The Bus to NYC

The bus to NYC passed near enough to our home that we could see it from our kitchen window. It costs $.25 to ride it into town or as far as the junior high school, which was when I first started taking it myself.

When the bus first passed our house it had almost completed its run from NYC and simply had to drive 4 blocks, turn around, and return to NYC. If the bus driver smoked and he wasn't too far off schedule there might be time for a cigarette. If he was behind schedule he smoked and drove. Some drivers smoked incessantly and had the overflowing ashtrays to show for it.

Hard to imagine smoking on a bus these days. Though in the days I'm describing, some kids regarded this ride as there chance to "smoke up" before they got to school, especially if they were underage, as were most smokers on the bus. A crowded bus on a rainy day with the windows all closed didn't stop anyone, nor did anybody mention the insanity of the dense plumes of smoke.

In high school I probably could have taken a yellow school bus if I had wanted to break the rules and walk about 1/4 mile. The rules stated loosely that you had to live about 2 miles to qualify for a free yellow bus ride to and from the high school. I never once made use of this service and walked, rode my ten speed bicycle, and bummed rides from friends or parents.

The commercial bus service I rode hundreds of times. The bus mostly had kids because the men who worked mostly took the train. I can't remember more than a few hearty souls ever riding the portion of the trip leading up to the junior and senior high schools. I suppose more than a few got on further down the line but that's just my best guess. I sure wouldn't have wanted to ride with that unruly mob of teenagers.