The Driver on the 6:18 Bus

I was the only passenger to get on at Lanark.

He and I chatted about the weather, as strangers often do. He wasn’t as enthusiastic about the recent good weather as I was. Looking into the sun made driving harder and he had got sunburnt on his right arm the day before.

He did this run every day, whatever the weather.

A man wearing an anorak and looking a bit flustered got on at the bottom of the High Street.
'Morning pal, how are you this morning? You’re looking a bit stressed'
'I’m alright mate – just thought I was going to miss you'.

The bus swung out of Lanark, a loud toot of the horn, an extravagant wave,
'Hiya pal'.
Pal was unlikely to have heard anything but waved back in recognition and continued on his dog walk.

Pink jacket lady got on in Braidwood. At the bus stop she’d been talking to a young lad all in black with his hoodie up who looked as if he needed people to talk to him. He was now bent over his phone.
'Morning, pal. How was your day off yesterday?'
'It was great, I was in the garden all day'.
'Lucky for some!'

Anorak man got off in Carluke and hurried off somewhere – to work probably. I wondered which place in Carluke started work at 7:00am.
'Cheers' he said brightly as the bus doors opened. Managing to catch the bus had clearly lightened his mood.
'See you Monday, pal'

A young woman was waiting at the next stop. She asked something about the fare.
'What time are you coming back at? Tell you what, get this ticket and that’ll save you a wee bit'.
'Thanks so much”'she said and sat down, smiling.
Ten minutes later, she pressed the stop button and got off beside Wishaw General, clutching her NHS identity badge.
'Cheerie, pal. You have a good day now.'

Then it was striped trouser lady.
'Good to see you, pal. How you doing? Glad it’s Friday?'
'Certainly am, it’s been a long week. Do you have tomorrow off?'
'I’ve one run to do in the morning and then that’s me. Afternoon in front of the telly with the remote all to myself'

A few stops later, donkey jacket & hi viz lads got on.
'Where are they sending you lads today then?'
'Over to Cumbernauld. We have to take some scaffolding down'
'That’ll no’ be fun in this heat'.
'I think your team is going to get thrashed tomorrow'
'That’ll no’ be happening, pal'.

We approached Strathclyde University where pink jacket lady got off.
'You have a good weekend, pal. See you Monday'
'You too. See you'

The bus pulled into Buchanan Street.
The rest of us got off and headed on to wherever we were headed.
'Bye pal'
'See ya, pal'
'Take care, pal'.

Soon he would turn his bus round to head back to Lanark and be a pal all over again.