Odds and Ends of the Person Kind

Just some random thoughts and events that I've noticed in the last few weeks while I've people watched in and around DC.

Late for the bus
This happened last week while I was waiting for my bus to go to New York. I had a 9am bus. I was in line around 8:20. It just so happened that I didn’t have to wait long for the Metro at Rhode Island Avenue. It’s also only one stop and then a short walk to where Megabus is at North Capital and K Streets NE.

Also I like to get there early just in case. It just so happens that there is an 8:30 bus. I decided not to take that one because it stops near Baltimore. The 9am bus is non-stop. It arrives about 15 minutes after the one that leaves at 8:30.

So that’s the set up for these two events. A woman comes running into the holding area few minutes before 8:30. She just makes it on to the bus in time. At 8:35 another woman comes along. She too is running. She too is trying to catch the 8:30 bus. She was rather surprised that the bus had already left. She was put into the standby line for the 9am bus. I’m not sure if she got on the bus or not.

I’m always amazed that people are late. Yes things can happen but it seems to me you make sure they don’t happen on the day you are going some place. What you do is make sure you get there early that’s something I always try to even if I end up waiting 40 minutes. I’d rather do that than miss the bus.

Texting and Walking
I have to say I find it annoying when I’m walking down the street and I have to move out of the way when someone is texting. The person texting should at least be aware of where they are. I can’t tell you the number of times when I haven’t move out of the way the looks I get from the person who’s texting.

A few weeks ago there was a woman walking down the street texting. She was not watching where she was going. She ended up walking into a sign. And I’m not talking about brushing up against that sign. I’m talking she ran smack into the sign face first. It took a great deal of self control not to burst out laughing.

The tourists are gone
It is amazing the change on the Metro each year once Labor Day has come and gone. Literally the tourists disappear. Well that’s not exactly true. Tourists with kids are gone because school starts. The tourists you are left with are usually older or from another country. This was very noticeable when I had a friend in over the Labor Day weekend and into the next week. We went to a couple of museums and they were essentially empty. It was great to get around and see things.

This will only last until around Thanksgiving when they will be back in town for the holidays. But for now it’s nice at rush hour to just deal with the locals.