Tim Samoff // Weblog (old)

July 07, 2005

Bus stop fun...

I haven’t written about my adventures on the Kansas City Metro in a little while, so I thought I’d share something with you all today…

So, yesterday, I was standing at the infamous corner of 39th & Broadway, waiting for my bus to arrive. A few minutes into my wait, I eye a man making his way across the street — when you get used to living in the city, most of the time it’s pretty easy to tell when a total stranger has locked-in on you and is approaching for a reason that requires your attention.

The man stopped beside me and said, “Hey. You know what the City Union Mission is?”

I didn’t quite understand him the first time, so after repeating what I thought he said, he continued…

“Yeah, you know. The City Union Mission. You got any change, man? I don’t got enough to get down there. Can you help me out, man?” At which time, the man proceeded to show me about thirty-five cents in loose change in the palm of his hand.

I told him that I didn’t have any extra money. All I had was a transfer slip for the next bus.

Quickly he asked, “Well, can I have your transfer then?”

I responded, “No! I have to use it to get home.” I looked at him like he was crazy.

Almost as quickly he continued, “All right, man. Hey, you got a smoke? Come on, sell me a smoke.”

Huh?!

Did this man not just need money to get a bus ride? And now he wants to buy a cigarette from me? (Of course, since I don’t smoke, I couldn’t help him out in that regard either).

After he figured out that I was of no use to him, the man proceeded to ask everyone at the bus stop if he could buy a cigarette off of them. No one could oblige, so he headed off down 39th Street.

Not the best way to get to City Union Mission, in my opinion.

If you are new to my Weblog and would like to read some other humorous outtakes of bus life in the city, click here.

Posted at 11:09 am

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