After an unexpectedly long day at work yesterday, I decided to pick a streetcar-related theme for my task, so I could complete it on the ride home to my comfy bed. I had thought that I might strike up a conversation with a friendly-looking passenger (a woman, so no one got the wrong idea and tried to follow me home...) but alas there were only 3 women on my streetcar, and they were not too friendly looking. There were a couple of kind-looking men, but I decided against this.
I'm just going to take a moment to acknowledge the fact that again, I was prevented from a task due to the implication that as men and women, there is an underwritten rule that if I am a stranger and I show you any kind of attention and kindness, I must be trying to sleep with you. I suppose that in many cases this might be true, but what about when it isn't? We are preventing so many possible acts of kindness and friendship because of these assumptions, and in my case assumptions that there will be assumptions. I am also guilty of assuming that most acts of kindness towards me from a man are indications that he wants something more, and can be rather paranoid about this. That said, as a single young lady alone in the city, you can't be too careful. I think I will try to make it a goal to not jump to any conclusions in this regard, still keeping up a little bit of a guard. I'll let you know how this goes.
Okay, back to the story. So without a suitable streetcar buddy, I decided to chat up the driver himself. He was one of the youngest drivers I have seen, probably in his late 20's. I first walked up to him as other people were exiting the car, and he kept the doors open assuming that I was also trying to exit. I assured him that I was not, and then we began moving again.
At this point I actually got quite nervous at the idea of talking to the driver. I guess I don't usually walk up to strangers on my own accord without being at work, or needing help. I worked up a little courage, and then leaned over and asked him how long he had been driving streetcars for. He didn't hear my question and assumed I was asking how long it was going to be until the next streetcar came and told me curtly it would be about 90 seconds. I laughed and told him that I was not asking about that, but I was wondering how long he had been a streetcar driver for. This completely caught him off guard, and he shyly answered that it had been 4 years.
I then asked him what the weirdest thing was that he has ever dealt with at work. This was a difficult question for him to answer. I tried to prompt him by asking about kicking someone off the streetcar or something, and he just smiled a knowing smile and replied that kicking someone off is not an abnormal occurrence.
He thought for a minute and then replied that the strangest thing he had ever seen was with a man who he gave a free ride to one time. He had been homeless and seemed to really need it, so he let him stay on until the end of his route. At the end, the man had asked him for a transfer, which he refused since he had not paid. The man went crazy and grabbed the entire stack of transfers just to spite the driver. at this point it got out of hand and the driver said he was going to have to get the police involved if he did not put down the transfers and calmly leave the car. At that moment, the man took a running start towards the back of the streetcar and jumped through the back window, right through the glass. Of course he ended up hurting himself and the police (and ambulance) were now fully involved. the man didn't get charged with anything, except for the fee of the repair. Was it worth it for another free ride?
Just another day in the life of a streetcar driver. I smiled, thanked him for the story, and continued on my journey home. It was nice to be let in on such a different world for a few minutes.
Love and kindness all.
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