My Bus Buddy

One of the things I love about mass transit is the people you meet. I ride the same bus at the same time every week day, so everyone else who does the same get's to know eachother.

This is Doug. Without a doubt, Doug is one of the goofiest and funniest people I know. We used to have a bus driver on our route named Dennis - and the two of them together were like listening to Abbot and Costello. Doug's favorite thing to call Dennis was an "Oxymoron!"

Doug is mentally handicapped, but he's very independent. He lives at home, but he's had several good jobs, and is proud to tell you that he has been working as a dishwasher at a senior assisted living center for the last six years! I know several people who've never held a job for six years in their lives - let alone 6 months! Doug is pretty amazing. Doug is computer literate, and loves to listen to the radio on his scanner.

Doug is a gentle funny friend. He makes me smile every morning on our way to the Trax station. When I see Doug getting on the bus, I always take off my MP3 player because I know we're in for a good talk on the way to the train. Of special note, Doug is a Christian, and believe it or not, was baptized at Calvary Chapel by Terry Long... as I took pictures on the sideline. Small world!

Now that Dennis is no longer on our route in the morning, someone had to become the oxymoron... so now it's me. And it's a title I'm proud to hold!

"Ah, Mike, you're just a big oxymoron!"

This is me... take it or leave it.