About a week and a half ago, I travelled up to Red Deer, Alberta (Canada), to play at a my friend's wedding. Because I'm really poor right now, I ended up taking a Greyhound Bus halfway. I met up with some friends in Idaho and rode with them the rest of the way. We were scheduled to meet in Couer d'Alene. The bus arrived there around 6:30pm. As I got off and went to go collect my luggage, I noticed that the bus depot was virtually deserted and also looked like it was closed.
"Is the bus depot closed?" I asked th e bus driver.
"Why don't you go try the door and see for yourself." He said to me...very rudely.
So I went and tried the door and lo and behold.....the depot was closed. The bus left in a hurry as I stood along with one other guy waiting for our rides. Since my friends were coming from Moscow, Idaho, they were going to be late.
The bus depot was located in an industrial area and there was no place around to go and keep warm or get something to eat. It had snowed and was pretty cold out.
"I'm feeling anxious." the other guy said to me.
"Oh? Why is that?" I asked.
"Because I just got out of jail this morning for domestic battery." he said to me.
?!?!?!?!?!?!???!?!!!!!!!!!!!! What the hec? I didn't even know his name and this was the first thing he tells me?
Didn't quite know what to say to that.
I moved a little bit and ended up stepping in a puddle...soaking my right foot. Lovely. Even in Idaho, my Coincident Misfortune Syndrome seems to be working just fine.
The guy ended up introducing himself to me as Doc. We politely chit chatted, but I felt uncomfortable.
I decided I'd call Bryan and talk to him for a little while.
"Hello?' Bryan answered sleepily...because it was 4:30am where he was.
"I'm just going to stay on the phone with you until my ride comes." I told him.
"What's going on?" he asked.
Trying to speak as quietly as I could I said, "I'm with a guy who was just in jail for beating up his wife."
"What?!"
"You heard me." I said.
Long pause.
"Is this some joke?" Bryan asked.
"No, this isn't a joke!" I said. "Why would I joke about something like that?"
"You're for real?"
"Yes, I am! Wait a second....what did you hear me say?" I asked.
"That you're in jail for beating up someone's wife. How did this happen?" Bryan asked.
I burst out laughing and then tried to tell him the correct information in a quiet voice.
"Oh. Ok. Guess I'm still waking up." he said.
Eventually my ride did end up coming and all was well.
If I tried to tell you about the rest of my greyhound ride in its entirety, it'd take too long. But it would be about a lot of weird people and how I got hit on a couple of times.
All I have to say is that I hope I never have to take another Greyhound bus again.
