caught in the middle

The story about a bus and the route it took by detour through a dangerous drug infested neighborhood called Nickerson Gardens "the projects". What would seem to be a non-eventful bus ride would soon became anyone's worst nightmare, as it was for those of us who were now taking cover for our lives!
Trapped in the middle ...

The night was chilly but i really didn't mind, after all thats the way i liked it....

Walking toward Echo Park Ave to catch a bus i haven't been on since a teenager brought back many lost memories.
I strolled down to the corner stop and waited...

Not much more could i do than that. Glancing at the houses, at the cars that passed and on occasion a dog or two would stop by, sniff around then leave its mark. It seemed like it was so much happier as it would skip off into the night.
As i stood there waiting, my thoughts were scattered and vague and i felt numb to the cold night's air. It never seemed to bother me as much since my return from Utah, but i made sure i kept warm just the same.

I wondered what it would be like to ride on a bus after all these years and now i found myself doing just that.
The distant headlights of an approaching bus soon made its way around the bend. As it slowed i noticed how empty it was, guess not many get out on a cold chilly night.

I really wasn't looking forward to the trip across town knowing it would be a long one.
Since Grandma's death 2 months ago i promised her i would go down to the rest home and visit her closest friend viola who was now 87 and approaching death's door herself.

She was a sweet little lady who reminded me of somebody's grandma out there. No one would ever come to visit so i told grandma while on her death bed i would spend time with her as best i could. I remember the warm smile she gave me as she nodded with approval. That woud be the last time i would ever see that smile...

Boarding the bus, I asked the driver how much i needed to put in the meter. Seventy five cents he said as i pulled out my coins, dropped them in one by one then quietly stepped to a nearby seat. I could tell he had things on his mind too so i really didn't try to make any small talk.

As we traveled down past Sunset and toward Downtown i realized how little the ride had changed with its bumps, grinds and sway. Slowly the bus became alive with each passing stop, people of all walks boarded making way to their own destination across town. The unfamiliar sense of strangers seemed ackward and the blank stares on many tired faces said alot.
These seemed like folks who were acustomed to this daily unwelcomed choir, they had no choice.

For a second i forgot how lucky i was for even owning a car, even if it was in the shop being repaired for the weekend. I knew i wouldn't be doing this again unless i choose to, where they really had no choice at all.

As we turned up one street to another i watched them slowly come and go. The streets these days didn't help much with the bumpy ride and many areas of the city were always being worked on, i dare not say repaired!
And worked on in the sense of having the typical cones and signs up indefinately.

Unexpected detours...

My Lost LiL Doggy Tale

Not for the faint hearted!

You see, it all started out like this;
I was going out of town for the weekend and this friend of mine offered to take care of my lil chihuahua while i was away. One strange afternoon after taking my lil dog for a stroll, they returned home to relax a bit. While she went into the other room to fix herself a snack, the lil dog decided to stretch out on the recliner. A moment later she would return and with the remote in one hand and a plate balancing in the other, she failed to observe the puppy already laying on the seat. She plopped down while figgeting with the remote all the while wondering just where the little pup went, asuming it was on the pillow in the corner room where the lil dog had slept before and seemed to favor this area, being that it was close to the warm air of the vent. As time went by she got up tp return to the kitchen and left her plate and poured herself a cool drink. On the way back into the room she decided to look in on the lil doggy, but to her surprise... was nowhere to be found! In a panic she searched high and low around the modest little home. Eventually thinking to have a look out in the back yard then next check the front.

Finally after hours and hours of searching she began to really worry and quickly resorted to homemade flyers to post around the neighborhood! As she went down to the corner all the while calling out "here Hacawi..here Hacawi" thinking she might have heard a wimper or two but saw nothing to indicate that it might have been her. The neighborhood center was open as she passed and decided to leave a flyer. If only she knew that i had special powers to read minds and as such....i reveal her thoughts to you now...(click image)
Oh yeah, i can also read my poor lil dogs thoughts too. Unfortunately it was too late when i hurried back, all hope was lost when the snack consumed included a "Spicy Jalapeno Bean Dip"!

My poor lil pup was found all the way across town! My poor lil space doggy!!