Where It's Been
Money is better than poverty, if only for financial reasons.
-- Woody Allen
Friday, July 14, 2000
One year ago: Alas, Babylon
Two years ago: Org Charts
Again, I took the Greyhound bus up to Bellingham. I got worried when the clerk said the bus was full already! Would I like to put my name on the standby list? Yes, I certainly would.
While I was waiting in the now-familiar interminable lines, an incident occured. A woman was being waited on by a young female clerk. Suddenly the clerk asked the woman to step back to the main line. The customer didn't understand why she'd been asked to step back, and was irate. At first, the clerk tried to tell her quietly why she'd done it. But the voices soon were raised on both sides.
It seemed that the woman had taken money from inside her bra to pay for the ticket. "I won't accept money from inside a bra, or inside a shoe!" the clerk said, firmly. Apparently it's company policy that clerks can set this boundary. The customer got very angry. "I want to see the manager!" but the manager was already gone for the weekend. "Well, I want to see whoever is in charge!" but that very clerk was the lead clerk on duty, and the one in charge. The lead clerk then proceeded to flounce away, and wait on nobody at all, which wasn't well received by those of us still waiting in line, looking at the clock, and wondering if we'd get on the bus at all that night.
Finally the other clerk working took care of this woman. He didn't have a problem taking cash that had been in a bra. So remember, if you are going to use money that's been tucked away, you might want to take it out in the restroom, or somewhere discreet.
* * * * * * * *
In the event, there was room on the bus for all who were on the waiting list. So I'm glad I waited around!
Last week on the bus I'd been hungry, as well as feeling ill. The bus runs from six pm until eight, which is most folks' dinner hour. So this time I got smart -- I'd bought some crusty French bread, some salami with black pepper, and some Irish cheese, to munch on while traveling. This worked very well! I like those intense flavors. The cheese was called "Dubliner." I hadn't seen that variety before. It was tangy and smooth, a bit crumbly, and not too strong.
Jack was there at the station to meet me, slightly miffed. I'd thought he knew when I would arrive, since I'd taken the same bus last week, so I hadn't sent him email with the specific details. He'd been waiting and wondering at home, then came to the station when he got sick of waiting. "I was going to make a cake for you, too!" I apologized.
We stopped for a beverage at Archer's Ale House, in the basement of an old building in Fairhaven. (Here's a picture.) It was very nice! A big selection of beers (which I can't take advantage of due to sneezing fits), and the whole place was smoke-free. Jack's been there a few times before with folks from work.
Then we visited a bookstore, located one floor above. I was tempted by a big coffeetable book about the history of earrings, but refrained from buying it.
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