Smiling Through Blazing Tears

It's hotter than a manager in a microwave. Wait, that's a bad joke. But hey, it works. Try doing your business in one of North Terminal's porta-poopers and your methane leak might explode from the 170-degree temperatures within. An outhouse rocket soaring over Big Pink with an angry bus operator at the controls. Am I suffering from heat stroke? If so, at least I have an excuse for this post.

It's been a rough week. Two of my dearest friends, Liz and Sam, have passed away into whatever after-world they believed in. Left me, and many more who loved them, wandering in a grief-filled fog. Maybe it was their escape from the heat, but I'll stick it out. Not too eager to follow in their soul-steps. When I eulogized Madame Guttersnipe in my last post, I actually wailed when I wrote the final line. It has been very hard to farewell them both, as I'm sure you all can understand. The second death happened a few months ago, but I only just found out yesterday on my way to work.

People take us for granted much of the time. It was all I could do to hold back my tears the past several days. But bus operators are hardened after only a few years. We have to remain professional in the face of many personal tragedies. If we don't remain focused, somebody gets hurt.

How did that ball get there? Interesting things
you find on a bus route.

I've developed a technique to deal with life's hardships as I drive. It's a combination of being overly nice and forgiving. Not once have I muttered a sarcastic "You're welcome" to the snob-set that flashes its Hop Pass without even acknowledging the operator. In honor of Liz, I took even more care than usual with ADA passengers, making sure to ensure their comfort without patronizing them. In honor of Sam, I did my best to make people laugh (as she did) with groaner jokes. Her joy in life, even as she constantly battled personal tragedies, is inspiring.

This Sunday afternoon at 3:00, I'll take an hour to sit with Henry Beasley and do a FaceBook Live with y'all on “The Union Minute.” A supporter of this blog since the beginning, it's always nice to sit and chat with him. He has some solid ideas to move our union forward, and of course I'm open to forward progress. Please tune in and ask ol' Deke whatever you like. Weird stuff, serious or fun. I'm open. Surprise me. Just don't expect to see me. Henry's much more handsome than I am anyway. I'll protect this nom de guerre a while longer, with your help.

Time to go run down some squirrels and terrorize skateboarders. Tweak some manager's nose. Rubber band a trainer's chair to his desk. Not really, I'm just plumb tuckered out. My dad wrote me a prescription that simply said: "Go have some fun, kid." Yeah Dad, I think that's a great idea.