Greyhound Memoirs #18

STANDOFF
5/19/01 6:08am MST

Everyone’s got a hussle. Everyone thinks they’ve got to be a player. I almost lost my cool last night when an Esse named David tried to get “fresh” with me. He was talking to me, telling me he wanted to sit with me, when he had a seat across the aisle. I told him I had been traveling for two days and I was tired and I just wanted to get some sleep. I went to use the bathroom and he was sitting in my seat when I got back. I kept telling him I was tired and I wanted him to move. He was saying I could lie down in his lap and finally I got out of my seat and stood in the aisle glaring at him. Finally he moved back to his seat.

A couple of hours later, he apologized. Said he was stoned out of his mind and that I should get to know him. The guy sitting next to him, who was on the bus with me from Chicago apologized too and said he should have done something for me and to let him know if Esse bothers me anymore or I need anything.

This isn’t happening to anyone else. I’m not that cute. Do I look that much like prey? I wasn’t firm enough I am too nice, but I handled myself on both buses. I got my seats. Something I will learn as a cocktail waitress in a mismanaged bowling alley is to handle most any situation.