Semi-weeknote: A very Vancouver bus ride

My kid likes taking less transfers (and longer bus trips) so we took the 20, which goes through the whole colourful stretch of East Hastings and down Commercial Drive. 

• It was at 10PM though, so it was quieter and emptier than in the day. (I don't really take my child out that late; we just happened to watch an awesome thing downtown)
• At our stop, only 4 of us got on - an office person, me and my kid, and an old person in a wheelchair.  Who is, apparently, a regular.  The older person and the bus driver had a really great conversation - which I could hear from where I sat because they had to speak loudly to communicate in the relatively empty bus – between the special seats area and the driver's seat.  It was awesome. Like listening to two friends catching up with each other, after not seeing each other for months.
• At one stop, three older persons got on who had come from the Gastown pubs, and were slightly tipsy.  Along with a.. couple who seemed under the influence – basically, they weren't so steady.  They came from sitting on the street, had a stuffed animal with them, some bags of chips, and a canned drink - which happened to spill on their seats.  The lady cursed - which made both the driver and one of the tipsy older persons tell her to be careful and watch her language since there was a child onboard.  The lady apologized for overreacting, and said that she just had a bad day, sorry, and they politely moved to the back of the bus.  As they were doing that, at the next stop, another seemingly under the influence person got on the bus, with the classic pants-around-the-knees (thankfully, with boxers) look.  Now, the three old persons from Gastown were a bit bothered, shaking their heads and muttering, plus I could see them glancing, looking worried about whether my daughter was uncomfortable.
• My daughter smiled in my direction, which is probably her way of letting all of us know that she's handling it.  We have taken the 020 a number of times before; the R1 too, sometimes the 003. So... Not new.
• Eventually we get to Commercial Drive.  3 women get on with matching pleated skirts and high-knee socks.  Eventually, another older person in a wheelchair needed to get on as well.  And, the bus driver expertly managed everyone waiting to board, and clearly advised the boarding person if he was okay with being on the "opposite side" for a while as the earlier person in a wheelchair would get off 2 stops down, and that they both can't fit on the same side.  He asked the people occupying the special seats to make space, guided the newly boarding person who also seemed to have an extra challenge of being under the influence – all while also giving clear instructions (and a message of trust) to the people boarding (mostly people who seem to have ended their closing shifts at work).

It was all so impressive.  I salute this person; told him he's a rockstar.  And I'm just thankful to the bus drivers every day. 

I love that this one bus ride was a little compilation of... like 5 usual city bus rides in one.