Where Everybody Knows Your Name
On the way to work on the bus this morning, one of the passengers was having an intense gossip with the bus driver. My immediate reaction was one of concern for the passengers’ safety, as the bus driver seemed a little too involved with the conversation. But as time passed I realised that there was no need to worry, the driver was doing his job, and doing it well
This initial consternation then gave way to interest. Isn’t it interesting how some people will share their entire lives (this particular person was talking about her current family situation) with someone as incidental as a bus driver? I’m not saying that their work goes unappreciated -I wouldn’t have a chance of getting to work without them- just that it’s unusual for the ‘average Joe’ to have long and involved chats with people they spend such little time with.
However, then I reconsidered. We all like to have somewhere where we’re recognised. Who wouldn’t like to have been one of the regulars at ‘Cheers’? Or have a local coffee shop where the barrista knows exactly what coffee you have every morning, and how you like it? We like to think that we mean something to someone outside our normal sphere of influence, to connect with someone to whom we don’t owe anything and from whom we don’t expect anything. Or maybe we just like to have a morning chat on the way to work. Who knows?
January 10th, 2008 at 1:30 pm
Speaking of local coffee shops and good barristas…
Early in 2007 I had the incredibly frustrating experience of completely losing my voice. Turned up for my early morning pre-bus-to-uni coffee, and my barrista placed my order on the counter before i even had time to sign or scribble. NICE.
January 12th, 2008 at 6:36 pm
I’ve always thought it would be fun to walk up to the counter at a large chain such as Burger King, or KFC and just say “The usual thanks.” And see what they do…
LMR, do you even know the sign language for a short black, or whatever it is that you drink? It is a good story though!
January 16th, 2008 at 4:53 am
I will pay you a whole dollar if you walk up to a counter and do that.
I think that, in the case of the woman on the bus, that it is more about taking advantage of someone who knows nothing about you, your situation, or anyone else involved in the situation to vent your frustrations to. It’s about finding comfort in the fact that you have someone totally emotionally and physically disconnected from your personal life that you can gain perspective through, even if it’s just by doing the physical act of talking through your emotions. It happens all the time.
February 9th, 2008 at 12:12 pm
C’mon Will, I need witty content to keep me sane… It’s friggin freezing here (-17 deg C)
I’ve posted heaps… Whats holding you up, it’s not like you need the internet to update your blog do you??? :-p
February 15th, 2008 at 2:32 pm
I don’t have the internet at home at the moment (long story), and I always get busted looking at random sites at work as it is, let alone sitting at work and blogging!
February 18th, 2008 at 7:09 pm
Internet companies suck. Big time.