Bus Talk

I rode the DASH bus four times today. Each ride costs only twenty-five cents; for senior citizens, it's ten cents - best deal in L.A.

As I was waiting for my last ride, I noticed an 80-something-year-old man hunched over and shuffling his feet about two inches at a time. It was more like sliding than shuffling. Left foot slide, then right foot slide, and left foot slide again...inch by inch, he made it to where I stood by the bus sign. A long drip of snot dangled from his nose.

Old Man: Can you tell me if this is the right bus stop? I need to take the Dash.
Me: Yes, it is.
Old Man: Do you know if the bus is still coming? I hope I didn't miss the last one.
Me: I'm hoping the same thing, but I think I see it coming.
Old Man: Oh good. Thank you. I can't see like I used to. I'm blind in one eye and half-blind in the other!
Me: It's okay, the bus is coming. It's just waiting at the traffic light right now.
Old Man: You know, my golden years are the worst! Everyone says your golden years are the best but not for me. I've been living alone since 1973. All alone. It wasn't so bad until a couple of years ago when my body started failing. Oh, I wish I were dead.

I helped him climb on the bus.

Me: Do you have anyone waiting for you at the other end?
Old Man (sadly): No.
Me: How do you manage?
Old Man: I get by sometimes with help from people like you.

On the bus, there was a jolly Hispanic bus driver and his clan of culturally diverse passengers. Seated beside me was a chatty Indian woman in her sixties with a thick accent, and across from her, a quiet African-American lady.

Indian Woman: Where do you get de modcakes?
Me: Excuse me?
Indian Woman: You know, de modcakes for de closet. I don't like de mod balls. Mod cakes are much better.
Me: Maybe the drug store? Have you tried Sav-On?
Indian Woman: Dey don't have it! I went to de Kmart, de Sav-On.
African-American Lady: They didn't have it at Kmart? I'm surprised.
Indian Woman: Dey had it! But, it was $7.99! I didn't get dem because dere supposed to be $2.99!
African-American Lady: $7.99? Um-um, that's too much.
Indian Woman: I'm going to Ralph's right now to see if dey have modcakes.

I helped the Old Man get off at his stop, wondering if I should help him to his door. I ended up not doing so, but maybe I should have.

African-American Lady: Poor man. It's so sad to see people living like that when they get old.
Me: Yes...
African-American Lady: Did you hear him when he got off?
Me: No, what did he say?
African-American Lady: He said, "I just want to die!"

By this time, the Indian Woman and the Driver were having a conversation. I heard him say -

Driver (cheerfully): I get up at 5AM every morning, drive to work, get on the bus and drive around all day. By the time I get home, it's around 9PM. I have dinner, spend some time with my family, and then do it all over again the next day. But it's all worth it when I have good passengers like you and this young lady over here! Ha ha ha ha!

I got off at my stop still wondering about the Old Man. I hope he's alright.