It's my lunch hour, and I do not have my car to go home as I usually do. Sadly, my car is not working right now...some sort of electrical short in my lock system is preventing the car from starting. I was going to take it in to get it fixed over the weekend, but - being the holiday - I never got around to doing it. I didn't want to hear anyone whine about having to bring me downtown this morning, so I took the bus.

Taking the bus was very intimidating, as I suffered a terrible ordeal when I was 15. I was in San Antonio visiting my parents for the summer, and was tired of sitting around the apartment while they were at work. So, being the independent kid that I was, I decided I was just going to jump on a bus to the mall. I felt no need to call my stepmom to let her know I was on my way there (she managed a store there at the time) as, of course, I was in control of my life...whatever.

I grab my 50 cents, head to the bus stop and get on. Of course, being from podunk where there are no cabs or busses, I didn't know anything about transfers. I simply thought, I get on the bus and it gets me where I want to go. As you might imagine, I was on the bus a very long time (approx. 3 hours) going through the seediest parts of the city (most of SA is very ghetto, gangs, violence...scary stuff for a less than street wise kid) covered in grafitti, dirty, scary pedestrians walkin' the streets...it got to the point that I refused to get off the bus, thinking that eventually it would make a circle and take me back home. During the ride, a terrible rain storm came, thus not only was I scared due to sensing that I was - indeed - lost, but also because it was getting dark.

Finally, I was the only one on the bus and the driver called back to me on the intercom, "Honey, my next stop is the garage. You have to get off." She said it sweetly, but it crushed me. Tears started from my eyes and I gushed, "I don't know where I am! I'm lost. I wanted to go to Windsor Park and I don't know how to get there." The driver calmed me down and told me she'd take me to a stop that would have the right bus come by. She stayed with me until the bus got there, and as I didn't get a transfer slip when I initially got on hours before, nor did I have anymore change, she walked me over and talked the other driver into taking me. About another hour later I made it. I walked up the parking lot with out an umbrella, and walked into my stepmom's store soaking wet and freezing, due to the air conditioning.

She was freaked out, as she had called home for me over the many hours, but was relieved I was ok. Luckily, I made it just in time for the mall to close and she could take me home.

So you see, I have a deep seated fear of the bus. I stepped up today, though. I don't think I can explain how proud of myself that I really am. I feel like Wonder Woman.

I think I'm going to ride it again tomorrow, because I am a bad ass.