before i forget, here's a story about a drunk lady on the bus. well, as it starts, i am at the stop and not on the bus just yet. while somewhat mild, there was a breeze blowing so i had my hood up as i stood at street's edge looking west down the street. as the bus is about a quarter of a block away, i hear plastic bags crinkling, but don't initially see anyone because of the hood. i turn just as a young woman is putting shopping bags down on the bench. "aren't you going to help me? can't you see that i'm goddamned drunk!" the bus door's open and i step on. the bus driver says, "hello". "good morning", i reply. "what did you say to me?" the drunk bellows. i ignore her and take my seat. a stop sign is temporarily replacing the streetlight at this intersection, so the bus driver closes the door and starts to pull away as the young lady is trying to put her money in the slot. she falls forward against the front of the bus, but somehow manages to stabilize against the ticket machine as she bounces back. the bus driver asks if she's alright, to which is responded, "alright? i'm fuckin' drunk!" she sit's down in one of the sideways facing seats near the front and turns to the assembled riders, "isn't anyone going to help me? i'm sooooooo goddamned drunk!" everyone totally ignores her. so at first oppurtunity she sits, if that is what you would call it, in the first available forward-facing seat. she then opens the window all the way. if we had doubted how drunk she was before, we could all smell the alcohol. at this point, i turn the walkman up, pull the hat brim down and go to la-la-land for about 20 minutes. at a break between songs while we were at a stop just before the end of the run in downtown, i hear some guys in front of me laughing. i look up and see that they are laughing at the drunk woman trying to stagger to her feet. as one of the plastic bags swings from her wrist, you can clearly see that whatever else is in there, the bottom is full of chunder. as she finally stumbles forward, the bus driver asks, "are you alright?" she replies, "damn it woman! i've been asking for goddamned help since i got on the bus!" she stepped out the door and out of our morning.
