It is rare that something, sometimes a story, comes along that's so disturbing, so disgusting, you can't wait to share it to the world via your blog. This is one of those stories.
A few months ago, when I was still taking my "old bus line" I came across a few crazies in my day (you say crazy, I say crackhead...). It, like most days usually did, started off as any normal day. I got on the bus sans banana/apple/pear/anything resembling any sort of food object and sat near the front on the left side. As normal, I was the only person on the bus for the first 3 or 4 stops. Around stop 5 (and don't be thrown off by the # of stops, apparently people in Houston shudder at the thought of walking more than 1 block, thus stopping at every.single.block.downtown. 5 blocks is like 100 feet) But around stop 5, a gentleman (you'll see the irony in that soon) got on the bus and sat caddy-cornered to me about 1 row up. I'm in clear and obvious line sight of this guy, even if he has no peripheral vision, it's hard to miss me when I'm within arms reach of you. A few minutes go by, and he starts muttering under his breathe. This is not the weird part.
A few seconds later, as we're slowing down to stop, he randomly screams "Don't let no caucasians on this bus! No white people!" The bus driver (banana woman) glares back at him and gives him a few choice words. Caucasians get on the bus and he continues muttering under his breathe. I see him stand to get off a stop before me, but naturally I can not help myself and depart the bus to follow him. And by follow him, I loosely mean "instigate him." I walk to his left and look over and smile a big toothy smile, as sugary sweet as I possibly can. Then, the unthinkingable happens.
Living in Manhattan around crazies for a few years, I know to literally always watch my back. I'm watching him out of my periphreal vision, see him gear up, lean back and SPIT ON ME.
Luckily, the spit did not make contact. But, I did turn around and give him a nasty glare, to which he replied "Shoulda been walkin faster." I actually take offense to that because as anyone knows, I'm quite the quick walker. Some may call it "speed demon." Luckily there were a few people around me, so I made some sarcastic comment and stepped aside to let him pass on HIS sidewalk. A guy behind me looked me dead in the eye and said "I've never seen anything like that in my life." Well buddy, welcome to my life. I wish I had his name, I think he would really enjoy this blog.
Oh another weird thing happened that day: as I was getting off the bus my old bus driver (banana woman) stopped me and apologized for him. I was so taken aback, I had no words. I think that was the start of our beautiful friendship.
As Calvin (from Calvin and Hobbs fame) would say - " They go farther if you make 'em right".
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