Life with the Gojirawitzes

[yendi]

shadesong was talking about the awful day she had on the bus when her ipod had run out of juice and she had no book.

Me: You could always talk to people.

shadesong: Fuck that.

me: Yeah, I never got that article I read recently about the great conversations to be had on the bus.

shadesong: Fuck that a bunch. Fuck that two bunches.

*pause*

shadesong: Fuck that a bushel and a peck.

Me: I was about to say that!

shadesong: Were you? Yeah, I must've gotten it out of your head. I've never even seen that show.

(Aside: Seriously, I do not get the thrill of talking to people on the bus. Of the roughly four-thousand conversations I've had on buses and planes, I think about two of them have not made me want to spork my ears out.)

Comments

[greylistening.livejournal.com]

Amen, brother! I like a smile and a courteous nod, but that's about it.

[karnythia.livejournal.com]

People talk to me on the bus all the time. About everything, including things that really should be private. Even with headphones & a book I can't seem to turn off the "Talk to me" light over my head. Sometimes the convos are fun, but mostly they're weird.

[not-hothead-yet.livejournal.com]

that's what happens to me in bars/nightclubs. I've always assumed it's because I'm little and "non-threatening"? I dunno. Especially men telling me their relationship problems. WTH.

[elorie.livejournal.com]

I have excellent conversations with strangers.

[yendi]

You've likely gotten all of my bus karma, then.

[jeff-morris.livejournal.com]

I always got stuck next to little old ladies who wanted to save my soul for Jesus. Now I get stuck to elderly Huskers from North Platte who have never been on one o' them air-o-planes...

And people wonder why I drive home.

[random-girl.livejournal.com]

I like to sit close and talk to the bus driver if I have absolutely no other distractions. He/she will usually keep creepy people from talking to me, and they're typically kinda interesting people.

[yendi]

Around here, the crazy talkers usually talk to the bus driver first.

[random-girl.livejournal.com]

I used to ride the bus in LA; I'd grab the seat nearest the driver, and they were relieved I was normal and generally watched out for me (For example, the guy who barks at people who rides the buses all day was sent to the back of the bus, or the guys who hit on me would be tumbled backwards at sudden acceleration at random times).

[gothwalk.livejournal.com]

I'm a lot more of an extrovert than you, and I still have a cold horror of bus conversations.

In Ireland, at least, and in the UK as well, the social rules are such that only crazy people will actually strike up a conversation thus, and some of them can be spectacularly mad.

[yendi]

I think the social rules are pretty much the same here, based on personal experience.

[kenakeri.livejournal.com]

I've had complete strangers hold conversations with me during funeral services...I'd take the bus conversations any day of the week. The ones when Y&R was popular used to be fun :)

[yendi]

Wait, during the service itself? That's just bizarre, even for humanity.

[kenakeri.livejournal.com]

Well, most of them did the bulk of their talking just before the formal start, but yes there were a few whispered conversations during the services also. Actually they talked and I just sat there trying to disappear.

[tanyad.livejournal.com]

I loathe people talking to me on the bus and train. I have to talk to people all.damn.day.long. I do not care about whatever inane bullshit you think a stranger should care about.

[yendi]

This. And with headphones and a book, I'm amazed at how often it still happens.

[tanyad.livejournal.com]

omg yes... worse is when I get students who recognize me and think I should advise them on the spot.

[rhicat.livejournal.com]

I'm from NYC. We don't talk to each other on a bus/train unless absolutely necessary.

[yendi]

Yeah, that's where I learned how to act on a bus, too.

[tablesaw]

Fuck that shit, a bushel and a peck. A bushel and a peck, fuck you . . .

[rubian77.livejournal.com]

I haven't seen that show either, but I've heard the song.