People People Everywhere

Riding the bus around a California city that I personally am unfamiliar with is both intimidating at times, and interesting. Here I am in Long Beach, CA awaiting the arrival of my granddaughter who is teasing us with latent labor pains for days now but not progressing toward delivery just yet. It is frustrating for my daughter who is bearing all the pain. Some of her contractions are very intense. This has been verified by the monitor at the hospital on several occasions. Yet, here we are, stuck in a waiting game, for just when the "real" heavy "active" labor will be declared and she can be more comfortable in the hospital. Oh well. In the meantime, the docs say to walk, so we have been walking the streets of downtown, and taking buses to drs appts and stores.

If she did not live here, I doubt I would attempt to use this method of transportation alone. Although, the parking is limited in many places, so public transportation is popular. I really did enjoy it. I met many interesting people. Most were friendly. There was one bus which was over crowded. Many were hanging onto the standing only straps all through the bus. We came to a stop where a man in a wheelchair was waiting. Now, to accommodate these wheelchairs, the bus must sacrifice at least 5 passenger seats. People began to complain and yell about who the driver might "kick off" to make room. Some yelled they were late to work, or appts. The driver took almost ten minutes to decide he had to leave the man behind. the man, himself, was not bothered by that at all, as the buses on that route run every 12 minutes...so by now it was a mere two minutes behind us.

Momentarily that scene made me feel uneasy. I was unsure if these people were going to start becoming agitated. A few were irritated, but most just went with the flow. At the end, only a few complaints were made known and all went on as usual.
I met people of all colors and "genders". People dressed in business suits, and people in shorts. People dressed in ethnic attire, and others bedecked in little clothing at all.

Most were polite and gave us seats to my pregnant daughter and me. Some, though, scrutinized those coming aboard, to choose who may sit by them and who may not. The handicapped and children, most of the elderly, and the pregnant were given due honor and place, for the most part.

As we walked, we passed a myriad of humanity. There were several who were talking, not so much to themselves, but to someone who did not exist. There was an older man on a skateboard yelling out blessing to everyone! A woman in a wheelchair sat by her condo door and smiled at those who came by. Two men, who seemed to be together, walked single file while one of them loudly gossiped about friends to the other. A male and a female, who apparently once worked together, ran into each other in a cafe. The man rushed over to congratulate her, excusing himself for not having known she was "with child". No one had told him he said.

I nearly got run over several times by bicyclists who were riding on the sidewalk. Long Beach hails as the "Friendliest Bicycling" Community, and that is well-deserved. However, some of them disregard the rules. Only once in about six incidents of bikes on the sidewalk, did anyone say "Excuse me, please!" I turned around to find it was a child! The adults just kept on biking! Oh well. We all have our rude times! I really don't think they meant to be rude, but rather focus on nothing at all and just ride to their destination, oblivious to others.

So, I am having a good time over all. The difficulty of seeing my daughter in so much pain day after day is taking its toll though. I wanted to stay to play with my granddaughter, but she had best hurry up!