Today my plan was to go to Manly. (It was also the plan of every other person within a 7 mile radius of Manly, and, frankly, I didn't realize how very high that number was. It's monstrous, but that's the next post. Hang on.) Anyway, I was happily waiting for my bus when I saw it, waved it down, waited patiently while it let a couple out the back door and then watched it drive off. It was, you see, full.
At other times this would be a moment of profound distress, but thankfully the weather was beautiful, I had a book (a very long book) with me and I was running approximately 2 hours ahead of schedule. I cut my losses and waited for the next bus.
However, now this is the part that truly shows the strategy in the battle against Public Transportation, I did not wait for the next 144, but rather the next bus going remotely in the direction of Manly. This happened to be a 169, whose route I happen to know quite well seeing as it used to be my second-best bus when I lived in North Balgowlah. I climbed the notably unfull 169, had a seat to myself and read happily till the Spit. There I dismounted and waited (you see the genius, right?) for the next 144 to pass through there, which it did about 5 minutes later. It was still standing room only, but this time the driver stopped to let me on.
Now granted this was a risk -- he didn't have to let me on -- but any card player has a good feel for risk-taking and I like to think my sense is getting reasonably well developed in these matters. I don't know if it was because a different driver who wasn't so finicky about the rules or because I was alone at the Spit and he figured he could squeeze on one more (like the other driver possibly could have at my original stop, but didn't want to try to play favorites with the half dozen or so wanting to board there) or because I was alone at the Spit and he felt sorry for me because I was standing there doing my best to look pitiful and far from civilization, but somehow or other it worked. I boarded the same bus I had a shot at boarding back at my stop, but which would have quite possibly passed me up there and left me waiting for the next or next or next one. What's more, I got to wait at a much more scenic location where I could take pretty pictures and read my book in idyllic summer afternoon breeze.
All not costing me a cent more because vicious Public Transportation already charges me a hefty wad a week so I can ride as much as I want to any time I want to.
Public Transportation, 0, Kim, 1. Ha!
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