The wheels on the bus...

I've never ridden on a public transit.
I take that back. I've ridden the light rail in Phoenix.
But I've never ridden a public bus. In Tucson.
I'd heard rumors about what a bus is like-- a homeless haven with an aroma of urine.
Needless to say, I was a bit nervous to board a bus, but I treated it like an adventure, and all my fears went away. I mean, how scary can it really be?
I boarded the bus with my map in hand. I struggled to keep my balance at the payment machine while the bus started moving. I fumbled for my change. The bus driver looked at me in annoyance.
“Do you need a transfer?” he said.
“Um, no, I don't think so … no,” I replied in an obvious state of confusion.
After spending too much time trying to find the place to insert coins, and feeling more embarrassed than anything, I made my way to sit down.
It was obvious that I was out of place. As if the payment fiasco wasn't enough, I was wearing a blue Marc Jacobs blazer and white jeans. I looked like a bright crayon in a sea of dull, dark colors. I tried to find an empty seat as quickly as possible, trying to avoid adding to the level of awkward.
Finally, I situated myself in a seat alone, and began to observe my surroundings.
There was a father and son across the aisle from me. The son was playing on his Nintendo D.S. while asking the timeless question, “Are we there yet?” The dad was trying to politely ignore a talkative old man wearing a hat that read “Dysfunctional veteran, leave me alone!” I felt a little sympathetic for that dad, but I felt more relieved that I wasn't in his situation. There's nothing worse than being stuck on a bus next to someone who will not shut up, I'm sure.
In front of me sat an elderly Mexican couple. They sat in silence. Their faces said they had seen a lot. They were tired and worn. But there was an obvious love between them. A for better or for worse type of love. Meanwhile, behind me sat a young Mexican couple. They were loud and obnoxious. They were too touchy for public standards. There was an obvious lust between them. A type of love that probably would end in a month.
After noticing the people around me, I finally noticed where the bus had taken me. We were in Downtown Tucson. I panicked. What if we went all the way to South Tucson and I had no way back? Without even thinking twice, I got off at the next stop.
While I walked around town, I realized that the scariest part of the bus was not knowing where I was going in town. The experience it self wasn't scary at all! I realized that I made my situation strange because I was intimidated. I let the stereotypes and the rumors freak me out, and as a result it made me nervous and awkward. It made an interesting parallel to meeting new people. In no way should I let stereotypes and rumors freak me out. I should always give a person a chance before making a judgment on them. Because if I take meeting people like riding the bus, I'll be nervous and awkward. And who knows? The stereotypes might not be true.
I mean, the bus didn't even smell like urine.