Blondie

My time here in Austin is slowly but surely coming to an end. And because I am so aware of that, I begin to think of all the things I will miss here.

Let me tell you about Blondie. Blondie probably isn't her real name (and if it were that would only add to her charisma), but it suits her well. Blondie is a true original. She never fails to amaze me with skillful and complicated hair-dos, pinned up by her long, pink nails, held in place by a variety of red and pink butterfly clips, her died golden locks professionally going this way and that, giving the impression of not only a creative and innovative updo, but at the same time of an early spring meadow, alive with butterflies and dragonflies and all kinds of flies, bouncing on blades of golden grass; a dynamic as well as peaceful scenario. Wow, I got carried away.
Anyway.

Blondie drives a bus. She is as creative with her hair and pink nails as she is driving that bus. Whereas other bus drivers stop at red traffic lights and accelerate when it turns green again, Blondie lets out all her unbounded innovative spirit. She slowly creeps up to green traffic lights. Red lights seem to come as a surprise to her. Every time. And even though she always tries to get through, she never does. The light turning red always makes her abruptly stop the bus, at the last second. You would think that the yellow phase would be warning enough of a future change to red (- and I practically hear certain friends call out loud: "Yellow means GO FASTER!!" I love you, guys!!), but - oh, no! - she always thinks she can make it. She never can. Red just comes too fast. Evil red, evil!
And whereas other bus drivers make the way from campus to Riverside in about 15 minutes - and therefore I know that the distance can be covered in that time span! - Blondie delights us with her pure presence and takes close to 30 minutes, even if I-35 is not packed with traffic. Who says an express way has something to do with express, anyway...
She is also the only bus driver that takes regular potty breaks. Or calls her family from her cell phone and jabbers on and on in Spanish even though she could (and should) get going.

There again, she also brings out emotions. Yes, she is such a big part of my life that every time I see her, it makes me feel a certain way. Seeing her drive up when I need to take the bus home or to campus makes me moan and sigh and wail, and I am annoyed real quick, desperately wishing for another bus I could take instead. And not just me! A friend and I are getting pretty good at simultaneously venting all pent-up frustration, rolling eyes and moaning and all that good stuff, when we see her slowly, veeeery slowly, drive up to the bus stop. By now she knows us. We're the ones sneering and snickering at her current meadow-like hair-do when getting in her bus.
But then, she makes us laugh, too. Mostly when we do not need to get on her bus and see her driving those poor souls who rely on her to get from A to B. Yes, that very friend and I just crack up in those situations. In public. Just because we see her.

Oh, Blondie, you manage to make my day. What will I do without you?