Summer in the City

Don’t cha wonder what is the real life of a bus driver... friendly and courteous as they drive the bus. They watch the clock, stay on schedule, serving the patrons in best interest to all.

But is there a secret life of the bus driver no one really knows about?  How do you keep your sanity with all that goes on in the city?

Take, let’s call him Dave. Play-it by-the-rules bus driver Dave. But then think of it. 

When the lights get low, 

22 at night absorbs the Patton mystique as it  trolleys down to the  terminal... could get the best of him as dusk falls on the city. The alter ego rises up.

On the new bus, he figures how to jerry-rig his iPhone into the PA of the bus and set up his DJ platform … hot town, summer in the city. The handicap seats go up, the D’s alter ego emerges, as he converts the handicap area on the bus to the  transit at-night dance floor. Big D barks out the tunes on the bus as it’s a hot time, hot night, summer in the city on the bus.

Yeah, seems like a regular guy, great loyal transit employee, but when the lights turn low the other side turns up the glow.  Yes, it’s summer, in the city.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m648v4s5sFc

(a spoof on transportation options and their cultures)

Wonder what the others do... on full moon night who might know.

Sometimes it’s time to celebrate. ("Let’s celebrate together." Matt. 25:21)

 

New bus... nice feel

Like the new buses.

Seem a lot more homey.

New Pope Rides the Bus

Just saw that the new Pope rides by bus.

Well, if it is good enough for the Pope, it is good enough for me.

The article also said he would go out in the streets, hang around the
poor and disadvantaged in life. He believes we should rub shoulders
with those less fortunate.

Another reason why we should ride the bus.

May see you soon again

Hi Again, 2eDale

Just saw you go by... may be joining you again soon.
Have missed you. It's been a while.

See you have changed things around some... but look forward to seeing you again.

This song came to mind about you.

"Sometimes you don't know what you have been missing until you leave it for a while."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdIoFThXhr0

Drive safe.

Bus Culture swan song

Will miss you... 2eDale

I guess it is time to say Goodbye, my friend 2eDale. You came and stopped as I saw you from my window, as I wrote, thought, and considered things of life. You have been my friend on this journey. 

I will miss your chirping sound as you kneel to let passengers off, and others get on.
I will miss you as you humm by during the early morning starting your route, like you calling
out my name and wishing me a good morning. I remember when I was little my mother would
call out my name and say “it’s time to get up.” It seemed you were doing the same. 

Today is your last day on my street. I may see you from time to time, although I have a car
now. I may see you on other streets. As I drive by you will see me smile, I will remember the
times we had together... I will always relish them. 

We did a lot together this summer. Fall has come and gone and now in winter you are saying goodbye. Thanks for being my friend. You came along when I needed a friend. I could always
count on you being there for me. I shared a lot of ideas with you 2eDale.  I thought I could
bring you more friends and make you a happy place to be. I tried my best for you. 

I know it wasn’t your decision to leave me but others wanted you somewhere else. I will miss you. 

Tell my other friends you would take by my place you introduced me to, that I will miss them too. 

Goodbye my friend, 2eDale.

You know what 2eDale. The last time you stopped today, you kneeled. Your right windshield
had a glare, as if you saw me the one last time. I could see a tear... You reminded me of a
song by Terry Jacks... this song keeps going through my mind(with some lyric changes)...
"Goodbye my friend, It 's hard to see this die, when all the birds are singing in the sky...
We had joy, we had fun, we had seasons in the sun, but the season that we climbed seemed
like a season out of time."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DH5R2EoN6m8 

The music fits my mood right now... you were so special to me in a way no one could ever really know.

Will miss you 2eDale,
your friend, Dale.

5:20 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 5, 2013, your last time to stop on my street... our final farewell.

Blessed are the peacemakers

I was reminded this morning of a Scripture, “Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called the Children of God.”

Sometimes life does not go as you wish it would, or even in a way you think is fair. But the ones who prevail are the peacemakers. Our world lives in an atmosphere of contention when someone has a viewpoint different than theirs. Whereas, the Power of Spiritual living is in being peacemakers... we live in the position of being children of God when we do.

