Friday, February 12, 2010

Motherhood gives me gumption

Don't you hate it when you get on the bus in the morning to get to work, and find the vehicle is about two thirds full of loud and obnoxious teenagers? It could have beeen a peaceful, brains-off journey - a chance to catch up on your sleep, perhap. But instead you are forced to suffer inane chatter at top-volume, in surround-sound.

I found myself on such a bus and sitting next to an under-showered teenage boy, though to be fair he wasn't contributing to the general noise pollution. But I couldn't wait for the herd of kids to evacuate at their high school bus stop.

And when they did, my seat-mate stood up, swung his immense back pack over one shoulder and silently waited for me to get out of his way.

Still seated, I smiled at him and asked "And what do you say?".

He was good-natured enough to throw me a big sheepish grin and say  "Excuse me".

4 comments:

Karen said...

Good for you Violet.

Anonymous said...

Oh we sat next to 4 scantily glad 15 year old girls on the bus from Bondi today - who were talking about this 'coooool party' that was just 'sooooo awesoooome' and everyone was 'drrriiinking' and singing this song 'like, soooo loud'. I think at one point Ray actually groaned out loud.

Violet said...

Karen: thanks
donnasoowho: not so different from Kiwi teen chicks then (but probably less scantily clad).

Hine-huri said...

I feel ya! I DREAD the afternoon shift at work because I have to catch the 3:05 train along with gazillions of schoolchildren all screaming at the top of their lungs. The ride only takes 20 minutes but I feel I age about 10 years, every time. Such is the noise/stress levels.