Well, I was sure that I would never be inspired to write again -- until this morning.
I must start at the beginning of this story. Two weeks ago Shelter Island had an ecumenical breakfast for all the ministers on the Island and we were invited. I entered a raffle contest and won $8. That was pretty exciting because I don't usually win anything. Then they announced that on December 8th a bus would be taking any of the seniors on the Island into the city for the day for $10 each. I never considered myself a senior before, but I decided to make an exception in this case. (I am told that a senior is anyone over 55). Dad and I thought this sounded like fun so we bought two tickets which actually cost $6 each considering my winnings (I always have to justify my purchases somehow because I was brought up a good little Catholic girl with a guilty conscience)
We set our alarm clock for 6 AM being that we had to be at the bus at the ferry at 8 AM. My alarm never actually went off but I found myself staring at the clock at 6 AM anyway. Dad and I got right up had our coffee, showered and were ready to go into the city for the day.
We wanted to leave the house at exactly 7:30 AM. On the way out the door, I said "Wait, I have to check my e-bay auctions. Two people had written me questions about items that I quickly answered. It took all of two minutes.
We headed out the door, stopped at the ATM machine and got to the ferry at 7:40. Plenty of time. We bought our tokens and got on the ferry. The ferry did not move. "Why are we not moving?" we asked the deckhand. "Because there is only one ferry slip open on the other side and the ferries have to wait to dock. "Oh No!" we thought. "You might make it over to catch your bus", he said.
The ferry arrived at the dock at 8:01. The bus was still there. The deckhand said, "There's your bus! You made it!" We walked quickly to the bus. As we approached the door of the bus, it just took off. We yelled and waved our hands. All of the people near the ferry yelled and waved their hands. There was a big 18 wheeler waiting to get on the ferry. He honked his horn as loud as he could for a long time. The bus never hesitated - it just kept going down the street and we saw it turn the corner.
A lady came up to us. She said "That was so rude of that bus driver - That was Sunrise Busses - Here is there phone number - Call the main office and tell that bus to come back to get you". We did. The person at the other end said there was no way that bus could turn around and come and get us. Dad said, "It is only two blocks away!" "Sorry",she said. "There are 47 people on that bus." Dad said. "There were supposed to be 49". "Sorry," she said.
We were consoled by the crowd at the ferry. One man said "Those bus drivers can be pretty rough". Others said "What a shame!".
We were going to get back on the ferry and go home. Then we thought "Why not walk around Greenport for awhile as long as we are here?". We went to a coffee shop. I said to Dad: "There is a reason we did not go to the city today. Maybe the bus is going to be in an accident. Maybe there is going to be a terrorist attack in New York City. Maybe I would have been mugged." He looked at me quietly and said, "I think the reason we did not go to New York City today is because you had to check your e-bay stuff before we left the house." LOW BLOW.
Two men in the street approached us, "Your bus came back for you!! They waited five minutes - but they couldn't find you". Dad said to me "That lady lied to me - She told me the bus could not come back".
We strolled around Greenport and had a fairly pleasant time. Dad stopped blaming me and said it was really the ferry's fault, not mine, but the damage was already done. Going home on the ferry a wave splashed into my face and over my head. I said, "I am not going to let that dampen my spirits".
