Does snow make people chatty?

[fajrdrako]

I have changed my entire strategy for getting to work.

In spring, summer, and autumn, I mostly walk.

In the winter I take the bus. For two months now, I've gone to Bank Street every morning, whre I have (theoretically) the option of several buses in quick succession, any one of which will get me to work if I transfer at the Rideau Centre, or walk from there - and one of which takes me within a block of work, though actually catching that one bus seems a matter of faith and luck rather than timing.

For the past two weeks, the buses on Bank Street have been terrible. Not just traffic problems - that goes with the territory. It seems some buses broke down, OC Transpo can't afford to get them fixed, so we simply have big gaps in the schedule. At rush hour. Through centretown.

So for two weeks I've waited for a long time at the bus stop (regardless of when I arrive there), and when the buses come, they are badly overcrowded - often several will go by without picking anyone up because they're already packed way beyond capacity. If they do let anyone on, there is only standing room, sardine style. The result: I'm late for work. Not necessarily by a lot, but I am indignant about it.

So: new plan. There is also the #6 bus, which actually comes a little closer to my place, but it's inconvenient - I have to leave the house at least 20 minutes earlier to still get to work on time. And it gets me to work, on average, half an hour earlier than I need to be there. But. That's still 'on time' and I get a seat for sure, and a quicker trip.

Today it was snowing hard - still is. And even the #6 was fifteen minutes late: I hate to think what Bank Street buses must have been like. People walked by with their dogs - cold, slightly-martyred people done up in toques and scarves, while the dogs wagged and grinned and bounced - dogs love snow. The world was utterly quiet, except for the sound of the snow pellets hitting my hood, like rain on a tin roof. I took photos. They'll probably look as if the world is in fog. Blotchy fog.

I tend to think of my time at the bus stop and on the bus as time I have to myself - I can read or think, don't have to talk, except maybe for the occasional "good morning" if I meet someone I know at the bus stop. But today.... the woman at the bus stop with me turned out to be very interesting: a singer and musician who is working in a bookstore, starting up several local choirs. I got her card and info for duncanmac, since she's accommodating to those with odd work schedules. I even thought, "It might be fun to join a choir - that would be something new and different!" I was in choirs as a kid, and loved it. The only problem - I can't sing.

Once on the bus, a pleasant, voluble man noticed I was wearing a Mountain Equipmen Co-op coat (as I usually do) and started chatting about winter coats, new and second-hand, and by gum, he managed to talk for twenty minutes straight about the subject and - more amazing yet - to be quite interesting while doing so, even digressing into the anecdote of his meeting with Peter Ustinov in Switzerland back when it was more affordable to go there.

And I still got to work on time.

I'm on a roll.

Comments

[chatona.livejournal.com]

I was in choirs as a kid, and loved it. The only problem - I can't sing.

The exact same thing could be said about me *laughs*

Having time to yourself is always a good thing, I think. Though I'd hate having to get up early. I'm still tempted to steal snow from you - it snowed over here as well, but... that was about three flakes and all of them melted within seconds.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

The snow continues to fall. Ontario is going to disappear under it all. Streets and sidewalks are like tunnels. The city is full of trucks carting away the ploughed snow - though I don't know where they take it. I have a mental image of the city being surrounded by this huge mountainous wall of snow, like the Wall in the George R.R. Martin novels - our own set of temporary, meltable Alps.

[chatona.livejournal.com]

They should just bring it over here. I'd thank them for it :D

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

We could build a snow bridge right across the Atlantic, or the Arctic - I'm sure there's enough snow here to fill the Bering Strait and then rebuild the Rainbow Bridge of Asgard.

[chatona.livejournal.com]

That might work :D

[monsieureden.livejournal.com]

I miss being in choir. Can't do it w/ grad school. But it was great while I did it and I may do it again. It's mostly my replacement for what I used to have as a violinist in orchestra. I don't have the time commitment for private lessons to be in an orchestra nowadays, but choir works!

Can you read music? That's the only real requirement for the choir I was part of, lol! That and the desire to sing in and learn Latin, German, whatever.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I used to be able to read music, which I learned for piano. I imagine I could learn again, easily enough.

It would be fun.

[monsieureden.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah. Think of all the fun pieces you could sing.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Show tunes! I love show tunes!

[walkingowl.livejournal.com]

I love your insight-drenched observations of dogs: cold, slightly-martyred people done up in toques and scarves, while the dogs wagged and grinned and bounced - dogs love snow. So true! Dogs love to grin, and don't they bounce when they are out in weather that makes them happy?

I like to say that my two youngest cats "giggle" -- which they do. Especially the little brown tiger. She will stop stock-still in a doorway, and when I look at her, she trills a kitty-giggle and leaps off to race out of sight somewhere. I can reply in cat-"murmur" language fairly well, which usually makes her and her grey sister jump happily into sight just for long enough to grin at me, giggle again, and race away again.

The silence of a snowfall almost cannot be described. It is such a profound experience.

I smiled to read of your delightful meetings, here described -- loved it that you mentioned that the gentleman on the #6 had managed to talk for twenty minutes solid without losing your interest. Reminds me of something once said in a Zenna Henderson sci-fi story, about someone who was, er, disgruntled and was verbally venting: "He went for fifteen minutes straight and didn't repeat himself once! Turned the air blue, he did!!"

I am especially relieved that you have found an alternative to the Bank Street bus situation. A half hour at work before the day starts isn't that bad a thing, I'd say? And I'm glad you have a route you can rely on.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

The big dogs don't bounce so much in general, but little dogs have to bounce in winter because it's the only way they can get through the snow - which is often over their heads.

loved it that you mentioned that the gentleman on the #6 had managed to talk for twenty minutes solid without losing your interest.

Yes - neither fascinating nor boring, and I learned a thing or two about quality and sources of second-hand coats. The best bit I already knew from commodirifed - that Mountain Equipment Co-op has a sort of flea market once or twice a year where people can bring coats/winter apparel/sports goods for resale, cheap. Worth checking out!

The #6 isn't a perfect solution - I managed to miss it both Thursday and Friday - but if I am more organized and patient, I should get my act down right!