People? Who Are They?

 

The bus is always a melting pot of crazy and I do try to avoid it at all costs.  At home if it's a choice between having to catch the bus or don't go - then I won't go!  Simples!

But here in the big big smoke, sometimes that's all there is and when you're without a car and the tubes and trains don't go where you need to go - then you're on the bus.

These are the types of people that are drawn to me.  They'll always sit near me on the bus and want to have a conversation.  I don't know if it's my obvious lack of interest and my intent staring out the window so as to not make eye contact that draws them in, but something is doing it!

There were two buses that I needed to catch on this journey and the first headed into Lewisham.  Lewisham is a colourful borough with a whole mix of races, colours and creeds.  It's fantastic for people watching, as long as you don't get caught staring, cause then you would be forced to answer the age old question:

Wha choo lookin' at?  Innit?

These are some of the fabulous fashions that get to see from the top level of the double decker bus.....

The shoes

The Nails

The Hair...... oh how I love the hair!

Well..... on this sensory overloaded bus journey I needed to swap buses in Lewisham.  The second bus arrived and and we all piled on.  Then two young ladies who looked a little like the lady with the green tips in her hair (above) got on but didn't buy a ticket or swipe their Oyster card.  The driver simply turned the engine off and sat there and waited.  The two girls were laughing and giggling and saying "I ain't payin' innit!".   The policy seemed to be that you just do nothing and wait.

To my surprise, not one person on the bus got riled up about it.  Some people had already climbed the stairs and were waiting on the top level not realising what the situation was downstairs.  When the driver finally (after 15 minutes) made an announcement that the bus wouldn't be moving until the non payers got off the bus, people just came down the stairs again and got off to get on a different bus!  No agro.  No biffo.  No harsh words to these young ladies for wasting everybody's time - nothing.  It was like this was a regular occurrence that you had to just deal with every now and then.

25 minutes after initially getting on the bus, the girls finally got off and the driver just as casually started up the bus and we were on our way.  

Nobody said a word.  

My brow is still furrowed in bewilderment.