On the Bus

Growing up I lived near the end of the line for a commuter bus which carried people into New York City. It was very handy in junior and senior high school because we could see the bus pass by on its way to the end of the line, the spot on Hillcrest Road where it turned around. On cold or rainy days this meant we usual had about 5 minutes to wait before it returned.

In those days people could smoke on the bus. Many under age smokers found this was one of the few places they could light up and not be caught. You knew the bus driver wasn't going to say a word, especially if you saw his ashtray filled with cigarette butts. People would smoke no matter how crowded the bus, and this was simply accepted as commonplace.

The ride cost a quarter to either GW or RHS. It's funny to think that when I was in high school if I had wanted to walk say three or four blocks in the opposite direction I could have rode a yellow school bus for free. RHS provided a ride to kids who lived more than 2 miles from school. We lived just within this 2 mile limit.

While the yellow bus was a bargain it wasn't nearly as interesting as the commuter bus, catching a ride to school in a friend's car, walking or even riding my bicycle. No, the yellow bus was too filled with school-related pressures for me in the morning to make it a compelling option, and it was long gone after I was down with sports practices in the afternoon. I can honestly say I never once rode the yellow bus and truly doubt that I missed anything.