The Wired

iPods, Blackberries, cell-phones, hand-held games—electronic devices are must-haves for some people on the bus. When I first started to ride, I listened to music on the bus. I religiously wore my bluetooth headset during my morning commute until one morning when I looked up from my seat and noticed everyone staring at me. I unplugged the headphones from my ears and asked, “What?” Soon enough, I found out that another bus had turned too sharply and had hit the bike rack on the front of our bus as we sat waiting at the downtown terminal. My bike had been on that rack. From then on I decided to turn off my music and pay more attention to my surroundings.

The Wig Lady (not in the picture)

The wig lady is in a category all by herself. Always well-dressed and accessorized, she paints her lips and nails red and looks to be in her mid-seventies. Her wig is honey-brown with highlights. Every so often she reaches up with a painted nail and gently scratches her head. At the end of the day that wig is bound to be uncomfortable, especially if it’s hot. Sometimes I’ll see her reach up with both hands and give the wig a quick adjustment as she cuts her eyes from side to side to see if anyone is watching. If I were a talker, I’d like to start a conversation with the wig lady. I look at her and I wonder where she works, who in her life loves her, and who are the people she loves.