Fun With MUNI

Public transit is an interesting thing, and I love it. Anything can happen, there are all sorts of people, and in many ways, it brings people together. Everyone on that bus (or train or cable car or whatever) is in the same situation: trying to get somewhere cheaply and efficiently, and relying on the bus driver to do it. This is regardless of age, race, socioeconomic status, or anything. In part, it's this coming together of people that makes the rides so interesting.

I've seen fights break out based on age, race, and favorite baseball team. (Seriously, I once saw an elderly woman take out a young man at the knees as he was exiting the bus!) Just this week, I thought a man was going to start pummeling the driver--while he was driving! So tempers get a little pent up while trying to get across the city. And then there's the random run-ins, too.

Since I sold my car on Sunday, I've been taking MUNI (SF's public transit system) everywhere, primarily to and from work each day. Every day, I've run into someone that I know on the bus. Monday was Veasna, who works at the Rescue Mission (one of CSM's ministry sites). Tuesday was my boss, who I've seen only very rarely ride the bus. And today, as I made my way to the back of the bus, there was Sam, one of my roommates.

I've always said that if I didn't work for CSM (a job which pretty much requires a car), I would love to rely on public transit. And now that I get to for a few weeks, I feel the same way. The only problem is taking all these boxes, to be mailed to Michigan, to the Post Office...