Out of the trishaw and into the world!
Armed with mid-year resolutions to try and experience all manner of new things as a means of circumventing an intense abhorrence of change and a desire to be something slightly better than an arm chair journalist constantly writing about the state of the public transport sector without actually knowing the first thing about it, finicky tingle decided to venture out into the world and take the bus from one workplace to the other. The shuttling between being tedious and contributing heavily towards a massive hole that seems to have appeared in my wallet and bank accounts, I decided to try my hand at something new and jauntily hailed down a passing (empty) bus this sunny afternoon.
I have hitherto (and much to the disdain and often contempt of the Lokster) shunned public transport for a myriad reasons, not least of which is a
sensitive nose with strong reactions to sweaty, smelly armpits - by the hundred. Also, the conductors scare me sometimes and in Sri Lanka at least, buses never really stop - they just slow down long enough (if you’re lucky) to let you jump on or off. It’s a dog eat dog world, the local public transport sphere is, and this puppy feels much better in airy little trishaws with the nice obliging drivers who park down my lane. Unfortunately, they are also currently eating me out of house and home, in their nice, obliging way.
And so, in the spirit of broadening horizons, I am now proud to say I have made two journeys by bus - from Bambalapitiya to Colpetty and all the way back. The good news - it took an uncannily short time to get from point A to point B and (yay!) there are bus halts less than two minutes away from each of my offices and it wasn’t nearly as bad as I expected it to be. It also cost a grand total of Rs. 8/=.
Meanwhile, much we have learned from our experience. Observe the following:
(a) Never attempt character building exercises of this nature during school rush hour. The gawking, attempted groping and obscene comments will likely result in demotivation. Little boys do have raging hormones.
(b) Remember to turn ring tone volume DOWN on mobile phone unless soliciting stares from the entire bus is the intent. Let it be placed on record that commuters do NOT take kindly to Shakira’s “underneath your clothes” at ringing volume 5 during the middle of a work day.
(c) Standing decently at the bus halt as opposed to day-dreaming, playing with feet, obsessing on bird on electrical wire will most certainly ensure buses actually stop for you.
(d) Decorum at the bus halt will also ensure one is not mistaken for a day time
That said, we March 26thers are learning things. From all accounts, Loki has managed to drag Mardsy to work in the big bad bus one fine Monday morn and the boy is now hooked. He is also over the moon that his monthly transport budget will amount to no more than Rs. 360/=. ( Mardy used to pay something like ten grand a month to get to and from the cubicle farm in the airy comfort of a three-wheeler himself) Things are looking up.
On the flip side, I smell of bus and my True Star most certainly does NOT mix well with that.
-sigh-
Can’t have it all.
