Just another normal Friday...

Today started off like any other Friday, I woke up eager to get into work, as usual, had brekkie, as usual, did all the normal ablutions, as usual, and headed off for the bus, as usual. Those readers who know me, know I have to get two buses into work, it's not that I live that far away, it's just that there is no direct bus service from my A to my B.

Anyway that's by the by, this morning on my second bus journey I saw a rare sight indeed. Something I haven't seen for a long time, if fact I can't remember the last time I saw a thing like this on the Northside of Dublin (I can't speak for the Southside as I rarely venture over that way myself).

At first I wasn't sure of what I was seeing, this rare creature alighted from a packed and heaving 41A bus and hovered around the bus-stop, kinda nervous like, maybe this rarely seen bearded sight was self-conscious, as it was clearly out of it's natural habitat.

The 41A was full, so I decided that as I was actually early for work this morning, I would wait for the next bus and so I saw what happened next. The bearded rarely seen sight then hopped into a little blue car that had pulled up at the bus-stop and drove off in it.  At this stage I wasn't really paying that much attention because I had taken up 'my waiting for the bus' stance and zoned out. I only come of out of this fugue when another bus approaches which happened to be the 41C. It was half empty which always indicates to me that it is going to be a nice pleasant journey into work, but, boy, was I wrong!

I love the summers in Dublin, it's not because of the weather, or the people, or even the place, its because of the TRAFFIC. There is always much less traffic in town in the summer and my two-bus-taking-journey-into-work usually only takes about 20 minutes, in comparison to 60-90 minutes at any other time of the (school) year!

This morning was no exception, the bus sped along and quickly caught up with the aforementioned 41A, and lo and behold, there was the little blue car trailing along behind it. Now as the traffic was almost non-existent the little blue car had plenty of opportunity to over take the bus (and get out of the bus lane) and be on its merry way, but it didn't, so my curiosity was piqued and I started paying attention and imagining all sorts of scenarios!

We journeyed over the bridge and down the slip road, where my bus pulled up short of the bus-stop to pick up 'a running for the bus person'. As we pulled away a ghostly voice came over the bus radio praising the driver for stopping and picking up this person, the voice said "that makes all difference to someone, stopping like that and picking them up, especially if they are on their way to work, you did a great job there, well done, you have given people a great impression of Dublin Bus and the service we provide." I kid you not! This may not be word for word, but you get the gist of it. This is a rare thing in itself, a Dublin bus driver being praised for anything! He was very surprised and even started smiling!!!

But who made that observation, especially so quickly? I thought it must have been one of the drivers of either the bus in front (41A) or the one behind (16), so maybe it was meant sarcastically! Then I thought, maybe it came from the little blue car, I mean, the people in the little blue car of course (it did have rather a big aerial). See, I told you I started imagining all sorts of stuff.

Well, anyway we journeyed on to the second next stop (there were no people to pick up at the next stop) and I noticed that the little blue car had finally overtaken the bus, but had now pulled over (again in the bus lane) in front of the heaving full 41A. To my astonishment, three of the rarely seen sights emerged from the little blue car and approached the two buses at the stop.

The first bearded rarely seen sight had a quick look inside the 41A, (oops sorry forgot to say that there were now two bearded rarely seen sights, the third rarely seen sight was not bearded, but was in fact quite attractive). Anyhow, they had a quick peek into the heaving 41A and then made their way onto my 41C bus, which was now quite full, but not yet heaving; and I started getting nervous. I thought, oh! this is not good, not good at all, three of them together, at once, on the same bus, be afraid, be very afraid!

So, you ask, what are these rarely seen sights that I am talking about, why would three of them together put me in a state of nervousness and apprehension, well...I mean to say...have you not guessed yet?

They were a variety of the rarely seen and even lesser known.

DUBLIN BUS TICKET INSPECTORS, AND THEY ARE NOW HUNTING IN PACKS!!!

That's right folks, three ticket inspectors got on the bus this morning and proceeded to check everyones tickets, and for the first time ever, the guy actually looked at my ID, and then me, and then nodded in acknowledgment that it was indeed actually me.  Some poor unsuspecting girl behind me had her ticket confiscated because she wasn't carrying her Dublin Bus ID, and therefore could not possibly have been her, and the non-bearded (quite attractive) inspector was quite happily giving out pink fine slips to beat the band!!

So be warned!!

Oh, and by the way, I was right, the ghostly voice did come from the little blue car...please don't ask me how I know.