When I exit my home and begin my commute to work, I have one of three bus stops to choose to wait at for the first leg of my journey. When I got to the first one, I looked down the street for signs of my bus. Nothing. So I continued on. But a few steps later, I heard a voice call out, asking if I was waiting on the B41. I looked over to find I was speaking to a bus driver. His wasn’t one of the buses that stopped on my route and I could tell his bus was technically not in service yet.
I confirmed that I was indeed waiting on the B41. He then asked if I was headed to, “The Junction.” Ultimately, I was as that’s where I would make my first train connection.
“Yes,” I called back out to him again. To which he replied, “Get in. I’m headed in that direction.”
This is the second time this has happened to me— being picked up by an off duty bus driver and taken to the next leg of my work commute journey. But even if it were my fifth, I feel I’d still be delighted by it! I mean, I have the entire bus to myself and we’re going express to my next destination!
So, I got onboard and I told him how grateful I was and how awesome it was of him to extend such kindness! I then spent the bus ride alternating between, “This is so cool!” and asking questions to learn a bit about him. I learned that with his schedule, today was actually his first day of the work week—so effectively his Monday. I learned he used to drive school buses before his current gig with the MTA (Metropolitan Transportation Authority). He’d been driving for the MTA for about 8 years now. He was originally from DC. Had three children — two who lived in Marlboro, Maryland and a son in Miami, Florida who was a physical therapist.
When he dropped me off, I once again shared how wonderful it was that he had extended this kindness and how he’d made my morning and that it was such a beautiful way to begin my commute. I wished him all the best. He smiled back at me, and one of the last things he said as I was stepping out was, “I wish you a wonderful life.”😊. Ditto Mr. Bus Driver Man! Ditto squared! 😊