So here goes. I have come to new conclusions, should you be interested. At 3am.

I now ride the bus and walk a lot. I enjoy the strange world we live in. Especially now that I am not driving. I feel like navigating through large sections of a city and having to focus all your energy on watching where you are going at 30-40mph means you don't have a change to notice a lot of other things that are going on.

Today, as I was riding the bus past a burger king, I saw a man standing in front of his 93 plymouth sundance, hood open, watching as smoke poured out and eventually turned into an engine fire. A cop was was also at the scene, laying down in the trunk of his cruiser, feet hanging out of the trunk like the car had just eaten him. Apparently looking for a fire extinguisher that was nowhere to be found. The look on the car owners face was priceless. He clearly had no idea what to do, and just kept looking at the flames erupting from his engine, then to the cops feet dangling out of the cruiser, then back to the flaming car. As we passed and they slowly went out of sight, I wondered if the extinguisher was ever found or if the car just continued burning? I never heard an explosion, so most likely the cop had some luck.

Another wonderful perc to riding the public transport here in RI.... The wonderful, curious people that frequent the many little bus stops along the route on your way to downtown. Specifically, the crazy people, and the polar opposite reality they live in that we all have to deal with sometimes.

Most normal people, when having to wait for a bus, would pass the time either listening to their ipod, talking to a stranger about common (simple) things, reading, or maybe talking on the phone with a friend or relative. Or just sitting quietly, gathering their thoughts.

Crazy people, on the other hand, like to harass people in a variety of ways. I have not been subject to any direct harassment from said crazies, and have rarely seen the initial advancement they have made on people, but today I saw a 65ish year old woman get on the bus screaming at some loony tune outside, telling him to leave her alone and to go to hell. He continued yelling at the old lady from the bus stop long after the bus had pulled away, leaving him screaming at passing cars instead. And just last week I saw a drunk guy at the bus stop get assaulted by 2 separate people, once verbally because he was trying to grab a woman inappropriately, second time with a coke bottle to his head for annoying someone and not shutting "the fuck" up when they told him to. I actually applaud assaulting these types, because they usually are asking for it in some manner, and it does provide some sort of entertainment for those of us just waiting for the bus....... not being crazy.

Over the summer, 2 people were shot at the downtown bus stop from what I remember. Both on separate occasions. Both were in the middle of the day. I think 1 died. My guess is they were crazy and maybe drunk. But clearly not the 2 people I saw. Let's hope their day comes soon.

There's also a thug that hangs out at the bus stop all the time. I don't think he sells drugs, or is in a gang. I just think he's a thug, and he probably got kicked out of the mall too many times, so the bus stop is his new hang out. He really doesn't do much, aside from grab his crotch and smoke cigarettes. And ask all the girls that are parked waiting for their boyfriends if they're there to pick him up. Smooth MF.

Anyway, that's public transport so far. I'll update if I have to throw down. Hopefully it's with the woman who sings jimi hendrix songs at the top of her lungs, only with the wrong words. Crazy or not, that's just annoying.

d.