Some things were going on in bus route changes. Some changes not to my favor.  Although when on Line 2 yesterday, someone said that there are signs on Commercial that the bus is not going down Commercial anymore. I spoke up and told him Line 2 is going down Commercial after the changes,  but only east bound, not west bound.

Just a small point of clarification, maybe made a difference.

Then prior to this post I had a post on this blog about some frustrations. I just deleted it. Why? 
The top senior executive who oversees the transit operation read it and gave me a personal phone call. It wasn’t the content of the call that got my attention, but the spirit of the call.
A peacemaker I thought.

I was listening to a live feed yesterday of a gathering in Kansas City called One Thing. The speaker pointed out that our place in life is to live out the Beatitudes, Matthew 5:3-10. As I was waking up this morning, this came back to mind... Blessed are the Peacemakers for they shall be called the Children of God.
(It was almost as if the very voice of God was whispering it in my mind.)

I was reminded that this is my place and has been my spirit for many years. I am called to be a peacemaker. I deleted my last post, and replaced it with this.

It is another lesson learned from riding the bus. I may not get things as I wish, but in all things I should be a peacemaker in all those things.

Freedom... still our cry

Got on Line 2 and headed downtown to see the Lincoln movie. The movie wrapped around Lincoln's drive to have the abolition of slavery proclamation become the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. He was influenced by Greek mathematician Euclid to make his point that since white people are human beings and black people are human beings, it's a self evident truth that they are equal to each other.

Lincoln: "Even in that 2000 year old book of mechanical law, it is a self evident truth that things that are equal to the same thing are equal to each other."

He felt it was improper for one person to have complete authority over another person and go as far to declare them as property he owned. No one has the right to take away someone else’s freedom. This has become the cornerstone of the reasons and arguments we present today on individual rights for our freedoms.

Having lifestyle freedom is the cry of humanity. This may also be a foundation for why cities host public transit systems.  People deserve the freedom, the right, the opportunity to get around. Public transportation is a means to satisfy this freedom, or right to everyone in all circumstances of life. We have transportation freedom options in America... the car, the train, the airplane, the motorcycle, the bicycle, the feet … and the bus. We each have the same opportunity to go to the store, go to a park, get to work, pick up food, go see friends, enjoy a ride, or take a walk. We like our options to take different routes at different times... to have the option, ability to choose which one we prefer.

In transit we may have overlapping options, but it’s a place to experience our freedom as we personally desire. Freedom, independence go hand in hand. Having it the way we want is an American expectation. Although, when we have had a freedom and we feel we have lost it by someone else's decision, of which we are not privileged to be part of, we naturally resent it. If it continues, we have a tendency to rebel against it. People who lose freedoms eventually rise up against those who they feel were responsible for them losing their freedom.

Lincoln had a handle on not only human nature, but a society's nature if freedom were not given to all who rightfully deserve it. If slavery remained in America, he knew America would eventually face another uprising... even maybe worse than the civil war.  History has also shown it has to be more than law, but part of the human spirit as well.

When people feel suppressed,  the longer the suppression and the greater  the degree someone feels suppressed, the greater the level and intensity and destructiveness of an uprising that will follow. The reverse is true. Increased freedoms, involvement by people affected by decisions, the more they naturally work congenially with each other. Authority over others while taking away someone’s voice has never worked.... even more so in a free culture where it is expected.

The bus systems have provided transportation options to communities which keep civility in the community. Even when not directly used, to know it is there, imbeds a sense of option and variety, a sense of freedom in one’s mind. Those who regularly use transit many times tell you that they use more than one bus line. The sense of option produces a sense of freedom, civility, and harmony in social structures. Life becomes productive while enhancing lifestyle for all.

The Lincoln movie was a thought-provoking one for me. The movie got out just in time for me to catch Line 22. I thought on these things on the way back to my place... and still am. I am glad public transit provided me the freedom and option to see the movie, which inspired my life.