Characters in Search of a Story - Metro 2
Another ride on the Santa Cruz Metro bus with Sharron - A FOUR-MINUTE READ
I live in Santa Cruz, a place that I have always suspected to be on some sort of twisted Ley line. I was born here and it surely has had an effect on who I have become. One thing I have learned from living in this odd little city is not to judge people I don’t know, solely by their appearance or behavior, because how do I know what is happening in their lives, how they were raised, what circumstances life and culture have thrown at them?
That being said, it doesn’t stop me from being a keen observer of people. I am always curious about someone’s backstory, and never more so than when riding the Metro buses.
Today I have two errands to run -- first to the post office in midtown, then to the bank four miles east, then back to my little house by the harbor. Three buses. If I were driving, it would take about 40 minutes. On the Metro bus it’s an excursion of nearly four hours. But it’s okay, I have time, and I carry a note book, because there are characters on the bus who are definitely in search of a story.
Today on the bus I see a bearded man wearing a battered corduroy jacket and a skirt. No, not a kilt, just a mid-calf length woman’s gathered skirt. In Santa Cruz, no one even notices that.
A young Latina with an adorable, drooling baby and lots of baby gear, crowds in next to me. She offers me candy from a little red bag. Pues, como no! Gracias! Her low-necked shirt reveals the huge red roses tattooed across her chest.
A man with a Vietnam Veteran’s cap and a friendly face boards at 7th Avenue. He’s wearing tall rubber boots with the laces missing and no socks. He smiles and lightly pats the baby’s head as he and his sad boots flappity-flap toward the back.
Now, a handsome young man is finding seats for three lively adolescents with Down syndrome. All four are madly giggling about something. It’s a joy to watch happiness, whatever it’s about. I’d like to be sitting with them.
Two women seated together appear to have shaved off their eyebrows and painted on ones they like better. Is this a thing, I wonder? A new Youtube fashion trend? One pair of eyebrows are high, rainbow-like arches, making her look as if she’s in a permanent state of surprise. The other’s creative eyebrows are like a lovely pair of bird’s wings, close together,almost a uni-brow, very Kahlo-esque.
A woman dressed all in black except for a shocking pink face mask, grips her folded shopping cart tightly in both hands as if expecting someone will try to grab it away from her at any moment.
The older man across from me, calmly looking out the window, has one quiet leg and one leg that appears to be practicing the foxtrot, the same three steps over and over. I am not sure what kind of ailment causes this uncontrolled movement. I just hope it relaxes when he wants to sleep.
In front of me, a calm, sweet-looking young man is carrying on an endless conversation with someone who is not visible to the rest of us. (He’s not on his phone. I checked.) The thought comes to me that if I would just go over and sit down next to him and occasionally nod, he would look perfectly normal.
The driver has to ask one man repeatedly to take a seat. He resists being ordered around, but finally gives in and sits down. It’s just a Santa Cruz thing to question authority. He’s wearing an unusual outfit of rubber flip-flops, short shorts, and a big puffy winter parka with a furry hood. Apparently, he’s already defied the fashion police. You have to start somewhere, right?
Today, all told, I spent a half hour walking to and from bus stops, one and a half hours reading while waiting for a bus, one hour riding the bus, and twenty minutes doing the intended errands — nearly four hours of entertainment for $3. When you’re my age, you’ll find you’re easily diverted. And I collected nine new characters for my future attempts at writing fiction.
Another beautiful day in my home town.
If you liked riding on the bus with me today, you might want to read the first Metro bus installment Mayhem on Six Wheels . Or go on to the third Metro ride Xanax Monday .
Public transit like this is awesome. Not everywhere has it.
Sharron, you're a breath of fresh air with this fly-on-the-wall documentary of your bus journey characters - an absolutely terrific read!