"Did that hurt?"

So, Friday was an interesting day for me on the bus, for many reasons.

First of all, I took the later, busier bus, thereby missing my normal peeps, but I'm starting to recognize some of these new dudes. BJ, the plumber dude is on everyday...

But so anyway, I was minding my own business, per usual, but sitting in a different spot than normal. I was on the first normal row of seats (there are the horizontal seats that fold up for wheelchairs). And there was a slightly older gentleman who was sitting on one of the horizontal seats right in front of me. He kept looking at me, and I just kinda ignored him, because that is just what one does in on the bus.

ANYWAY... Just as we're both about to get off, he leans closer to me and says "I just had to let you know that you have the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen..." And it made me feel good to kinda/sorta start my day that way... then I got to work. yuck.

And on my way home, I was being a rebel, and decided to put in my real lip ring before I left the office for the day (a first, usually I wait until I get home). And I'm pissed because I had to stop and get my paycheck (didn't piss me off) but I lost my bus pass so I had to wait in line FOREVER at Albertson's while people were doing money orders, which caused me to just miss the bus that would drop me 1.5 miles closer to the apartment... arg!

But, I managed to catch the bus that I normally take home, and sat near the back, and was about to put on my headphones when I hear "did that hurt?" I kinda ignore it, when i hear it again, "did that hurt?"

It was one of the two guys in the back section of the bus with me... He is gesturing to his lip... Oh, they are talking to me! And so starts a three way conversation about body piercings, gauge piercings and tattoos. Both of the guys looked to be in their mid-to-late forties, and it was an awesome conversation. We talked about the social stigmatisim, how it is starting to disappear, among many other things.

It made me feel good, and I actually made two real bus friends.

And then I got off the bus and realized I had two flat tires on my bike. :(