Mama Toc Helps Out Mother Earth

Yes--I took the bus. A city bus. Here in Denver which is a big city. Armed with a print-out of the bus route and 2 maps of downtown(totally useless for me) I arrived at the bus stop with 3 minutes to spare. I hopped on the 15L and 15 minutes later, I arrived at National Jewish. It was a piece of cake.

Denver is a young city. People in cities walk faster. There were mostly minorities on the bus but everyone but moi seemed to have the system figured out. I noticed that everyone seemed to know how the bus system worked--and nobody but myself used money. They all had something they flashed at the driver who barely looked up--but was very helpful with me and made sure I got off at the right stop. But when I stood up to get off the bus I was horrified to discover my jacket, pants and the bus seat were sopping wet! I couldn't imagine what had happened.

I soon discovered that when I'd left the hotel room I'd thrown my bottle of water into my backpack at the last minute. I'd forgotten to screw the top down so when it ended up upside down in the pack, it had leaked water out all over everything! I shudder to think what the next person who sat in my bus seat thought had happened to the previous patron.

Being back at National Jewish was a familiar experience. I was feeling pretty cocky until it was my turn to check in. That's when I realized I had screwed up BIG TIME just before leaving the hotel room. The purse I'd brought wasn't nearly large enough to hold everything I needed. I had taken the purse and shaken the contents into my backpack and dashed out of the room. The problem was that my CASH, CREDIT CARDS, ID, HEALTH CARD, MEDICAL RECORDS & CELL PHONE were not in my backpack! I was stranded. If it hadn't been for the $5.00 bill Mr. T had left on the desk and I had shoved in my pocket at the last minute I would have been up S. Creek with no paddle!!!!

Fortunately, the people at NJC were very understanding and I didn't need to present anything--they had all the information still on file from last April. Once again, I proclaim that Congress should just GO HOME and turn over the running of the country to the amazingly efficient folk at National Jewish. The place is amazing. I had 5 procedures done over 3 hours and poof! was done and out the door--ready to tackle the return trip by public transit.

Now it was rush hour and the trip was quite different. First of all, I would like to point out that the 15L bus is definitely NOT the same as the 15 bus. I managed to get on the 15 bus. I think I was distracted by the young man with dreadlocks down past his shoulder and a fake pony tail that dangled at least a foot past his, uh, how shall we say? elimination portal? It swayed when he walked, bopping each "cheek" of his butt. No wonder I got on the wrong bus.

The bus was jam-packed on the return trip. After about 25 minutes on the bus I realized I was on the wrong bus. I asked the driver how to get to Champa St. and she pointed in a general direction and I got off. Oy vey! It took me about one block to get totally lost. I passed a Starbucks--can't go in and get coffee--no card or cash. I passed a Ross--I really wanted to get a new purse that would work on this trip--no go--no cash, no credit card. I was in a whole different world. It was a world where I could not just get what I wanted. It was a sobering thought. I wasn't talking about lavish expenditures--I was just talking about a few items that would have made my life easier at this particular moment.

In short, the trip home took me an hour. I stumbled upon the hotel in what seemed to me, totally by chance. I had no idea where I got off the bus and had left the card with the hotel address in the purse. All I know is that I blessed Mr. T a thousand times for having gotten a bottle of pinot grigio the night before. Don't bother with a glass--just put a nipple in that bottle and hand it over!!!

One has survived. More to follow.