The best and the worst of humanity comes out on the bus
A microcosm of camaraderie, solidarity, cultural exchange, ethnic strife
Whether the people up front move out of the way and help fasten down an old woman in a wheelchair
or everyone yells to the driver if someone is running up about to miss their ride
or some tom clancy looking dickbag decides to chime in when a black woman smacks her kid- boy that was a loud one
besides them it was just me and the driver and neither of us were getting involved in that shit
But it’s more good than bad, we’re all locals
we’re all stuck here
we all sort of get along
Like when the whole bus was roused in a discordant chorus of ‘that’s what’s up’ when we passed the construction site of a new Popeye’s popping up in town
I said nothing but I did nod knowingly
Popeyes is the bomb, screw KFC
New warning signs were put up; now in English, Spanish and Hanzi
Since the population from mainland China has exploded in recent years
they’re foreign students and they’re locals too
it’s almost like we live in a real city
an oasis of Tech Money in the middle of Nothing Nowhere USA
almost makes me proud to live in Illinois
almost
My car broke down, it needs a new starter
and some medical emergencies prevented me from ponying up the cash
so I’ve become one of the bus regulars and I’m starting to blend with the rest of the weirdos
I wonder if everyone learns everyone elses’ schedule or it’s just me.
A group of guys file on every day, all kind of gimpy and weird looking,
I think they all stay together in assisted living, they’re a riot.
The other day they piled on board from the park and they had gas station hot dogs, and they lead a chant, stomping their feet, singing some song that I didn’t understand
as badly as I wanted to join in

Some old man stepped on and said one thing to the driver:
“cubs are looking good this year”
the driver replied, “mm hm”
I think that exchange sums up the bus.