The wheels on the bus

Yesterday's ride home on the bus brought me an interesting run-in. The line on the corner for the 246 was almost a block long because one of the 5:30 busses had broken down and the riders had to be redistributed. I finally got on the 3rd bus back and it was packed to almost standing room only. When it starts to get full like that people will ask before they get on if there are any seats or how many seats are available. That is when a few busy body riders turn into ushers and make it their personal responsibility to take inventory of the empty seat and direct those boarding to them. These people get on my nerves. Today the lady across the aisle from me looks around and yells to the front "there are about 5 in the back." I snap my head up immediately because I know that voice. I look up and see an old co-worker/friend from back in my restaurant days. This chick was SO cool. I used to idolize her so much. She was funny as hell, so down to earth, and like the big sister I never had. I had so much fun working with her and I was fascinated by her. She was fresh out of college at the time and living at home. She was not extraordinarily beautiful or anything, quite average actually, but that is why I liked her. She was poised, and put together and looked like a Gap ad but before Gap got all weird and sloppy. As restaurant job usually go, we both moved on and I didn't see her for a long time until I ran into her at starbucks. She looked the same, but even more polished with a air of maturity. She had a new LV on her shoulder and in her hand a matching wallet. I went up to her and said hi, and we chatted briefly while we waited for our drinks. I learned that she got a job as a paralegal and was doing quite well. I was so impressed that she was doing do well for herself.



Skip to yesterday. When she turned to say hi, I noticed that her face was fuller. I scanned her hair and it was stringy and in the back it looked unbrushed like she had rolled out of bed after a night of really hard sleep. Her coat was a men's style navy blue puffer style coat, not unlike the kind my husband is issued at work. Her LV purse was replaced by a light gold Kathy Van Zeeland bag that had seen better days. The conversation was short because we were talking over the person sitting between us. I was so weirded out that she had changed so much. When she got off the bus, the full view wasn't much better. I don't know what her marital situation is but she reminded me of the "cat lady." This girl was worlds different from the LV toting working woman I had seen a few years back. I'm still trying to wrap my head around how she changed into this. Its not like people aren't allowed to get older or gain weight or dye their hair - its more like when a body builder becomes obese...extreme opposites! I just can't help wonder why...how...? Weird...




ps- I'm blogging while sick- that is my excuse.