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<p>I have been taking the same bus to work day in day out (on the days I haven't run in). The commute in has the same people day in and day out. You get to know people, even get to be "bus buddies" with them.</p>
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<p>There is a downtown school that is designed for people who are single parents or who work downtown and don't have alternate care for their children, it also has a day care center, and for years we've seen mothers and fathers board with their toddlers and school aged kids for the ride in.</p>
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<p>One particular woman became a "bus buddy". She was older than most of the other moms, quiet and calm, gentle with her boy, and he has turned into a gentle young man - definitely a boy in terms of his energy and interests, but gentle and considerate. </p>
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This is his last week on the bus as his family goes on vacation and he returns to go to a neighbourhood school. </p>
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<p>This week also saw the arrival of a young African woman and her 8 month old baby, riding the bus together for the first time. Yesterday morning she had to run for the bus and arrived breathless and with her hands full with the baby. She placed the child in my bus buddy's lap without a word and paid her fare, returned and sat down beside my buddy.</p>
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<p>People around me were a bit speechless at the boldness of this young woman's actions. I didn't see it as bold at all. In her culture a mother is a mother is a mother, and if you are part of a community you would do something like this without thinking, trusting your neighbour.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She picked the right woman to help her out though... maybe she knew.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And now I have a new friend to get to know on our travels. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>There is a downtown school that is designed for people who are single parents or who work downtown and don't have alternate care for their children, it also has a day care center, and for years we've seen mothers and fathers board with their toddlers and school aged kids for the ride in.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>One particular woman became a "bus buddy". She was older than most of the other moms, quiet and calm, gentle with her boy, and he has turned into a gentle young man - definitely a boy in terms of his energy and interests, but gentle and considerate. </p>
<p><br>
This is his last week on the bus as his family goes on vacation and he returns to go to a neighbourhood school. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>This week also saw the arrival of a young African woman and her 8 month old baby, riding the bus together for the first time. Yesterday morning she had to run for the bus and arrived breathless and with her hands full with the baby. She placed the child in my bus buddy's lap without a word and paid her fare, returned and sat down beside my buddy.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>People around me were a bit speechless at the boldness of this young woman's actions. I didn't see it as bold at all. In her culture a mother is a mother is a mother, and if you are part of a community you would do something like this without thinking, trusting your neighbour.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She picked the right woman to help her out though... maybe she knew.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And now I have a new friend to get to know on our travels. </p>
