Jarvis Street. Wednesday Morning

I stayed over with a good friend in Watertown last night - thanks Carina! I have an incredible network of friends around Boston who have continued to open their doors to me for weekday overnights over the past three years, since my regular commute is two hours in each direction. Some friends I've known since middle school - even nursery school! - college, work, and more who I've only gotten to know over these past few years. Actually, Emily has quickly become one of my bestest friends ever-in-the-whole-wide-world because of such sleepovers!

Thank you, guys! Those nights are more than just a place to lay my head - they keep our ties strong and add something to our friendships that maybe wouldn't otherwise happen if I lived here. It turns that "we should get together soon" into an "I'm coming over".

Enter: bus driver

I get on the bus in Watertown Square this morning, express on the Mass Pike to Copley Square in Boston. My card doesn't have enough money for the trip and I'm ready for that. But the bus driver is ecstatic to be alive today, smiling and chatting, asking everyone how their coffee is, etc. He gestures with a nod that my $1.20 will do just fine today. Smile spreads smile spreads smile... this guy is way more than a bus driver. He's molding the day. Is anyone on this bus gonna have a bad day now? [disclaimer: this is a hypothetical question that does not take into account any blunders or mis-hirings of the Boston Red Sox]

We're off, there's traffic, I'm reading... 25 minutes or so go by and we stop in downtown Boston. The bus driver announces our arrival:

"Jarvis Street. Wednesday Morning."

Love it. Any good commuter disappears into a zone and not only needs a reminder about where they are but also when they are. I've arrived. It's Wednesday morning. Got it... thanks.