Books: do not leave home without ‘em

I’ve quickly learned that not having a book on the bus makes the ride interminable (TV Transit actually gets some of its news from TMZ. The other day they reported on Usher’s “mom-ager” issues); last night all I had were the trades, which I got through in about 5 minutes, but with a book, I actually look forward to the reading time that being on the bus allows. In fact, unless it’s the weekend or I only have a few pages to go, I won’t read the book at home because I like the feeling of anticipation and forcing myself to let the books linger in my mind for a bit each day. On the weekend I’m allowed to devour an entire book, but during the week it’s nice to spread it out.

Books also allow me to keep to myself on the bus; add a pair of sunglasses and I’ve got the full “do not engage me” protective shell.

I started “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe this morning and got through 3 chapters.

Review of “Dogtown” by Mercedes Lambert coming soon. It takes place in L.A. and it’s eerily well-suited to riding around the city.

Dissed twice!

This morning all seemed normal as I waited for the Culver City 6. I was reading my book (“Dogtown” by Mercedes Lambert) and glancing up intermittently for my chariot to arrive. It approaches, and I stand near the curb. It pulls up, slowing down slightly. I move after it, figuring it’s just edging to the end of the street, but then it just keeps going and leaves me behind in the dust!

What the hell?!

Two people saw me get denied! It was embarrassing and I couldn’t figure it out. Did the driver not see me? There was no “out of order” sign flashing. It’s not like once the bus fills to capacity they stop accepting more passengers (trust me). I didn’t really mind waiting for the next one, as I would have been way too early to work had I used it, but still. It was troubling.

SO THEN!

On the route home, I pull the stop chord at Wilshire/Veteran, and the moving electronic reader accepts my request and broadcasts it, and the bus pulls over and slows down…but the back doors don’t activate when I push them, and it drives on as I stand there gaping and holding onto the pole! The bus swerves three lanes to the left to turn at Gayley or something. I was like, “Where the hell is it taking me?” but I figured it wouldn’t be too hard to back track a few blocks. A kind-seeming guy behind me assures we’re just turning up a side street. As it turns out, it’s closer for me to exit there if I want to catch the bus at Westwood, yet I feel bereft because I I don’t like the flip-a-coin aspect of wondering whether it’ll drop me where I want to go, and I rather like the transfer walk at the end of the day. I don’t get there in time to catch the immediate West 20, so I just start hoofing it all the way down to Selby.

It’s nice to know I’ve got a few options; the neighborhood’s not remotely scary, so depending on how I feel I can always walk more or less at the transfer.

Tomorrow I’ve got a screening at 7:30 in Beverly Hills, but I can still take my usual route home and just exit earlier, assuming the bus doesn’t ignore me twice like it did today.

(Do they still let you into a screening if they know you traveled by bus to get there?)