-schedule.
Off-schedule means no lunch. He's glad he didn't have a second cup of coffee because he doesn't know when he'll have time for a bathroom break either. He's also glad he has his snacks from the vending machine. A Snickers bar is a complete meal, right?
After five minutes, he clears the deluge and continues to his next stop. Since he's off-schedule, he will now be driving a sardine can until he reaches the end of the line.
At the end of a long day, around 6:00PM, Dave is back at the bus terminal. He turns in his trip report, noting that he had no mechanical problems that day and that his schedule was delayed by the broken water pipe. He and his fellow bus drivers briefly swap stories about their day. After saying good-bye, Dave hops in his car eager to get home. If traffic is light and the water pipes hold, he may even sit at a table to eat for the first time today. Even better, with his family.