Time check – 2:29 p.m.
Location – C Building.
Doing the math in my head while rushing over to the bus shelter, I realize I have exactly one minute before the 245 leaves. There is no way someone like me, who only gets intrigued shopping for sneakers when it comes down to anything athletic, can make it over there, unless I possess those magical little, red heels that’d take you anywhere with a blink of the eye (and I’d be honest with you, for three years, that was my birthday wish).
If it’s not raining today, and if that class didn’t end late, I probably won’t be as mad. Dropping the f-bomb doesn’t seem to help at this point, not when I know I’ll have yet another 30 minutes going to waste and a quiz to prep for the day, plus an art project, a paper, and an online exercise due simultaneously.
Walking at a reluctantly fast pace, I reach the bus stop and that’s when miracle happens: the 245 is late. It is just approaching the stop when I get there (2:33pm according to my phone).
Nothing feels better than when what you think would be missing a bus for the third time this week turns out to be just the perfect timing. This is when my love for buses leaps from 0.5 immediately to 10, and can think of all the reasons why buses are so much better than driving your own car: cheaper, more environmentally friendly, spares you the hassle of parking – all the beautiful but short-lived pros of public transport.
I bet this scenario must sound awfully familiar to all bus riders, except for the second part when the bus miraculously arrives late and you get to catch it. Well, that happens, too, but in such a rare manner, not to mention the joy you get from it is almost instantly taken over by the rage of missing another bus the very next day.
In fact, buses that are never on time don’t seem to be my only frenemy. Often times, traffic lights seem to come hand in hand with off-schedule buses.
You thought you’d make it, the bus thought so, too. Yet apparently, the traffic light did not approve. You saw the bus come and go just like that and there’s absolutely nothing you can do.
Think on the bright side, you can do lots of things in 30 minutes. My usual practice is to take out my iPod and turn on the “no human contact” mode. Here are some other things you may consider doing to kill time:
- Take a short nap.
- Text.
- Review your notes from the last class.
- Meditate.
- Go to the computer lab.
- Grab a copy of the Jibsheet – anyone reading this article right now just missed a bus?
- Play Coin Dozer (or Cookie Dozer, which I personally prefer) on your iPhone/iPod.
- Think about your outfit for tomorrow. School would be such a better place if everyone’s well dressed.
- Start a conversation with a fellow bus rider.
- Simply let your mind go blank for 30 minutes and indulge yourself in nothingness.
Perhaps someday when I finally get a car, I’d miss the days when I have to wait for a bus. But before that day comes, I guess all I can do is to suck it up and continue with the lifelong wait.