20 Comments
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Anne Silver's avatar

I absolutely love your story. It reminds me of lots of bizarre experiences I have had on buses, but none in NM. I am now inspired to ride the Blue Bus to Santa Fe. Do you have a book being published soon?

Michele M Potter's avatar

Anne, I'll bet you have had some crazy bus experiences! My handler assures me that my book will miraculously be published in the not-so-distant future.

Michelle Terrill Heath's avatar

I love the feeling of connection I have by the end of your ride. Your descriptions of the people made them come alive and I even got a sof spot for the riule keeping driver!

Michele M Potter's avatar

Ha! I'm not a very good rule follower either, but I'm glad that you also see why we all need an enforcer occasionally!

Allegra Huston's avatar

Wonderful piece, Michele. You catch the flavor of everyday life the way Kerouac did. All politicians should be required to use public transport, as Churchill did when he was prime minister.

Michele M Potter's avatar

Allegra, thank you. And I had forgotten that fact about Churchill. Lovely.

Gina Murphy-Darling's avatar

What a great piece. I felt like I was there. Thank you.

Gina Murphy-Darling's avatar

Nancy Thibedeau is one of my besties and she forwarded it to me. I’m so glad she did!

Michele M Potter's avatar

Thank Nancy for me; she was my neighbor and one of my earliest freinds when we first moved here.

Michele M Potter's avatar

Thanks for letting me know you liked it! I think we are all there on the bus together!

Mary Turney's avatar

You really do see life from both sides and everything in between! You have experienced it, and choose to meet people where they are. For you, it's the journey as much as the destination. How do I know this? Well, I'm your sister after all.

Michele M Potter's avatar

I think we came from a family that could appreciate all sides. I'm glad for that.

larry buechley's avatar

Nancy here-You remind me to be conscious of my everyday existence! Thanks!

Michele M Potter's avatar

Nancy, thank you. If anybody seems conscious of our everyday existense, it's you!

James Navé's avatar

By the way, damn nice travel story.

Michele M Potter's avatar

I very much appreciate that, and yes to coffee! You've taught me a lot.

James Navé's avatar

I don’t have a blue bus store yet. Maybe I will have one in the next couple of days if you’d like to meet at the Elevationn coffee shop for a visit. Welcome home.

Michele M Potter's avatar

Thank you, Dami. I'd love to read your bus story and hope to see you soon. Yes, we are all too easily separated from each other and buses change that.

Sky Sheridan's avatar

This is not a story about a chaotic woman on a bus. It’s a story about how a bus ride makes public life visible. The real movement is that you begin by judging almost everyone, then end by seeing them more clearly, and what disappears when we stop sharing spaces.

Dami Roelse's avatar

Great piece!

driving cars will do that to us, separate us as people. Good for you to ride the bus! I remember my bus experiences in Holland, Afghanistan, India. You've inspired me to write a bus story!! Let's get together soon.