Much More Than Just A Ride To Work
If you don't take the bus, you're missing part of the human drama. Some recent episodes from "On the Buses, Seattle Style:"
-- Ballard resident Tom Roush, who has a new breadmaker, promises a hot-out-of-the-oven slice to his No. 28 bus driver. But, come morning, Roush is delayed. As the bus pulls away, Roush dashes out of his front door waving the bread. The bus driver brakes for fresh bread - and, as Roush leaps through the door, the passengers break into spontaneous applause.
-- A young father boards the No. 25 with two well-mannered tots about 2 and 4 years old. When they reach their destination, the younger child insists on stopping to shake hands with the driver.
-- Amy Mecken is homeward bound on the No. 28 last week. When they reach the Aurora Avenue North traffic jam, the driver says, "Today, in honor of the Grateful Dead concert, it's trivia time." Mecken says: "The passengers were slow to respond, but then they caught on to questions like, `What kind of business, besides music, is Jerry Garcia in?' The driver had enough trivia to keep us busy for the 10 to 15 minutes it took to get through the congestion."
Testimonial: Councilman Ron Sims was so starry-eyed at yesterday's Metropolitan King County Council meeting that he almost missed voting on an important growth-planning measure.
The reason for his dreaminess? Initially Sims blamed the sunshine, but colleague Pete von Reichbauer revealed the true reason: It was the wedding anniversary of Sims and his wife, Cayan Tapacio.
Asked which anniversary, Sims replied, "Eight wonderful years. It's even better now than in the beginning."
Fore! Filming of Pioneer Square scenes for "Assassins," a movie starring Sylvester Stallone, has fostered cooperation between the film crew and Underground Tours. How close? Well, the moviemakers ended up asking for a private tour.
While working out the details, the Underground's Dana Cox caught sight of Stallone. Clad only in trousers, Sly was driving golf balls on a practice range set up near Waterfall Park. Look out, pigeons.
Different drummer: Seattle appears to have cornered the market on didgeridoos.
At the Folklife Festival Monday night, about 200 participants showed up at the Horiuchi Mural to play the pipelike instrument from Australia.
How to explain the sudden popularity of the didgeridoo? One observer says, "The sound - a kind of low drone - blends well with Celtic music."
Donations: Shortly after the Oklahoma City bombing, Maureen Pierre at Phoenix Rising Gallery put out a large bottle and a window sign saying she was collecting money to donate to the Red Cross to help the families of victims.
Pierre has been surprised by the generosity of donors who range from street people who deposit a few coins to one passerby who left a $100 bill. A woman with a baby stroller came in and wanted to give blood. Said Pierre, "I told her I was sorry we don't have facilities for that."
West of Eden: A Seattleite, back from Montana, reports seeing this sign on a Whitefish taxidermy shop: "We're just trying to make a buck."
Jean Godden's column appears Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday in the Local News section of The Times. Her phone is 464-8300.