Leftover Baggage from Llanview

7

Dorian:

"I have an idea," David announces as he comes out of the shower as we're getting ready for the international affairs dinner.

"Hmmm...?" I mumble before applying one more coat of autumn red lipstick that matches my nail polish.

"Let's skip the limo and get the bus to there," David suggests, his blue eyes impishly bright as he combs his medium-brown hair. "I've always wanted to see what the buses are like here in the nation's capital."

I plop my lipstick down and look up at David, a bit startled, but not really surprised.

"I don't know..." I say. "I haven't taken a bus since my medical school days...I'm afraid I'm way out of practice."

"I can show you the ropes," David grins. "I always took buses before living in Llanview and in LA, I took a few when I first arrived there."

My dark eyes widen. David shows me a website on the phone and points out a couple of bus routes that stop by embassy row.

I know there are three bus stops near here...Risa often catches the bus along with the trains, so she knows more about mass transit than I do.

"We'd seem out of place..." I look down at my long blue dress suit with my white silk scarf at the collar then at David's dark gray tuxedo. My dark hair is done in a chignon knot at the nape of my neck.

"Most people use the buses for everyday work and for more casual parties..."

"So we might," David grins again. "It'd be a hoot...and here people don't look twice at odd-looking people."

I laugh a bit, knowing that David is right. In the streets, I often see people dressed from rags to polished formal wear.

The other day walking to work, I saw a lady with ragged blue jeans and a multi-colored fishnet top with her breasts partially hanging out and no one really stared.

Back in Llanview, such a getup would not only have stopped traffic and started tongues wagging all over, but probably would have ended up front page news in the Banner as a "scandal."

"All right, just this once," I agree. "Oh, don't we need exact change and all...?"

I nervously fish through my purse, but David pulls four one-dollar bills out of his wallet. "Covered...it's two dollars per person per trip."

So, we decide to try this adventure. Risa is heading over to a friend's overnight, so we bid her goodnight.

She herself is catching the train and is packing an overnight bag.

"Have a great time, sweetheart," I tell her. "See you tomorrow."

"G'night, Gran...David..." Risa says as she and I hug. "Have a great time tonight."

•••••••••••••

That bus ride is quite an adventure and a bit much for my nerves.

Thank goodness no one really stares at us. There is one lady with a nice-looking sweater dress and one man in a business suit without the jacket, so much to my relief, David and I don't stick out too much.

But I'd really forgotten how noisy and jumpy they are, even on smooth streets. I'd also forgotten how hard and uncomfortable the seats are.

I have to keep shifting and squirming to keep my butt from hurting.

I can hear everything underneath and around the bus including little rocks and bits of papers, leaves and branches and old soda and beer cans rattling past as the bus rides over them.