Bethany – College journey home

Got the 27 from BHASVIC this afternoon to North Street. I was pleasantly surprised when the bus arrives on time! Usually the 27′s are not the most punctual of buses. From North Street I managed a quick connection to a 22 home. I was more than happy about this because of the horrendous weather. I chose today not to wear a coat for the first time in 3 weeks! The 22 was a single-decker which got pretty busy; probably due to the weather. I experienced one of those amusing situations where one elderly person got annoyed because other elderly people were taking up the priority seats! Sadly, I sat there imagining what they were thinking. “I was born IN the war. She skimmed past it. That’s MY seat!” I sat on one of those seats facing the side of the bus near the driver. I felt safe and secure as I knew no elderly person would want to clamber up there and screech at me. “Oh, the youth of today.”

Whenever a buggy gets on it is usually put facing the ‘priority seat’ the ‘priority’ passengers seem to take upon themselves, as a duty, to coo relentlessly at babies on the bus and talk to the parents. One comment is nice, two is pushing it, but the whole journey ends up, quite simply, being uncomfortable for the receiver and the parent. One woman today even started stroking this child’s cheek! I may be cynical but I would be uncomfortable if this were my child. This appears to quite a regular bus occurrence. As if it’s turned into some right of passage for a child on the bus.