I took the bus to Gravesend today which is about 10 kms north east of Dartford. Chan and I met a woman and her daughter at a bus stop in Longfield yesterday and when I asked her where the best place to get groceries was, she told me, “Asda’s”. Apparently, it is like Walmart. Later, when I checked out the bus route, it turned out that I could catch a bus to Gravesend at our usual place (about 2 minutes from our doorstep) and it would take me right to Asda’s. Cool!
Since Chan started school today, I flew solo and I did have a wee case of the nerves when I hopped on the bus without him. I don’t take public transit much at home – the odd Greyhound or Go Train to Toronto or Niagara. And my experience with city buses from my teenage years was pretty mixed up. The bus I rode from school always stopped at the Psychiatric Hospital to pick up the day patients. There was the young guy that loved the pantyhose ads. He would say, “Sexy legs, sexy legs,” and he would tip his head back and press it against the window and think that he could look up the model’s skirt. Then there was the man with the hole in his face. Since my dad worked nearby at the Correctional Centre he had heard about him. Apparently, he tried to commit suicide by putting a gun up his nose. He successfully blew his nose off. I tried not to stare at him when he got on the bus, but it was so bizarre. Like something out of a horror movie. Probably the most interesting passenger was the extra large teenage looking man that was a skilled nose picker. Fingers went in, booger came out, he sniffed it, then he popped it back into his mouth and the process continued. Many times over, I would like to add.
Once I was seated, I tried to distract myself from the butterflies by observing the scenery but I was drawn to the passengers. Perhaps I was looking for “Sexy Legs” or “Nose Picker Boy”. In front of me, a group of kids, probably 12 or 13 years of age, joked about with each other and I barely caught what they were saying. It was without a doubt, British teenage gibber. Next stop an elderly lady with two canes got on and one of the boys in the group gave up his seat for her. I thought that showed character on his behalf and I appreciated that. I would expect my boys to do the same. Two stops later another elderly lady shuffled on with the assistance of her daughter (I heard her say “Mum” as she directed her to a seat). Another one of the group of teen boys got up and offered his seat which meant that the two seniors were seated facing each other. The second lady recognized the first and the two broke into chatter like old chums. The talkative teens exited at the Bluewater shopping centre which is where I thought they would be heading.
We wove and ambled our way around the narrow streets of Swansombe and then back onto Thames Way past the Ebbsfleet International train station (England’s Gateway), then along a chalk valley (seems to be an abundance of that here), and new housing developments on the River Thames with glass balconies, views, and a hefty price tag too. Not sure if it was the rocking of the bus, the friendly chatter of the elderly ladies, or how every exiting passenger would say, “thank yewwww” or “Cheers” to the driver, but my case of the gitters was gone.
Gravesend stop was next. And off I went with my grocery trolley in tow and all I had to do was follow the signs.
