Cross-town psychology
Have you ever been on a city bus where everyone around you, including you, had a goofy smile on their faces? I just got off my first.
I got on the 96 bus at Central Park West, my transfer point. As I settled into a seat near the back, the bus driver went into normal bus driver-speak into the microphone, imploring passengers to move all the way to the back- but hen he ended with a dry, “Don’t be afraid, it’s not too scary back there…” which garnered some snickers from some of us. Little did we know the act was just beginning. “Any body wanna drive the bus? Nobody?”
He then launched into finding out if it was anyone’s birthday today- no- anybody just have a birthday?- no. “I think people are a lying,” he said in a sing-songy voice, and followed up with, “Any birthdays in the next five years?” Somebody called out May 9, and the bus driver asked for a name. You know where this is going: Nico got an early performance of Happy Birthday from his fellow passengers, if half-hearted, led by our fearless leader holding the wheel. “Welcome to the party bus!” This is really happening before 9am on an NYC bus.
"Look at the person to right of you, give them a smile. Look to the left, say good morning!" People were really warming up now. Even those on the bus who seemed hardened commuters, couldn’t help that the sides of their lips were curling up. "I got another one for you- what ten parts of the body have only three letters in them?" Let’s see if I can remember all of them, as shouted out by my fellow passengers: arm, leg, rib, ear, toe, gum, eye, jaw… well that’s eight. But there were ten.
As we got to the other side of the park, he was reminding everyone to say to say goodbye to our fellow riders as we got off the bus, and saying the next stop was Miami Beach. Which prompted kids to call out, “Candy land! Ice cream island!” He obliged and said we’d go there too.
"If we could all do more of this, the world would be a better place." he had said, when we were half-way through the park. I think everybody on that bus found it hard to argue that sentiment- and we all got a little pick me up as we wait for Spring. I know my day warmed up a bit earlier than I expected. Now what were those last two body parts...?