I catch four buses everyday on my way to and from school. I often use this time (almost two hours in total) to disintegrate into my own little world by either reading or listening to my mp3 player. I’m not much of a ‘talker’ on the buses. There are some people however, who insist on striking up a tedious and inevitably short-lived conversation, usually about the weather. I try my best to salvage the discussing with small talk, but secretly I’d always rather be immersed in my book or day dream.
Today I ended up sat next to an old man who seemed to be one of these talkative inconveniences, so I decided to give up on my mp3 player and just talk to the guy.
The conversation in extreme paraphrasing went something like this:
Old man: So what school do you go to?
Me: Well, I used to go to one around here.
Old man: I see! My nephew1 teaches there, you might know him…Mr. Herbert?
I do know Mr. Herbert, and was quite interested to be talking to his uncle, of all people. Coincidence no. 1!
Old man: I also know Mr. Wooliscroft.
He teaches Tom (my lovely boyfriend), and went to school with my Mum! Coincidence no. 2 and 3.
Old man: I used to be a scout leader, actually.
Tom is a scout (yes, at 17) and has apparently met this guy. Coincidence no. 4. Four coincidences in the space of 8, maybe 9, minutes. That’s an average of one every 2 minutes, y’know! It actually made me smile to have so much in common with such an unlikely person, and an interesting conversation for once. Maybe I’ll take my earphones out more often.
1 It may have been son, rather than nephew, but I’m 90% sure it was nephew.
Tuesday, June 24th, 2008 at 3:48 pm and is filed under Daily Life, Ramblings.
June 25th, 2008 at 4:18 am
I use to take 2 buses downtown for art school and it was actually the favorite time of my day because I get to go into my own world for 45 minutes with my iPod on (and also so people don’t talk to me since I don’t like being social).
I have to agree though, you do see and meet the most interesting people on the bus. There were times when my ipod dies so I’m forced to converse with whoever decides to strike up a conversation (as annoyed as I am).
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June 29th, 2008 at 3:33 pm
Haha, it’s such a small world.
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June 29th, 2008 at 7:42 pm
Wow, that’s amazing!
Hehe, I usually have my iPod plugged in when I’m on the bus.
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July 2nd, 2008 at 9:36 pm
That always happens to me. You know what they say about the eight degrees of separation, you know?
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