TriMet follies

Yesterday, a Friday, it was unusually hot in Portland, so this fellow (who I have seen on the bus before, with shirt on) boarded sans shirt. He's developmentally disabled, but he's a nice enough guy. At any rate, for some reason, the bus was packed to the gills and this guy took it upon himself to direct folks "to the REAR! Go to the REAR!" "MOVE BACK!" and the bus driver was seemingly grateful for his help. He did a good job. But then we stopped at Hollywood Transit Center and an entire middle school class got on the bus for a field trip;. I'm sure that for some of those kids this was their first bus ride and what a ride it was. This guy was their first sight and then they had to pass the old black woman who sat next to me and was carrying on a very animated conversation with an acquaintance across the aisle; whenever a kid got in the line of sight the old woman would berate them and part them like the Red Sea . Poor kids.