The Marta Chronicles

Why do women play that role? This morning, a lady is at the bus stop. She has already dragged her bags with her - two bags. But when the bus stops to pick her up she "pretends" it is all so heavy. A man, seated at the front, helps her pull her two bags up the three little steps. If this woman had been a frail, lil' ole thang - I would have understood her needing the help. But then again, I would have asked "how the hell did she get those heavy bags to the bus stop?" I guess, big as she was, meant that she wasn't all that strong. My mistake. Still it annoyed me to see her pretending to be so helpless. I guess that's what men like. Helplessness. There's nothing wrong with having gentlemanly qualities (my boyfriend is the perfect gentleman and believe me, I eat it up!!!). And there's nothing wrong with admiting you're not strong enough for certain things but this big woman surely could have managed her luggage up those three steps. I figure, there are things a man can do and things a woman can do - and together, combining those strenghts equals NOTHINGS IMPOSSIBLE. Like me, I have a fear of bugs. I can't have a man who's afraid of bugs or refuses to kill them. He doesn't even have to kill it, just that if it finds its way into my home GET IT OUT!!! and you will be THE MAN (gold star for my hero) cause if you can't kill it or will it out of my front door, I'd hate to have to have an affair with the Orkin man, ya know? Anyway . . . why is it that when a woman is struggling with books and bags and doors men will leap to their defense but don't ask for a dime to pay a bill or buy groceries that will feed HIM!!! 'cause you're surely to be called a GOLD DIGGER!!!!! What's the difference, really. Helpless is helpless (hunching my shoulders).

But I think it has more to do with how attractive a woman is. The woman boarding the bus this morning, may have been healthy but she was very pretty, long hair - lovely honey colored skin. I've seen elderly women board the bus and big strapping men not offer their seats or even offer to help with their bags. But let little Ms. Fine in the behind and thin in the waiste board the train . . . she'll have more assistance than she can handle. The train operator will wait for long hair, shapely legs, bountiful bouncing breasts to board, but let the little old bag lady be huffing, chuffing and puffing down the escalators (that never work) he'll take off so fast, that steam will rise from the tracks.

posted by Darni @ 11/22/2000 11:17:00 AM

"She's supposed to be my friend." Iheard that whispered between a group of "kids" this morning on my commute in to this, this . . . well . . . having nothing good to say so I'll say nothing at all in regards to this place. The young lady who spoke was surround by two other people, I suppose they were friends too. Or so, she was hoping.

I thought about that word - friend - the way she said it, as if the person she'd called "friend" was so precious. Then I wondered what the so-called friend had done.

Why is it that people treat friends or loved ones so badly? Why are people so mean . . . and bitchy . . . some folks brag about it as if its something to be proud? I was brought up not to show out in public . . . I guess its bad news to have strangers see you as some half raised brat. In fact I went to school with a girl who's parents allowed her to use profanity at home, but not outside, in public. Isn' t that strange? I guess they figured, let her do it here and she won't do it out there - where OUR friends and strangers can see her. But after a while, what you are comfortable doing at home, spills out into a general public, right? Maybe. Maybe not. Still, if you are a friend, seems like you'd always be on your best behavior. You'd not want to be stripped of that title. People work hard to attain a certain status in society or a particular position on the job . . . why can't they work just as hard at maintaining a friendship? Oh well, I guess I'm looking for Utopia again . . . and that's just something I usually sleep on (my featherpillow).

posted by Darni @ 11/21/2000 02:07:00 PM

This morning on the 7:30am #36, the bus driver was an ass (he was a substitute). The students attending Druid Hills High School, hit the button about 3 times instead of one - I guess it annoyed the little man. They didn't mean any harm by it, probably just hyped (you know its the holiday season, most people are in good moods, students in particular because they'll be out of school for the rest of this week after tomorrow). In fact, sometimes I ring the bell twice because there are a few drivers who've gone past my stop when I've rang it once - minds are on other things I suppose. Anyway. The Grinch, I mean the driver stops the bus to let them off. But the students didn't move because 1) it wasn't the proper stop and 2) the driver was putting them off in the street practically, not on the sidewalk (traffic is hellacious in this area). When he finally pulled up to the stop, he refused to open the back door which meant all of the students sitting in the far back had to come up front to get off of the bus which meant we had to sit and wait for all of them to pile to the front of the bus - this took an extra minute. I guess, by not opening the back door, that was the driver's way of getting back at the students for ringing the bell 3 times. For the most part, the students aren't a rowdy bunch . . . they are quiet - as quiet as kids can expected to be - no cussing and all of that mess (like some adults I've seen). But I think the driver's refusal to open the back door was quite silly and unprofessional.

In addition to that - I think - today Marta decides on a fare hike. Ahh, just another big company hiking up its fare like a spent whore hiking up her skirt - offering the same sorry service. One of the drivers that picks up us evening folks is ALWAYS late, 20, 30 minutes sometimes. She always blames the traffic but for the month that the drivers were on rotation, the bus was ALWAYS on time . . . and I won't even begin to discuss the keystone cops. But hey, why should I complain at least I don't have to drive in all of this traffic, right? I live 10/15 minutes away, in the summer it takes about me - on Marta 15/20 minutes to get here - now it takes me, with the traffic from Emory students, faculty and Druid Hills' students/faculty/administration - ahhh about 35 mintues, give or take a few minutes. Do I hate Marta - I'm beginning to . . . Why? Because 1) their routes are screwed up 2) when you call customer service for route information, its always wrong 3) police officers are never in the right places and they harrass the wrong people 4) for this to be a growing city, most of the buses stop running after 7:30pm on weeknights and don't run at all on the weekends. So, for you Northerners and jetsetters who are used to taking public transportation . . . you're in for a big surprise when you come here. I've heard New Yorkers and folks from Chicago, even London England complain about the routes here . . . I've never taken public transporation in New York or Chicago but I guess their systems have been around much longer, fine tuned I suppose. Still its irritating, even for me, to call customer service and ask for a bus that will take me up the street then be given a route that takes me all around the perimeter.

posted by Darni @ 11/20/2000 08:53:00 AM