Broke Down But Content Azz Fuuuuuuhh

The SM BBB10. Photo from Flickr courtesy of Charlie Brewer.

Looking for a way to get some faith back into your fellow man? Well why don’t you hop on the next BBB10 and give humanity another try.

The other night on my way home from work the BBB10 I was traveling on stalled out in the middle of the 10. The bus driver made a valiant effort to get us going again but no amount of turning the beast off and back on again was working. The flashers were going and each time the bus driver turned the bus back on we’d get about thirty feet out of her before dying. I was near the back and aside from one gentleman who was getting quite ancy and loud the only annoying thing occurring were the selfish drivers that wouldn’t let us over to get on the shoulder. No surprise there of course for we all know that if you’re looking for the worst in human nature simply watch and listen to motorists at their best. From surface streets to freeways, LA drivers have perfected road rage.

After some time of maneuvering we finally made it over to the shoulder. We were parked just west of Crenshaw when we gave up on the turn on/break down method as if the bus was your first Compaq computer. Again people were pretty calm except the one guy a row up and over from me who seemed to have every bad joke in the book about a bus breakdown, though one could argue that they weren’t really jokes as much as they were annoying illusions to how fast he could walk.

The bus driver made an announcement about how we were waiting for the next BBB10, which would roll up in about 20 minutes so I continued some reading ‘til the cavalry showed up as people continued to call friends to see if they could “by any chance, swing on by.” Needless to say there were few takers and when the second bus showed up the transfer included us all.

Sadly I can’t remember our first bus driver’s name but I made it a point to introduce myself to the second (badge #105) for she was great. From when her well-populated bus showed up to save us until I got off, she was energized and helpful throughout. Granted I didn’t necessarily need help walking to the bus behind us, it just felt cool; like there was some disaster and we were being saved (though I will say the shoulder of the 10 is quite treacherous.)

After everyone loaded on we were at peak capacity just barely past the yellow line, as if we were all of a sudden on a 720. The bus driver then made announcements that she would be handing back all new transfers and magically everyone participated, courteously handing them back till everyone had got a new one. People helping one another, AMAZING! Not only that, but when we finally got downtown and had stops again, people in the back called out “Clear!” so she knew when it was time to head on. I know this all may sound so miniscule but in reality it’s huge. It’s the equivalent of a driver letting you over on the freeway, which we saw earlier is a near impossibility. People simply helping one another aren’t the most common of things, especially during commutes.

Finally it was my time to get off and since I was the one right on that yellow line I just hopped out the front, but before I did I made sure to ask, “What’s your name?”

She replied with a smile, “Star Edwards,” which couldn’t have been more appropriate.