Bad Bus Day

Bad Bus Day on February 25, 2012

Today we had a bad bus day. It was sunny and a hot 30 degrees outside, so we wanted to quickly catch the bus to a car rental place to ask about renting a car. So Yoko and I got to the bus stand near our home a few minutes early. Standing in the heat, Yoko said, “It is hot! Too hot! I need an umbrella.” 

Just then I saw the bus coming and yelled, “Yoko! Here it comes.” I walked up to the stand to “hail” the bus, by raising my hand. I looked at the driver to make eye contact to let him know we were waiting to get on as I hugged the bus sign. And he drove by. Just zoomed by and ignored us! I am sure that I had made eye contact. My mouth dropped open in surprise and I glanced at Yoko who was jumping up and down with her hand still in the air.

“You can stop now. It is gone, “I explained.
“Well, it must be coming back to get us, right?” Yoko asked.
“No, it is gone and not coming back. We just experienced another difference between Japan and Australia. That bus was not full, but the driver just drove by” I explained.
“That would never happen in Japan. I am hot. I want to yell at that driver.” Yoko said.
“Well, I don’t think we will find him. Let’s walk to the Shopping Center bus station and catch the next one,” I said, as we practically crawled to the station, about 5 minutes away.

“I want to yell at that guy. He is so stupid,” Yoko continued.
Ignoring her desire to yell at the driver, I started walking, in the 30 degree weather, to the bus station with Yoko following behind still mumbling about she would like to do to the driver.

Ten minutes later, we caught the next bus. I had to beg Yoko not to yell at this driver because of the last one. We touched our myki cards and got on and then about eight minutes later we were approaching ‘Scoresby Shopping Centre`, a small shopping area. When the sign on the bus read, Next is Scoresby SC, Yoko reached across the aisle to push the button. And then we zoomed by a bus stop, went through the busy intersection, and stopped at the next bus stop. Yoko couldn’t get her myki card to beep, so she flipped it over and tried again, and flipped it again and pushed hard on the machine. 
“Yoko, it is not working let’s get off,” I said as I paid cash and stepped on her foot trying to get off. 
“Ouch, that is my foot.”
“Sorry, but let’s get off.”

Once off the bus, we noticed the stop was Ferntree Gully Road, one stop beyond Scoresby SC.
“These stupid drivers. I pushed the button, but he didn’t stop. Now we have to wait and cross the busy road. And it is hot. Why are they so stupid? And why did you step on my foot?”
“Sorry. I saw the car rental place back across the busy street. Let’s go,” I explain while leading the way.
“It’s hot. Why didn’t the driver stop? These drivers are so impolite.”
“Yoko, not all drivers are like this. We had a couple bad ones. Let’s go to the rental car place.”

So, we talked to the guy at the rental car, who was very helpful, then went to Pie Shed Restaurant where I had an Australian crocodile meat pie. I was hoping to try a kangaroo meat pie, but they were all out.  By the way, pie means meat pie with a sauce. Very delicious, if your name is not Yoko.

Then we had to take a bus back to Knox Shopping Centre. I rushed Yoko through the door, in case she decided to take out her newly acquired bus driver anger on this driver. He was safe. Knox SC is enormous, with 100s of stores, so it is a great place for retail therapy, which Yoko required at this point. It worked. She bought some shirts and towels and temporarily forgot about the two drivers. Until we got home. Then……