https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sa1TgAeZlQI’d rather have a root canal than go to the dentist.
Maybe that’s not exactly true, but I did have a dental appointment for a regular checkup and cleaning, so I left work early to catch the bus. The Nashville MTA app is now defunct. It used to show riders when specific buses were due to arrive. Now it just lists the scheduled arrivals at different stops which is pretty useless because its rare that buses are ever on schedule. I was reminded of this when I was standing on one side of the street and the bus I wanted, not due for another ten minutes, pulled up to the stop across the street, paused for a microsecond, and went on its way. Once on that side of the street I set off on my merry way with plans to catch the next bus or walk to the dentist’s office, whichever came first. Fortunately I did catch the next bus, and when I got on the driver said, “Nobody’s ever at this stop at this time of day,” and I said, “Well, someone was today!”
Then at the dentist’s office the hygienist asked me if I were feeling better and I asked, “Was I feeling bad six months ago?” I’d forgotten that I’d had a dental appointment the week before but had to reschedule because I had a cold, which is how my short term memory is, but that’s another story.
When I left the dentist’s office I checked the bus schedule, thinking I’d catch the bus going back, and while I was doing that the bus, due in about five minutes, sped by, so I started walking.
As I was standing on a corner waiting for the light to change a young guy and his large black Labrador Retriever came and stood next to me. The Labrador Retriever looked up at me and I asked the guy, “What’s his name?”
“Oliver,” he told me.
“Hello, Oliver,” I said, and Oliver wagged his tail and rubbed his head against me, and I petted him, which made us both pretty happy. And I was actually glad I missed the bus because if I hadn’t I wouldn’t have met Oliver.
Making a new dog friend beats missing a bus any day!
No matter what else happens making a new dog friend makes for a good day.
I really, really appreciate your commitment to using transit. I need to get better about it.
I once had an appointment on Halloween, and my dentist was dressed as Superman. It was fantastic.
It’s really commitment to our dogs. My wife and I ride to work together and I ride the bus so she can work late and I can let the dogs out.
And a dentist dressed as Superman would be great. I’d be happy to be worked on by that dentist.
This post made me very happy for many reasons, Chris including (1) you’re feeling better, (2) we met Oliver, (3) you take public transportation, (4) the Squeeze video!, (5) Paul Carrack is one of my most favorite singers, and it wasn’t me at the dentist (it will be in 11 days, but that’s another story).
Your comment made me happy because you enjoy the Squeeze video so much, and I didn’t realize Paul Carrack was the lead singer of Squeeze in spite of enjoying so many of their songs. Every day I get to learn something new.