Day 9

Today was another long day on campus. I woke up at the usual hour and made my way from the house to school. Then I sat and attempted to osmosize as much from my language class as possible before I started my real day. I rushed out of class and jumped onto the nearest bus that was headed across town. My goal was to go shopping before I had to be back to my 5:30 class. God knows that I would get nothing done if I didn't capitalize on the time between my language class and my evening classes.

I was on the number 12, headed over and across the river, when I realized that I was completely out of my element. I had looked the route up on the big map at the information kiosk on campus but had no real idea where the bus went, where I could get off, or where I should get back on to make my return trip to campus. As the bus crested the artificial hill the bridge seemed to make as it crossed the river, panic finally started to set in.

I looked at my watch, plenty of time to walk back if I need to. I just didn't know what kind of neighborhood I was coming in to. I had never even been in this part of town before; my experience with the city extended to the college campus and the shopping mall on the train line downtown. I'm not afraid to admit that I was more than a little scared of where I was, but I had faith in the public transportation system and didn't doubt that I would end up where the map had said I would.

Just to be safe, though, I walked up to the front of the bus and grabbed one of the take-away map/schedule brochures for the route I was on. Immediately I realized this was a mistake as the man I had been riding next to took the opportunity to find a seat for his bag where I had been sitting. He was bigger than me, so I figured his bag deserved the seat and decided to stand, holding tight to the overhead rail that ran the length of the bus to keep from falling over.

When we were stopped at a red light I opened the brochure and looked again at the map. To my dismay, this was one of the few routes that went far enough north to end in the next state. Much too far for me to walk back in time for class. But sure enough, it was supposed to go right past the store I wanted to stop at.

I settled in to my little square-foot of standing space near the center of the bus and waited for us to near my destination. I knew absolutely none of the landmarks near the beginning of the route but began to recognize things as I got closer to the store. I saw there was a stop up ahead about a block away from the outdoors shop, so I pulled the nifty cable running along the bus' windows to signal the driver that I wanted to get off.

The air smelled like barbecue and I spied a burger restaurant across the street. I had skipped lunch to catch the bus and I was starving! I went in with the aim of just grabbing a small burger to-go, but ended up getting the extra-large value meal to dine in. It came with a larger order of fries and I opted for the milkshake. It was probably the least healthy meal I could have eaten considering I was going to an outdoors athletic store in a few minutes.

I polished off the last of my potato grease sticks and jay-walked over to my final destination. I pulled on the front door, but it didn't budge. Agitated, I peered through the window, seeing only a "Closed Until Monday" sign on a large easel a few feet inside the door.

Just my luck, all that panic and worry about whether or not I'd make it to the store in one piece and it was closed. I walked back over to the bus stop and sat down next to two other men waiting for the bus. They both looked younger than 40, but each had an "honored citizen" bus pass hanging around their necks.

Maybe an honored citizen would've gotten into the store they wanted to without issues.

Oh well, I still had class, right?

Day 9 of 100 - Summary: The best laid plans ...