I love these people!

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Eau de transit

On the days that are too dark or stormy or lazy for me to ride my bike home from work, I take the bus. I can't believe that statement is not a lie because I have been a committed bus-phobe for over 40 years.

It could be my fear of ending up in East Bosnia or my need to be in the driver's seat or maybe my inability to stay on schedule or even the fact that they keep stopping for all those other people! Whatev. That's between my shrink and me.

The point is, despite my neuroses, I HAVE been riding the bus. Several buses, in fact. Hey, when I break through, I break through BIG! One thing I've noticed is how all the buses smell the same - kind of a mix of dust and plastic with woodsy undertones and subtle hints of Cheez-wiz.

I also work in a building next to a transit rest stop... where the drivers cop a squat and a smoke, and I've noticed when passing these people in the halls that they all smell the same... just like the buses.

Now I'm totally bewildered as to how the drivers pick up that smell. I mean have you ever noticed someone who smells like new car? Can't say that I have. Is there an official bottle of cologne that they hand out with the blue pinstriped shirts? Or do they sit a little too close to the 'new-bus' scented tree fresheners?

Okey, dokey, once again I think I have overthought.
Time to stop and be grateful that my ride home doesn't smell like a mixture of B.O., overheated polyester and moldy salami.

Now I have something else to worry about. When I stop at the market after work do people sniff in my direction and say, 'Ewww, I think that lady's been rolling in budget figures.'

What do you think people smell on you?

22 comments:

Shupe said...

***shivers***

Trax has the same smell too!!! Can you believe that?
So do the buses in other cities though, SF to name one. Maybe I had a few too many cocktails to really care that I was riding the bus out there-

But I hope they say I smell like Daisies!!
Wouldn't wanna smell like butt crack!

Anonymous said...

I've been on buses in Detroit, Ft Wayne, Wichita, Chicago, DC, Baltimore and Kenya. They all smell the same. Yucky.

I'm not sure where that mixture comes from, but the common denominator is the people. So it's gotta be those of us that ride. A little deductive reasoning leads me to one conclusion:

Pheromones.

What would they say I smell like? Hmmm...I couldn't say for sure, but I'm sure it would be something manly. Shut it, Shupe! *points finger*

*snicker*

Lorie said...

Hopefully they smell my shampoo because my hair is still wet and not the nachos I ate for lunch!

Henry the Dog said...

Well mum says I don't smell very doggy, which I find a tad upsetting. I want to smell doggy. Mum smells like that stuff she puts in the washing machine to make her clothes soft. When Uncle Hugh comes back from playing with his flying car he smells like engine oil.

Anonymous said...

All I know is that I found this new laundry detergent at Kroger called Everyday Living and it smells like Apple Jolly Ranchers!!!
Apple Jolly Ranchers!!! I am completely addicted to it and I hope that's what I small like!

Tracie said...

oh great, something else for me to think & worry about!? THanks Jane

ShanaM said...

i hope I don't smell like the poopy diaper that I just changed at work.
**sniff, sniff**

Anonymous said...

Part tres: Hmmm....dd complains that she will smell like onions when I am sauteeing them...but that is dinner time. Whatever.

I'm impressed that you are riding the bus. That would be a problem for me. You are such a better person:(

Have a great rest of your week, Jane. g

Anonymous said...

HAHA I had to reread the next to last paragragh - I thought you said YOUR home smelled like B.O., overheated polyester and moldy salami! Glad that got cleared up in my mind - it wasn't how I pictured your house at ALL :)

Hopefully I smell like shampoo. Or detergent. Or something un-salami like ;)

Miss Thystle said...

I just smelled me and I smell like laundry soap and VS Angels "Divine" but I'm pretty sure if I smelled like my office, it would be the odour of frustration. Which I suspect smells like fresh cut potatoes.

Noanie said...

I am sooo not a bus rider. Besides living 65 miles away from where I work, it would take me FOREVER to get to work if I used mass transportation.

Hmm, I sure hope I smell like whichever perfume I've put on that day!

The Lady in Pearls said...

On a good day? Bath & Body Works Cotton Blossom and Downey (when I remember to take my clothes out of the washer, before they get that funky beeninthewashertoolong smell!)

On a bad day? Franzia Sunset Blush Wine with overtones of peppermint candies and Eclipse gum, you know to cover the wine smell......

Kat said...

Eww to the transit. I am too big of a wussy and chicken shit to ever try public transportation by myself...

Boring as it may seem, I have used the same parfume (spelled wrong on purpose little ms anal grammar queen) for my entire life. Well maybe not my entire life, I don't think my mother squirted my with Fake Obsession when I was a wee child, but my point is my nieces (and I have tons of those) always joke with me that when the smell someone wearing the same parfume they always ask them if they are wearing Aunt Kat parfume. They seem to think it is hilarious and I am sure the other people think they are mentally challenged...

So that's my smell, and you really wanted to hear that story I know...

Angie Ledbetter said...

LOL, they smell the love, and good home cookin', and maybe some little dab of cigarette smoke, ink from writing, all good stuff baybee!

Thanks for voting in my Christmas contest!

Anonymous said...

LOL go ahead and make fun! ;) Ok, well, when the kids were really little (before they ate full meals) we'd feed them before we left the house so they weren't hungry then hubby and I would just order dinner for ourselves & share with the kids who only wanted a bite anyway - thereby saving a ton of money!
I'm sure it was lame and everyone around us thought we were abusing our starving children but...jeez, kids meals in some of those places are way over priced.

:)

Noanie said...

Oh just look at you with the Partridge in the Pear tree - how clever!

And why can't you get in my blog now - you were just there the other day.

And I'm not moviing to Blogspot - that would mean I have to learn another software - there's no room left in my brain!!!
Cheers and Peace

The Lady in Pearls said...

Now who's the crafty one? Look at Jane's banner!! Where were you when I needed scrapbook help?

Debz said...

Well on a good day - a good day for me meaning I remembered to wash while in the shower and remembered to put on deodorant - I hope they smell my body wash and shampoo. On a bad day...there's no telling. Garlic and Baked Chicken probably.

Shit, now I'm hungry.

Pat said...

I use to drive a school bus does that count as a smell. Anyway it smelled of pencil lead, snotty noses, paper. I have wore the same perfume for 21 years and I still get compliments on it?? Who thunk? Anyway I hope when someone smells me they smell Cira? I'm always asked what are you wearing and I think OMG I sprayed too much, but they end up saying you smell so good? so why mess with a good thing. Take care, Hugs, Pat

Anonymous said...

I smell like vanilla. I always wear something vanilla-y. And I wash my clothes in Lavender Vanilla something, with matching fabric softener. I burn vanilla candles at home.

Oh, and labrador retriever...

Sultan said...

Due to trolling I am moving my blog to blogger -

http://checkraise2.blogspot.com/

: (

Anonymous said...

We used to ride the bus - then some homeless guy projectile vomited all over my husband. No lie. We bought a car.