#6434

Rode the 5:57AM 81N today. Got my cup 'o winter blend at Einstein's and happily discovered the bus stop all fresh and sparkly wet, apparently the recent recipient of a drive-by cleaning. Amazing, the effect of power washing on concrete.

I got on the bus with only one other rider present. He sat in the right front, so I took the left front, behind the driver. I like the front seats -- the wheel well covers provide a great place to prop up the feet and securely wedge in against a bumpy, rocky ride. We motored on, adding no new passengers until Southern and McClintock. A young woman boarded and promptly sat down next to me. Unlike many riders, I sit all the way over, making the seat next to me available for other passengers. I don't mind at all if someone sits by me; however, I can't imagine why, with a completely empty bus, this young woman chose to ignore all the vacant seats and join me at the hip? She never said a word, just sat down and remained, even after I got off at ASU.

No seating rules exist on the buses, no "fill-from-the-front" design or plan, so I remain confused at her choice of seat. I doubt it involved my charming personality and gracious demeanor since no opportunity presented itself for me to display my best behavior. She made no attempt to engage in conversation and I couldn't bring myself to ask how she made her seating decision. I watch people as they get on the bus and try and guess where they will sit. You can usually tell who will go to the back of the bus, who will walk through slowly, looking for optimal conditions and who will refuse to make eye contact and take the closest seat possible to the front door. Regardless, almost everyone opts for a seat to themselves when available. Today's mystery seating situation might never resolve itself; however, it did give me something to chew about in this post.