Summer in Portland

Experience Trimet

Riding the bus in Portland is unlike riding the bus in Minneapolis. I don't think I've seen many men in suits hopping onto Metro Transit. Not that they don't, but they must be on a different bus than I take.

I got on the Number 10 here in Portland the other day, and it was like I was in a community meeting. People were talking to each other in such familiar ways. When a blind woman got on the bus, the bus driver asked her where she's been recently, since she wasn't on the bus as usual.

Getting off the Number 10 in downtown, people are everywhere. I cross the street quickly and wait for the Number 8 to ride up the hill to Portland State. On the bus, two men in their early fifties are talking about their false teeth, or lack thereof. One of them men clearly has no teeth at all. They're using really loud voices, and the nicely dressed woman next to them shoots me a glance. I know she's relieved she's getting off at the next stop. The men continue on about how they can't eat steak anymore because they don't have the chops for it. I find myself relieved that I'm getting off the bus soon, too.

When I do get off the bus, I'm at the Urban Center at PSU. The Urban Center was just coming into its own when we were leaving Portland for Minnesota. Now, even at 7am, it's alive with people getting coffee at Seattle's Best before they head on to meet the rest of the day. No coffee for me, but I'll settle for a nice walk across campus in the morning summer sun.