Floating Foam

That’s me. Standing at the bus stop at 7:03 AM. Corner of Coloma and Gibson. The sun is sitting low to the east, rising over the trees.

A couple of months ago, I sold my pickup to get a more economical vehicle. Right as I was preparing to purchase another car, a “what if” question popped into my mind, and I held off.

I still haven’t bought a car. Instead, I’m riding my bike, taking the bus, and walking my sedentary ass off.

I love it. I’m healthier, reading more books, enjoying more music and living a more patient life. I’m used to waiting, used to finding alternate ways to get somewhere, used to talking with people I don’t know, and used to walking, walking, and walking some more.

I’m also watching the world more. Watching the way people go through it.

Today, I watched several dozen cars drive by as I stood at the bus stop. Most of them carried only one person, and that person was eating one of following things:

1. Doughnut
2. Bagel
3. Granola Bar
4. Cigarette

Hardly anyone driving looks at the people standing at the bus stop. I never did. But we watch you. We watch you and we see you pick your nose. We see you texting on your phone in your lap. We see you scratching your dicks.

I saw a girl rocking out as she sped past. This is something I miss. I don’t sing out loud anymore because the other bus passengers ask me not to. However, I listen more carefully to the entire arrangement of a song. I notice things I didn’t in the car.

Bicyclists are nicer than car drivers. They waive, head-nod and smile. Car drivers do not, even when they almost hit you.

Bike lanes are too narrow and often laced with potholes and poorly paved seams between the asphalt and the gutters. I never considered this when I drove. I usually found the occasional bicyclist more of an annoyance as I sped ahead to make a right-hand turn.

Now I see that most of the bicyclists in the bike lanes are minors. We give our children poorly paved, narrow passage for their rides to school. I’ve been cut off more than six times in the few weeks since I started riding my bike.

I’m not especially green. I didn’t sell my truck to save the planet. I wanted to save some money. But there is an impact on the earth by this decision, and an impact on my personal environment. It’s an unexpected and delightful side-effect.