I am not a nice person - the joys of riding the bus

This morning I decided to ride the bus from Union Station to work instead of taking the metro because it is free with my MARC monthly pass and has actually been quite quick at times. Not, this morning... First I had to wait about 5-10 minutes for the bus to get there and then after loading up almost everyone, the bus drivers make a change out - which actually didn't take to long, but long enough for an older woman pushing a wheel chair full of bags to approach the bus. Now, I don't know if she was a homeless person, bag lady or just someone who traveled somewhere and had a number of bags (plastic shopping bags). I say it this way because my immediate thought and reaction when seeing her was she was homeless, but she wasn't dirty, just had that look - now if you read my post about being prejudgemental below you know I am trying to stop myself from doing that, so that is why I have added in the doubt factor when describing her. Anywhoee, the hydraulics on the bus were not working so the bus driver could not lower the bus for her to help her get on and I guess there is some policy where the bus drivercould not help her get on by assisting with the wheelchair, so after all this discussion, we then have to wait while two people who were kind-hearted and nice helped the older lady on board, once on board it took her a while to get settled in after rearranging her wheel chair in the space in front of her a number of times and finally sitting down. This whole time I'm mumbling to myself, why couldn't she just get another bus, why does she have to be on my bus - grrr.

And, finally, we are off. I figured I shouldn't be really late at this point, we can make up the time going down the road -it's actually only about a 10 minute drive down E Street to my stop. But we only get a couple of blocks down E Street where we have to stop and pick up this rather large woman, who is once again a little rattily dressed and, the stop is outside of the DC homeless shelter. We once again have to wait while the bus driver explains that she can't lower the bus and then for this woman to climb aboard the bus - lumbering to a sit - the whole time I'm praying - don't sit by me, don't sit by me - I breath a big sigh of relief when she sits down not next to me.

We then proceed to go the big - woohoo - two blocks only to stop again where, yes, just my luck, there is another person with a wheelchair who needs to get on the bus, everything all over again, people moving from handicapped area, whole discussion about hydraulics, getting him on the bus, etc. - Once again, there was a nice person in the area who helped the guy on board, so though there actually are nice people out there willing to help people. By this time, anyone who knows me, knows I'm just huffing a puffing a little, but trying to discreet, because I know it's not right to be this nasty, narrow-minded individual I was being. Oh, and did I mention that when the people had to move this guy moved and sat next to me - he appeared to be either a homeless person (but not really stinky), a construction worker with a couple of bags or just someone who doesn't care about wearing clean clothes but dusty clothes and smelling just a wee bit.

I, of course, had taken a shower that morning and washed my hair so I was just the perfect little perfect I can be. See, I am not nice, I am not nice. I have mean, vile thoughts and judge people because they make me late for work. I need to work on this very much. Now, off for a drink so that my alcohol breath can be stinky for the poor unfortunate soul who has to sit next to me and can think nasty thoughts about the alky sitting next to them ;-)