the laws of physics are unforgiving, and offer no grace period to the elderly bus passenger who needs to make it from the metro-card swiper to one of the front seats before the bus begins moving. it's a death match between arthritis and inertia, and its terrifying.

every time i ride the bus, it makes me cringe when an elderly person gets on, because they have zero chance of making it safely to a seat before the bus begins to move. seriously, every time. there is no way they ever have time to get on with all of their accessories (walker, oxy-tank, cane, vitamin shoppe bag) and make it to one of the chairs in front before the bus driver hits the gas. i watch them get on and i really have to fight the impulse either scream out "hurry! the bus is going to lurch forward soon!" or get up and actually carry Eleanor to one of the front chairs before her body flies forward towards a metal pole.

i started commuting on the bus a lot, and watching bus physics versus the elderly passenger is like watching a trainwreck in slow motion over and over again. it's the most consistent thing i see on the bus, besides there always being some titanic-era lady in a fur coat.

i've seen it happen thrice today to an area senior citizen before high noon, which is why i ran home and looked up this creepy picture. but then i think: would i rather have her behind the wheel, as pictured above, on some kamikaze death route to the Food Pavillion? (I love you, grandma)

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