A daylong bus trip is hell on earth enough.

The addition of an irritating talker - and the wide spectrum of images that conjures up - would send me over the edge, and conflict would surely ensue. I don't like conflict. I like nice things and puppies and love. I don't like hating other people, either, and at times when I've been trapped by someone else's narcissistic or nervous need to yammer on on any kind of public transportation, the hatred has reached occasionally unmanageable levels.

And I know 'hate' is a bad word and I'm not supposed to use it. This is catharsis, sorry.

I like to sit with quiet people, with people who can manage their impulse control to the point that they understand the stakes of being trapped in less-than-stellar unavoidable confinement. I like people who sleep, and who ignore me with the assistance of headphones. I like people who tacitly acknowledge where we are, who will kindly retrieve my crackers from the aisle and who don't freak out when I do my inevitable dance of dropping my shit - iPod, phone, book, apple, what have you, and who will - silently, kindly, in the spirit of Agape love - help me retrieve it.

I should add if you're new that I'm an unrepentant verbal processor, a true extrovert who can talk the paint off the walls. And if I can rein it in, so can anyone else in this whole wide world. Especially when we're leaving the driving to them.

So on buses - on trains, planes, and in some cases automobiles - shhhhh. Thank you.

Comments

[Suebob]

There is nothing worse than the polite marathon conversation, the one you don't know how to extract yourself from.

[Dizzymum]

I'm with you. I hate inane chatter and having to make the effort to talk when I just want to sit back, relax and read a book. Particularly if there are no kids with me. Silence is a rare pleasure!

[jenB]

I am all about the shush in such venues. I had two quiet seat mates on both of my flights home and it was joyous. Quietly so.

[ClizBiz]

I'm with ya, L. I once pretended I was deaf only to find that they spoke Sign Language. Then, I had to go and pretend I was illiterate as well. THAT was a long ride.

[Jodifur]

testing to see if I can comment.