it is an old joke about the regularity of buses.
My journey home and as I crossed the bridge I could see the top of the red bus and thought, with the bridge, escalator and the length of the bus station to navigate I had missed that one.
With a certain level of acceptance I go forward another step or so and realise I can see two red double deckers at the stop, now that is a bit more annoying, the prospect of mussing two of them simultaneously!
Without much anticipation of being successful, I quicken my pace and see a third red double decker approaching. At first I assume it is the bus going in my morning direction and homeward bound, however it pulls past that stop and makes the turn towards my departure stop. Three, I refuse to miss three, spurred by that thought I speed up again.
To my surprise I get to the stop and the first two buses were still there and within moments there are three. Oh decisions, decisions which one do I get on, given past experience it is likely that there will be decanting into just one bus at some point. With a shrug I get on this first bus.
Off we go, oh this bus sounds like it has a cold, the engine coughs and splutters but I am at least moving.
Between point of departure and the littering incident stop the three frog leap each other at the various stops, first there picking up passengers, those behind only stopping if someone wants to alight. I am, route speaking on bus two at this point. We pull in behind, as far as I can see one red and two purple buses. However as we pull away I can see the black bus was there..right which stop to get off now and make the change, best not to wait till one of my normal spots as the frog leaping is likely to continue.
I get to a stop and off I get, red bus three approaches with the black bus only a car behind. I worry red bus will think I want it if I raise my arm and then black will pull past an I will miss it. I catch red drivers eye shake my head and point past, he nods, sorted.
Or perhaps not black driver is taking the pause in the traffic for a stretch he is not looking my way, the traffic moves the bus moves and I do a little jump and a wave, no indicator flashes bus keeps moving has my gamble failed?
Ah, a flicker of orange, the indicator flashes and at the last moment the bus stops, door swoosh open and I am jubilant!
"Sorry says the driver, I don't know where I was must have been somewhere nice" hay a double win as normally the drivers make it my fault they did not see me straight off.
I settle into my seat feeling smug.
