After the garage told me this morning that my truck would "probably" be ready on Tuesday I decided that I should go and pick up some groceries to tide me over and save a few bucks. I had noticed there was a bus stop across the highway from my hotel so I got online and checked the bus routes and schedules. That line runs by a Wally World and has a stop there.

Now, I must confess here that I have never ridden on a city bus in my life. I have always driven or taken a taxi. Taking a bus was a new experience for me.

I have to give my thanks to the bus driver for his patience and excellent customer service. When I stepped onto the bus I had no clue as to how I was supposed to pay my $2 fare. I saw this sort of kiosk and finally figured out that it had a slot for the bills. The driver could see I was out of my element and asked me where I was going.

When the bus stopped at a bus stop across the highway from the Wally World I got up to exit but the driver stopped me and told me he would be going around the block and would stop so as one didn't have to cross the highway. I sat down again.

I got to Wally World no problem. The real adventure started when I left there. The bus driver had told me that the return bus stopped at the same place and had the same number (57). Well, I thought that made it pretty easy.

After  my shopping I returned to the bus stop and waited. When a bus with the number 57 on it pulled up I happily got on and paid my fare. When it reached the intersection I noticed that it turned south instead of north. Hmmmm.

After about 45 minutes and several stops we reached a mall. When the last of the passengers had piled off the bus the driver looked at me and asked me where I was going. I told him and he informed me that I had caught the wrong bus and should have waited for the 57 that came 20 minutes after the one I was on. How the hell was I supposed to know that?

Well, after I explained that I was from out of town (no way I was going to say this was my first city bus ride), he agreed to let me  take the ride back north again without charging me again.

I got a real nice  tour of the area here. I also got to meet some very, ummm, interesting people. Here I was in khakis, dark blue shirt, yellow and blue paisley bow tie, gray silk sport coat, and brown Homburg hat riding on a city bus with some people who gave me the hairy eyeball the instant they stepped on the bus and looked like they shopped in downtown dumpsters. Hell, most of them didn't even speak English.

One  woman of obvious questionable sanity stared at me the entire time she was on the bus. I swear I expected her to whip out a butcher knife at any moment.

Somehow I don't think I'll be riding a bus again any time in the future. Just not my thing and I'll stick to taxis thank you very much.