Quick Trip To The Library

You would think it would be simple, wouldn’t you.  I had some overdue books, so I hopped on a bus–make that drove onto a bus, and headed for the library.  I could have driven my wheels over there, but didn’t want to spend the day making the 10 block round trip, so, I took the city bus.  It’s not like I haven ridden the bus before.  Before I broke my shoulder I rode it everywhere.  How was I supposed to know they had changed the bus routes during my recovery time?  The purple bus took me there before, so I got on the purple bus.  Baaad idea.

The new route took me on a tour of the town that was totally different from the former route, down streets I haven’t traveled in years.  So, after touring the east side of town, we finally got to the main station downtown.  Okay, since I was there, and the election is coming up, I knew I needed an updated ID, so I went to the Judicial Center looking for the Driver’s License Dept.  After having to pass through the security system I got the idea something was different there also.  No one had ever had me go through security when updating my license before, and I just wanted an ID, not a license, so why the security problem?

After cruising around the halls, and locating several courtrooms, I realized I was completely lost–again.  First, the wrong bus, now the wrong entrance at the Judicial Center, what next.  I cruised back to the entrance — or the exit, depending on which way you are going, and asked the deputy where the license division was, and she pointed to a solid wall, and told me it was on the other side of that wall, and I would have to go around to another entrance to get in.  I did notice, during this cruise, that the doors in the place are not handicap accessible, but a lawyer, or clerk, or something was on his way out, and acted as my doorman and guide to the correct entrance.

That door wasn’t handicap accessible either, but it opened in, so I was able to push it open with the chair and gain entry.  Fifteen or twenty minutes later I was handed a brand new photo ID, and for the first time in years they didn’t tell me they had to take the photo over again, and again, and again.  That gets embarrassing when the room is full of people, all snickering behind their hands.  A sweet little teenager, there to get her permit, opened the doors for me on my way out, and when I got to the sidewalk I decided to take a slow road to the river front since it was only a block away.  I pulled up close to the railing and gazed down at our flooded river, wishing I had thought to bring my camera.  If I had only known my short trip would take me so much out of my way, I would have gone back for it after I checked on Annie.

Oh, well, all that beautiful river front, the fountain, the playground that was almost empty on this school day went to waste, except for the delight I’m sure was shining in my eyes.  And the colorful buildings on Main Street will still be there when I go back on another day, more prepared for a picnic.

I glided my way, not so gracefully, back to the bus stop, and proceeded to get on another wrong bus.  I intended to get on the Purple bus again, but the White bus got there first, and I didn’t even look to see what color showed on top, just got on and parked my wheels for the trip that would take me closer to the library.  OOPS!!!  We went on a nice excursion out East 60, past the Glenmore Distillery where they make Very Old Barton, Kentucky Tavern, Barton Brothers, and a couple more labels, cruised on out 60, almost to Reid s orchard (which raised hopes of a visit to said orchard) but turned off before we got that far, shattering my hopes, down a back road to the hospital where I was tortured in January,  then back to 60 going West, a cruise around the Detention Center (and they didn’t suggest I get off there), a stop at the park for transfers, where I finally realized I was on the wrong bus, and back to the bus stop, where I transferred to the Purple.  After getting a new bus schedule with the new routes.

Four hours after beginning my excursion, I entered the library, paid my fine, and was told my library card had expired, so for once today, fate was with me.  In order to renew my card I needed my new, updated photo ID card.  I also had to change my code number so I can check out books online, and fortunately I wrote the numbers down as I spit them out, and hopefully I’ll remember where to look for them when I want to use the card online, or on Nook, and I can check them out and not have to worry about returning them again.

I decided to just motor my way back home, and forego any more bus rides for the day, so now I’m dealing with a bit of sun burn, because it kinda got hot before I got home, wrung out, tired, wilted, and starving, after what should have been a 30 minute trip.  But ya know, I had fun.  I’ll probably forget about the bus system and drive myself to the library several more times before winter.  And I’ll even take the bus downtown again, camera in hand, so I can take photos of our colorful downtown area.  I might even take some photos of our million dollar concrete trees.  That’s one million dollars each folks.  They cut down living, breathing, healthy trees, and erected a concrete playground for our grandchildren, who will probably grow up never realizing what a real tree looks like.  A good day, but it had sad, stupid overtones. (That’s my big blue bridge in the background.  See, I told you I have one.)

A.