Monday, July 23, 2007

More public transportation

Last week, when I wrote about the little run-in with a sawed-off little runt on the Las Vegas bus system, I may have left the impression that the incident soured the Wife on riding the buses in Las Vegas.

It didn't.

What did, was a later trip, where we sat behind the guy that was carrying a hunting knife and a map to the psychiatric hospital.

We had to pick up some supplies, and the hotel and other downtown shops didn't have everything we needed ... at anything near a reasonable price.

Of course, that meant a trip to ... Wal-Mart!

The Las Vegas bus system does run to Wal-Mart. It runs to just about all of the Wal-Marts in Sin City.

But the Wal-Mart closest to the Strip ... as best as I could tell ... was the Super Wal-Mart on Charleston. Which meant taking the Deuce to Charleston, then taking the 206 to Wal-Mart. And, of course, reversing the route when we're through shopping.

So, we did.

The Deuce to Charleston was easy enough. We got off at Charleston and walked over to the 206 stop, on that block. There was someone else that walked up right as we got there.

We sat down, looking at our paperwork, trying to make sure we were taking the right bus and everything. While we were doing that, the fellow got up from the other bench, walked past us to the trash can, rummaged around inside, pulled out a Powerade or Gatorade bottle, emptied it, then sat back down on the other bench.

When the bus came, he got on before us and sat down in the first empty bench, though not the first empty seat. We sat in the next empty bench (two seats). And the bus pulled away.

After just a little bit, I noticed the Wife's eyes get wide. I wasn't sure what she was looking at ... because there was quite a lot to see. Not anyone that looked like John (actually, Joseph) Merrick, but some interesting characters nonetheless.

She was calm for a minute, then got all wide-eyed again. I figured I better ask, so I leaned over.

She informed me of the hunting knife the fellow sitting in front of us had. She could see fine at an angle, over the seat from about 225° ... and that I couldn't see because, well, I was too close.

She also informed me of the paperwork he had in his hand. It was a printout of directions to the Rawson-Neal Psychiatric Hospital.

We got to Wal-Mart before he go to the hospital, so we left him on the bus.

When we were done at the Wal-Mart, we hopped the 206 back to the Strip, and took the Deuce back to Harrah's.

It was the last time we took a bus off the Strip.

And it will be the last time we ever take a bus off the Strip. At least, if I enjoy life, she told me.

1 comment:

  1. Well, aren't you glad he didn't get off the bus and follow you around the store!

    ReplyDelete

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